Project fails to build due to "Failed to find mbedtls, cannot build security libraries"

[Rob Nuttall]

Hi, i am using ncs version 1.6.1. I am able to build the project on my windows computer. A few months ago i set up a CI build on a Linux machine which also worked. However i have come to use the Linux machine again to run a CI build and run into the error when trying to build "Failed to find mbedtls, cannot build security libraries". It still works on my windows machine. It should be noted that ncs is downloaded each time before a CI build. I have also tried setting the ARM_MBEDTLS_PATH variable to the correct mbedtls path but this also doesn't work. Any idea as to what config might be wrong?

[GreenGiant]

I've got the same issue with a fresh, and first time, install on Ubuntu.  Windows works fine.  Using all the latest as of right now, so 1.9.1.

> Executing task: nRF Connect: Dynamic Build Task <

Building gnss
west build --build-dir /home/simon/nrf6190/first_test/gnss/build /home/simon/nrf6190/first_test/gnss --pristine --board nrf9160dk_nrf9160_ns -- -DCMAKE_EXPORT_COMPILE_COMMANDS:BOOL=On -DNCS_TOOLCHAIN_VERSION:STRING="NONE" -DCONF_FILE:STRING="/home/simon/nrf6190/first_test/gnss/prj.conf"

-- west build: generating a build system
Including boilerplate (Zephyr base): /home/simon/ncs/zephyr/cmake/app/boilerplate.cmake
-- Application: /home/simon/nrf6190/first_test/gnss
-- Zephyr version: 2.7.99 (/home/simon/ncs/zephyr), build: v2.7.99-ncs1-1
-- Found Python3: /usr/bin/python3.8 (found suitable exact version "3.8.10") found components: Interpreter 
-- Found west (found suitable version "0.13.0", minimum required is "0.7.1")
-- Board: nrf9160dk_nrf9160_ns, Revision: 0.7.0
-- Cache files will be written to: /home/simon/.cache/zephyr
-- Found dtc: /usr/bin/dtc (found suitable version "1.5.0", minimum required is "1.4.6")
-- Found toolchain: gnuarmemb (/home/simon/gccarmemb/gcc-arm-none-eabi-10.3-2021.10)
-- Found BOARD.dts: /home/simon/ncs/zephyr/boards/arm/nrf9160dk_nrf9160/nrf9160dk_nrf9160_ns.dts
-- Generated zephyr.dts: /home/simon/nrf6190/first_test/gnss/build/zephyr/zephyr.dts
-- Generated devicetree_unfixed.h: /home/simon/nrf6190/first_test/gnss/build/zephyr/include/generated/devicetree_unfixed.h
-- Generated device_extern.h: /home/simon/nrf6190/first_test/gnss/build/zephyr/include/generated/device_extern.h
-- Including generated dts.cmake file: /home/simon/nrf6190/first_test/gnss/build/zephyr/dts.cmake
Parsing /home/simon/nrf6190/first_test/gnss/Kconfig
Loaded configuration '/home/simon/ncs/zephyr/boards/arm/nrf9160dk_nrf9160/nrf9160dk_nrf9160_ns_defconfig'
Merged configuration '/home/simon/nrf6190/first_test/gnss/prj.conf'
Configuration saved to '/home/simon/nrf6190/first_test/gnss/build/zephyr/.config'
Kconfig header saved to '/home/simon/nrf6190/first_test/gnss/build/zephyr/include/generated/autoconf.h'

warning: Experimental symbol NET_SOCKETS_SOCKOPT_TLS is enabled.


warning: Experimental symbol NET_SOCKETS_OFFLOAD is enabled.

