nRF9160dk FOTA using external flash, ncs 2.0.2

[Rung]

Hi, 

I am using nRf9160dk with mcuboot secondary image on external flash base on AZURE_FOTA example, ncs 2.0.2.

Found the bootloader cannot runs primary image.

So, I need advice on how to set up the mcuboot secondary with SPI flash.

*** Booting Zephyr OS build v3.0.99-ncs1-1  ***
I: Starting bootloader
W: Failed reading sectors; BOOT_MAX_IMG_SECTORS=128 - too small?
E: Image in the primary slot is not valid!
E: Unable to find bootable image

Checked the partition with west build -t partition_manager_report .

+------------------------------------------+
| 0x0: external_flash (0x800000 - 8192kB)  |
| 0x0: mcuboot_secondary (0x70000 - 448kB) |
+------------------------------------------+

  flash_primary (0x100000 - 1024kB):
+--------------------------------------------------+
| 0x0: mcuboot (0xc000 - 48kB)                     |
| 0xc000: EMPTY_0 (0x4000 - 16kB)                  |
+---0x10000: mcuboot_primary (0xe8000 - 928kB)-----+
+---0x10000: tfm_secure (0xc200 - 48kB)------------+
| 0x10000: mcuboot_pad (0x200 - 512B)              |
+---0x10200: mcuboot_primary_app (0xe7e00 - 927kB)-+
| 0x10200: tfm (0xc000 - 48kB)                     |
+---0x1c200: tfm_nonsecure (0xdbe00 - 879kB)-------+
| 0x1c200: app (0xdbe00 - 879kB)                   |
+---0xf8000: nonsecure_storage (0x8000 - 32kB)-----+
| 0xf8000: settings_storage (0x2000 - 8kB)         |
| 0xfa000: littlefs_storage (0x6000 - 24kB)        |
+--------------------------------------------------+

  otp (0x2f4 - 756B):
+------------------------------+
| 0xff8108: otp (0x2f4 - 756B) |
+------------------------------+

  sram_primary (0x40000 - 256kB):
+--------------------------------------------------+
+---0x20000000: sram_secure (0x10000 - 64kB)-------+
| 0x20000000: tfm_sram (0x10000 - 64kB)            |
+---0x20010000: sram_nonsecure (0x30000 - 192kB)---+
+---0x20010000: nrf_modem_lib_sram (0x44e8 - 17kB)-+
| 0x20010000: nrf_modem_lib_ctrl (0x4e8 - 1kB)     |
| 0x200104e8: nrf_modem_lib_tx (0x2000 - 8kB)      |
| 0x200124e8: nrf_modem_lib_rx (0x2000 - 8kB)      |
+--------------------------------------------------+
| 0x200144e8: sram_primary (0x2bb18 - 174kB)       |
+--------------------------------------------------+

My configuration as follows:

child_image\mcuboot\boards\nrf9160dk_nrf9160_mcuboot.overlay

/ {
	chosen {
		nordic,pm-ext-flash = &mx25r64;
	};
};

&spi3 {
	compatible = "nordic,nrf-spim";
	status = "okay";
	pinctrl-0 = <&spi3_default_alt>;
	pinctrl-1 = <&spi3_sleep_alt>;
	pinctrl-names = "default", "sleep";
	cs-gpios = <&gpio0 25 GPIO_ACTIVE_LOW>;
	mx25r64: mx25r6435f@0 {
		compatible = "jedec,spi-nor";
		reg = <0>;
		spi-max-frequency = <80000000>;
		label = "MX25R64";
		jedec-id = [c2 28 17];
		size = <67108864>;
	};
};

&pinctrl {
	spi3_default_alt: spi3_default_alt {
		group1 {
			psels = <NRF_PSEL(SPIM_SCK, 0, 13)>,
				<NRF_PSEL(SPIM_MOSI, 0, 11)>,
				<NRF_PSEL(SPIM_MISO, 0, 12)>;
		};
	};

	spi3_sleep_alt: spi3_sleep_alt {
		group1 {
			psels = <NRF_PSEL(SPIM_SCK, 0, 13)>,
				<NRF_PSEL(SPIM_MOSI, 0, 11)>,
				<NRF_PSEL(SPIM_MISO, 0, 12)>;
			low-power-enable;
		};
	};