-- The C compiler identification is GNU 10.3.1
-- The CXX compiler identification is GNU 10.3.1
-- The ASM compiler identification is GNU
-- Found assembler: /home/simon/gccarmemb/gcc-arm-none-eabi-10.3-2021.10/bin/arm-none-eabi-gcc
Changed board to secure nrf9160dk_nrf9160 (NOT NS)

=== child image spm -  begin ===
loading initial cache file /home/simon/nrf6190/first_test/gnss/build/spm/child_image_preload.cmake
Including boilerplate (Zephyr base): /home/simon/ncs/zephyr/cmake/app/boilerplate.cmake
-- Application: /home/simon/ncs/nrf/samples/spm
-- Zephyr version: 2.7.99 (/home/simon/ncs/zephyr), build: v2.7.99-ncs1-1
-- Found Python3: /usr/bin/python3.8 (found suitable exact version "3.8.10") found components: Interpreter 
-- Found west (found suitable version "0.13.0", minimum required is "0.7.1")
-- Board: nrf9160dk_nrf9160, Revision: 0.7.0
-- Cache files will be written to: /home/simon/.cache/zephyr
-- Found dtc: /usr/bin/dtc (found suitable version "1.5.0", minimum required is "1.4.6")
-- Found toolchain: gnuarmemb (/home/simon/gccarmemb/gcc-arm-none-eabi-10.3-2021.10)
-- Found BOARD.dts: /home/simon/ncs/zephyr/boards/arm/nrf9160dk_nrf9160/nrf9160dk_nrf9160.dts
-- Found devicetree overlay: /home/simon/ncs/nrf/samples/spm/nrf9160dk_nrf9160.overlay
-- Generated zephyr.dts: /home/simon/nrf6190/first_test/gnss/build/spm/zephyr/zephyr.dts
-- Generated devicetree_unfixed.h: /home/simon/nrf6190/first_test/gnss/build/spm/zephyr/include/generated/devicetree_unfixed.h
-- Generated device_extern.h: /home/simon/nrf6190/first_test/gnss/build/spm/zephyr/include/generated/device_extern.h
-- Including generated dts.cmake file: /home/simon/nrf6190/first_test/gnss/build/spm/zephyr/dts.cmake
Parsing /home/simon/ncs/zephyr/Kconfig
Loaded configuration '/home/simon/ncs/zephyr/boards/arm/nrf9160dk_nrf9160/nrf9160dk_nrf9160_defconfig'
Merged configuration '/home/simon/ncs/nrf/samples/spm/prj.conf'
Merged configuration '/home/simon/ncs/nrf/samples/spm/boards/nrf9160dk_nrf9160.conf'
Merged configuration '/home/simon/ncs/nrf/subsys/partition_manager/partition_manager_enabled.conf'
Merged configuration '/home/simon/nrf6190/first_test/gnss/build/spm/zephyr/misc/generated/extra_kconfig_options.conf'
Configuration saved to '/home/simon/nrf6190/first_test/gnss/build/spm/zephyr/.config'
Kconfig header saved to '/home/simon/nrf6190/first_test/gnss/build/spm/zephyr/include/generated/autoconf.h'
-- The C compiler identification is GNU 10.3.1
-- The CXX compiler identification is GNU 10.3.1
-- The ASM compiler identification is GNU
-- Found assembler: /home/simon/gccarmemb/gcc-arm-none-eabi-10.3-2021.10/bin/arm-none-eabi-gcc
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<string>", line 1, in <module>
  File "/home/simon/.local/lib/python3.8/site-packages/west/manifest.py", line 1151, in from_file
    topdir = Path(util.west_topdir(start=start, fall_back=False)).resolve()
  File "/home/simon/.local/lib/python3.8/site-packages/west/util.py", line 82, in west_topdir
    raise WestNotFound('Could not find a west workspace '
west.util.WestNotFound: Could not find a west workspace in this or any parent directory
CMake Error at /home/simon/ncs/nrfxlib/common.cmake:93 (message):
  Failed to find mbedtls, cannot build security libraries
Call Stack (most recent call first):
  /home/simon/ncs/nrfxlib/nrf_security/CMakeLists.txt:33 (get_mbedtls_dir)


-- Configuring incomplete, errors occurred!
See also "/home/simon/nrf6190/first_test/gnss/build/spm/CMakeFiles/CMakeOutput.log".
See also "/home/simon/nrf6190/first_test/gnss/build/spm/CMakeFiles/CMakeError.log".
CMake Error at /home/simon/ncs/nrf/cmake/multi_image.cmake:409 (message):
  CMake generation for spm failed, aborting.  Command: 1
Call Stack (most recent call first):
  /home/simon/ncs/nrf/cmake/multi_image.cmake:150 (add_child_image_from_source)
  /home/simon/ncs/nrf/samples/CMakeLists.txt:41 (add_child_image)


-- Configuring incomplete, errors occurred!
See also "/home/simon/nrf6190/first_test/gnss/build/CMakeFiles/CMakeOutput.log".
See also "/home/simon/nrf6190/first_test/gnss/build/CMakeFiles/CMakeError.log".
FATAL ERROR: command exited with status 1: /usr/bin/cmake -DWEST_PYTHON=/usr/bin/python -B/home/simon/nrf6190/first_test/gnss/build -S/home/simon/nrf6190/first_test/gnss -GNinja -DBOARD=nrf9160dk_nrf9160_ns -DCMAKE_EXPORT_COMPILE_COMMANDS:BOOL=On -DNCS_TOOLCHAIN_VERSION:STRING=NONE -DCONF_FILE:STRING=/home/simon/nrf6190/first_test/gnss/prj.conf
The terminal process terminated with exit code: 1.