};

child_image\mcuboot\prj_mcuboot.conf

CONFIG_SPI=y
CONFIG_SPI_NOR=y
CONFIG_SPI_NOR_FLASH_LAYOUT_PAGE_SIZE=4096

CONFIG_MULTITHREADING=y

# MCUboot requires a large stack size, otherwise an MPU fault will occur
CONFIG_MAIN_STACK_SIZE=10240

CONFIG_DEBUG_OPTIMIZATIONS=y

# Enable flash operations
CONFIG_FLASH=y

# This must be increased to accommodate the bigger images.
CONFIG_BOOT_MAX_IMG_SECTORS=256

nrf9160dk_nrf9160_ns.overlay

/ {
    	chosen {
    		nordic,pm-ext-flash = &mx25r64;
    	};
};

&spi3 {
	compatible = "nordic,nrf-spim";
	status = "okay";
	pinctrl-0 = <&spi3_default_alt>;
	pinctrl-1 = <&spi3_sleep_alt>;
	pinctrl-names = "default", "sleep";
	cs-gpios = <&gpio0 25 GPIO_ACTIVE_LOW>;
	mx25r64: mx25r6435f@0 {
		compatible = "jedec,spi-nor";
		reg = <0>;
		spi-max-frequency = <80000000>;
		label = "MX25R64";
		jedec-id = [c2 28 17];
		size = <67108864>;
	};
};

&pinctrl {
	spi3_default_alt: spi3_default_alt {
		group1 {
			psels = <NRF_PSEL(SPIM_SCK, 0, 13)>,
				<NRF_PSEL(SPIM_MOSI, 0, 11)>,
				<NRF_PSEL(SPIM_MISO, 0, 12)>;
		};
	};

	spi3_sleep_alt: spi3_sleep_alt {
		group1 {
			psels = <NRF_PSEL(SPIM_SCK, 0, 13)>,
				<NRF_PSEL(SPIM_MOSI, 0, 11)>,
				<NRF_PSEL(SPIM_MISO, 0, 12)>;
			low-power-enable;
		};
	};

};

pm_static.yml

#include <autoconf.h>
#include <devicetree_legacy_unfixed.h>

external_flash:
  address: 0x0
  device: mx25r6435f
  region: external_flash
  size: 0x800000 
mcuboot_secondary:
  address: 0x0
  device: mx25r6435f
  region: external_flash
  size: 0x70000

prj.conf

#
# Copyright (c) 2020 Nordic Semiconductor ASA
#
# SPDX-License-Identifier: LicenseRef-Nordic-5-Clause
#
# General config
CONFIG_REBOOT=y

# Log
CONFIG_LOG=y
CONFIG_LOG_MODE_IMMEDIATE=y

# LTE link control
CONFIG_LTE_LINK_CONTROL=y
CONFIG_LTE_NETWORK_MODE_LTE_M=n
CONFIG_LTE_NETWORK_MODE_NBIOT=y
CONFIG_LTE_AUTO_INIT_AND_CONNECT=n

# AT Host
CONFIG_UART_INTERRUPT_DRIVEN=y
CONFIG_AT_HOST_LIBRARY=y

# MQTT
CONFIG_MQTT_KEEPALIVE=900

# Azure IoT Hub library
CONFIG_AZURE_IOT_HUB=y
CONFIG_AZURE_IOT_HUB_DEVICE_ID="nordic_960074368"
# Host name must be configured if DPS is not used
CONFIG_AZURE_IOT_HUB_HOSTNAME=""
# Change the security tag to the tag where relevant certificates are provisioned
CONFIG_AZURE_IOT_HUB_SEC_TAG=11
# Uncomment to get more verbose logging when debugging
# CONFIG_AZURE_IOT_HUB_LOG_LEVEL_DBG=y

# Uncomment and configure the options below to use DPS for device provisioning
CONFIG_AZURE_IOT_HUB_DPS=y
CONFIG_AZURE_IOT_HUB_DPS_ID_SCOPE="0ne0053A4FD"


# Azure FOTA
CONFIG_CJSON_LIB=y
CONFIG_AZURE_FOTA=y
CONFIG_AZURE_FOTA_APP_VERSION_AUTO=n
CONFIG_AZURE_FOTA_APP_VERSION="v0.0.1"
CONFIG_AZURE_FOTA_TLS=y
# Change the security tag to the tag where the certificates are provisioned
# for the server where the FOTA image is hosted
CONFIG_AZURE_FOTA_SEC_TAG=10
# Uncomment the below line to get more debug logging
# CONFIG_AZURE_FOTA_LOG_LEVEL_DBG=y

# Heap and stacks
CONFIG_HEAP_MEM_POOL_SIZE=6144
CONFIG_MAIN_STACK_SIZE=1536

# Settings, needed for Azure Device Provisioning Service
CONFIG_FLASH=y
CONFIG_FCB=y
CONFIG_SETTINGS=y
CONFIG_SETTINGS_FCB=y
CONFIG_MPU_ALLOW_FLASH_WRITE=y

# Networking
CONFIG_NETWORKING=y
CONFIG_NET_NATIVE=n

# Modem library
CONFIG_NRF_MODEM_LIB=y

# newlibc
CONFIG_NEWLIB_LIBC=y
CONFIG_NEWLIB_LIBC_FLOAT_PRINTF=y

# FOTA Download
CONFIG_FOTA_DOWNLOAD=y
CONFIG_FOTA_DOWNLOAD_PROGRESS_EVT=y
CONFIG_AZURE_FOTA_FILE_PATH_MAX_LEN=200

# Download Client
CONFIG_DOWNLOAD_CLIENT=y
CONFIG_DOWNLOAD_CLIENT_HTTP_FRAG_SIZE_1024=y
CONFIG_DOWNLOAD_CLIENT_STACK_SIZE=4096
CONFIG_DOWNLOAD_CLIENT_LOG_LEVEL_INF=y
CONFIG_DOWNLOAD_CLIENT_BUF_SIZE=2300

# DFU Target
CONFIG_DFU_TARGET=y

# Application update support
CONFIG_BOOTLOADER_MCUBOOT=y

# Image manager
CONFIG_IMG_MANAGER=y
CONFIG_IMG_ERASE_PROGRESSIVELY=y

#################################################
# Config using external flash memory and littleFS.
#################################################
CONFIG_SPI=y
CONFIG_SPI_NOR=y
CONFIG_SPI_NRFX_RAM_BUFFER_SIZE=32
CONFIG_FLASH=y
CONFIG_FLASH_PAGE_LAYOUT=y
CONFIG_FLASH_MAP=y
CONFIG_FILE_SYSTEM=y
CONFIG_FILE_SYSTEM_LITTLEFS=y
CONFIG_SPI_NOR_FLASH_LAYOUT_PAGE_SIZE=4096
# Need this when storage is on flash
# CONFIG_MPU_ALLOW_FLASH_WRITE=y

CONFIG_PM_EXTERNAL_FLASH_MCUBOOT_SECONDARY=y

[Håkon Alseth]

Hi,

 

child_image\mcuboot\prj_mcuboot.conf

You have two choices wrt. configuring a child_image:

child_image/$image.conf

This overrides the original default configuration for the child_image.

Or:

Replace the default configuration by setting:

child_image/$image/prj.conf

 

This approach will not use the default configuration for the image, and will require larger configuration files (ie. def_config + your wanted local configs)

 

I would recommend that you move this file to:

child_image\mcuboot.conf

 

child_image\mcuboot\boards\nrf9160dk_nrf9160_mcuboot.overlay

This should be child_image\mcuboot\boards\nrf9160dk_nrf9160.overlay

 

The algorithm here must follow the following rule:

child_image/$image/boards/$BOARD

 

Note that mcuboot runs in secure, so it will be "nrf9160dk_nrf9160" that is the board chosen for this child image.

 

pm_static.yml

You have overlapping sections in this file:

external_flash:
  address: 0x0
  device: mx25r6435f
  region: external_flash
  size: 0x800000 
mcuboot_secondary:
  address: 0x0
  device: mx25r6435f
  region: external_flash
  size: 0x70000

 

You should define "external_flash" with a start address after the end_addr of mcuboot_secondary.

 

Since you've already setup the corresponding "nordic,pm-ext-flash" section in device-tree, you can remove (or move the pm_static.yml to a backed up location) and rely on the generated build\partitions.yml file instead.

 

Kind regards,

Håkon

[Rung]

Hi,

My code is struck in an infinite loop when booting the mcuboot_primary slot.