West update shows that everything looks good, including mbed

simon@simon-HP-EliteBook:~/ncs$ west update
]=== updating zephyr (zephyr):
HEAD is now at b05b8ad63a [nrf fromtree] board: thingy53_nrf5340: Add option to set PMIC to PWM mode
=== updating mcuboot (bootloader/mcuboot):
HEAD is now at 17f6d04 [nrf noup] loader: fixed the check of reset address for the net app
=== updating mbedtls-nrf (mbedtls):
HEAD is now at cefdd9954 [nrf noup] Add driver_wrapper call for derivation
=== updating nrfxlib (nrfxlib):
HEAD is now at 6195aa85 doc: Version update for NCS 1.9.0
=== updating trusted-firmware-m (modules/tee/tf-m/trusted-firmware-m):
HEAD is now at c6667fa3 [nrf fromtree] platform: nordic_nrf: Add missing NRF_SKIP_FICR_NS_COPY_TO_RAM
=== updating tfm-mcuboot (modules/tee/tfm-mcuboot):
HEAD is now at 4aa516e Bump versions for v1.7.2
=== updating matter (modules/lib/matter):
HEAD is now at ec9e7f67a [nrf noup] [SED] Review switching between polling modes - update
Synchronising submodule url for 'third_party/nlio/repo'
Synchronising submodule url for 'third_party/nlassert/repo'
Synchronising submodule url for 'third_party/pigweed/repo'
=== updating cjson (modules/lib/cjson):
HEAD is now at c6af068 [nrf fromtree] fix: potential memory leak in merge_patch() (#611)
=== updating cmock (test/cmock):
M	vendor/unity
HEAD is now at 9d09289 Merge pull request #346 from ThrowTheSwitch/reapply_329
=== updating unity (test/cmock/vendor/unity):
HEAD is now at 74cde08 Merge pull request #540 from numaru/master
=== updating Alexa-Gadgets-Embedded-Sample-Code (modules/alexa-embedded):
HEAD is now at face92d Update firmware.options signature_size from 48 to 65
=== updating cddl-gen (modules/lib/cddl-gen):
HEAD is now at 1c2656d zephyr: module.yml: Change cmake-ext to True
=== updating memfault-firmware-sdk (modules/lib/memfault-firmware-sdk):
HEAD is now at 2fe5ba1 Memfault Firmware SDK 0.28.2 (Build 384364)
=== updating openthread (modules/lib/openthread):
HEAD is now at 02e61a2ed [nrf noup] allow link metrics series for all children
=== updating canopennode (modules/lib/canopennode):
HEAD is now at 1052dae Merge pull request #4 from vestas-wind-systems/mergeup-2021-10-29
=== updating civetweb (modules/lib/civetweb):
HEAD is now at 094aeb41 cmake: relax minimum version requirements
=== updating cmsis (modules/hal/cmsis):
HEAD is now at b0612c9 DSP: Integrate CMSIS-DSP 1.9.0 (CMSIS 5.8.0)
=== updating edtt (tools/edtt):
HEAD is now at c94f638 Replaced 'white list' and variations thereof with 'filter accept list'
=== updating fatfs (modules/fs/fatfs):
HEAD is now at 94fcd6b fs: Update driver to version 0.14b
=== updating hal_nordic (modules/hal/nordic):
HEAD is now at b1db86f drivers: nrf_802154: nrf_802154_irq_init negative `prio` ZLI
=== updating hal_st (modules/hal/st):
HEAD is now at 575de9d sensor/stmemsc: Align stmemsc i/f to v2.00
=== updating libmetal (modules/hal/libmetal):
HEAD is now at f237c9d lib: update libmetal to release v2021.10.0
=== updating littlefs (modules/fs/littlefs):
HEAD is now at 33509ed Merge pull request #7 from poojamg/littlefs_rev2.4.1
=== updating loramac-node (modules/lib/loramac-node):
HEAD is now at 12019623 zephyr: radio: sx127x: override buffer read/write functions
=== updating lvgl (modules/lib/gui/lvgl):
HEAD is now at 783c1f78 cmake: added missing file ext to lv_font_dejavu_16_persian_hebrew.c
=== updating lz4 (modules/lib/lz4):
HEAD is now at 8e303c2 zephyr: make this repo a zephyr module
=== updating mbedtls (modules/crypto/mbedtls):
HEAD is now at 3e3e58a92 mbedtls: remove static keyword from certain function pointers
=== updating mipi-sys-t (modules/debug/mipi-sys-t):
HEAD is now at 75e6715 zephyr: move platform.h to zephyr tree
=== updating nanopb (modules/lib/nanopb):
HEAD is now at d148bd2 Add zephyr module support
=== updating net-tools (tools/net-tools):
HEAD is now at f49bd13 net-capture: Listen captured traffic and save to pcap file
=== updating nrf_hw_models (modules/bsim_hw_models/nrf_hw_models):
HEAD is now at b8cea37 Added overflow event handling and trigger overflow task
=== updating open-amp (modules/lib/open-amp):
HEAD is now at cfd050f lib: update open-amp lib to release v2021.10.0
=== updating segger (modules/debug/segger):
HEAD is now at 3a52ab2 config: Use zephyr provided options
=== updating tinycbor (modules/lib/tinycbor):
HEAD is now at 40daca9 zephyr: Remove TINYCBOR from interface libraries
=== updating tinycrypt (modules/crypto/tinycrypt):
HEAD is now at 3e9a49d cmake: Fix conditional in root CMakeLists.txt
=== updating TraceRecorderSource (modules/debug/TraceRecorder):
HEAD is now at 36c5777 Merge remote-tracking branch 'upstream/main' into zephyr
=== updating tf-m-tests (modules/tee/tf-m/tf-m-tests):
HEAD is now at 5281418 Merge pull request #1 from SebastianBoe/merge_tfm-1.5
=== updating psa-arch-tests (modules/tee/tf-m/psa-arch-tests):
HEAD is now at 0aab246 Merge pull request #2 from joerchan/fix-wdt-build-issues
=== updating zscilib (modules/lib/zscilib):
HEAD is now at 12bfe3f Merge pull request #28 from microbuilder/doccleanup

The documentation is a bit of a dead end for me (https://developer.nordicsemi.com/nRF_Connect_SDK/doc/0.4.0/nrfxlib/nrf_security/doc/nrf_security.html) as the error:

Failed to find mbedtls, cannot build security libraries

Indicates (from the docs) what West cannot find mbedtls, but west update shows it can.

Let me know if there is anything else I can provide that might help find the issue.