*** Booting Zephyr OS build v3.0.99-ncs1-1  ***
I: Starting bootloader
I: Primary image: magic=unset, swap_type=0x1, copy_done=0x3, image_ok=0x3
I: Secondary image: magic=unset, swap_type=0x1, copy_done=0x3, image_ok=0x3
I: Boot source: none
I: Swap type: none
I: Bootloader chainload address offset: 0x10000
*** Booting Zephyr OS build v3.0.99-ncs1-1  ***
I: Starting bootloader
I: Primary image: magic=unset, swap_type=0x1, copy_done=0x3, image_ok=0x3
I: Secondary image: magic=unset, swap_type=0x1, copy_done=0x3, image_ok=0x3
I: Boot source: none
I: Swap type: none
I: Bootloader chainload address offset: 0x10000
*** Booting Zephyr OS build v3.0.99-ncs1-1  ***
I: Starting bootloader
I: Primary image: magic=unset, swap_type=0x1, copy_done=0x3, image_ok=0x3
I: Secondary image: magic=unset, swap_type=0x1, copy_done=0x3, image_ok=0x3
I: Boot source: none
I: Swap type: none
I: Bootloader chainload address offset: 0x10000

I am taking your advice and doing:

Håkon Alseth said:

I would recommend that you move this file to:

child_image\mcuboot.conf

Rounding the mcuboot.conf as your recommend.

Håkon Alseth said:

This should be child_image\mcuboot\boards\nrf9160dk_nrf9160.overlay

This suggestion has also been implemented in my project.

Håkon Alseth said:

Since you've already setup the corresponding "nordic,pm-ext-flash" section in device-tree, you can remove (or move the pm_static.yml to a backed up location) and rely on the generated build\partitions.yml file instead.

Remove pm_static.yml since I have define "nordic.pm-ext-flash"

Could you provide me some advice and confirm my configuration from my initial post is the root cause of the issue?

[Håkon Alseth]

Hi,

Rung said:

I works properly with the example.

Ok, good, so that means that you have implemented the formerly mentioned fix for ncs v2.1.0.

 

Which image are you downloading?

When updating, it is important that the original static partition is kept for all update-images as well, to ensure that mcuboot recognizes the image properly.

 

Kind regards,

Håkon

[Rung]

Hi,

Håkon Alseth said:

Which image are you downloading?

Like with the "azure_fota" sample I tested, I used the "app_update.bin" file.

However, the "Cannot upgrade: not a compatible amount of sectors" error, I have divided the external flash memory by add the "pm_static.yml" file.

Håkon Alseth said:

When updating, it is important that the original static partition is kept for all update-images as well, to ensure that mcuboot recognizes the image properly.

What is the "original static partition is kept for all-images as well" means?

Did you mean we cannot costume the external flash partition by using the static partition, pm_static.yml file.

If so, could you provide me some advise on how to partition the external flash?

[Håkon Alseth]

Hi,

 

Rung said:

What is the "original static partition is kept for all-images as well" means?

Did you mean we cannot costume the external flash partition by using the static partition, pm_static.yml file.

If so, could you provide me some advise on how to partition the external flash?

In order to successfully update, your "app_update.bin" must be provided with the same pm_static.yml as your original project.

This is to ensure that the image is setup with the same flash address offset as mcuboot was configured to.

Did you add this to your configuration? 

Håkon Alseth said:

CONFIG_PM_OVERRIDE_EXTERNAL_DRIVER_CHECK=y

And also changed this line:

    DEVICE "DT_CHOSEN(nordic_pm_ext_flash)"

In file:

https://github.com/nrfconnect/sdk-nrf/blob/v2.1.2/cmake/partition_manager.cmake#L215

 

Note that you should delete the build and regenerate the project.

 

Kind regards,

Håkon

[Rung]

Hi,

I have already implemented every update suggested on the project.

Håkon Alseth said:

Note that you should delete the build and regenerate the project.

Thanks for your notification of this, I can use pm_static.yml and do the FOTA (ncs 2.1.2) without an error by delete the build and regenerate the project.

[Håkon Alseth]

Hi,

 

Rung said:

Thanks for your notification of this, I can use pm_static.yml and do the FOTA (ncs 2.1.2) without an error by delete the build and regenerate the project.

This is great to hear!

 

Kind regards,

Håkon