Could not update firmware of nRF52840 SoC on Thingy:91 via MCUBoot

[Celeritas]

Dear Nordic Support, 

Please help me with following.

Hardware - Thingy:91 1.0.0 (2019.43) PCA20035

OS - Windows 10 64 Bit

Laptop - HP core i5, 8GBRAM

I want to connect Thingy91 to Edge Impulse. I want to follow guide given below by Edge Impulse, 

https://docs.edgeimpulse.com/docs/development-platforms/officially-supported-mcu-targets/nordic-semi-thingy91

But as they said in their guide "If Thingy:91 hardware version < 1.4.0" 

As they have given link 

https://developer.nordicsemi.com/nRF_Connect_SDK/doc/latest/nrf/ug_thingy91_gsg.html#updating-firmware-through-usb

 

I started following this guide but got error at step 1. "Updating the firmware in the nRF52840 SoC" 

First I used latest nRFConnect 3.12.0  Application and Programmer v3.0.4  but got following errors 

Device was showing as 

Error Log was as following, 

2022-09-30T16:45:41.338Z DEBUG Application data folder: C:\Users\inspiron\AppData\Roaming\nrfconnect\pc-nrfconnect-programmer
2022-09-30T16:45:41.678Z INFO Using nrf-device-lib-js version: 0.4.13
2022-09-30T16:45:41.678Z INFO Using nrf-device-lib version: 0.12.8
2022-09-30T16:45:41.679Z INFO Using nrfjprog DLL version: 10.16.0
2022-09-30T16:45:41.679Z INFO Using JLink version: JLink_V7.66a
2022-09-30T16:45:41.756Z DEBUG App pc-nrfconnect-programmer v3.0.4 official
2022-09-30T16:45:41.757Z DEBUG App path: C:\Users\inspiron\.nrfconnect-apps\node_modules\pc-nrfconnect-programmer
2022-09-30T16:45:41.757Z DEBUG nRFConnect 3.12.0, required by the app is (^3.12.0)
2022-09-30T16:45:41.757Z DEBUG nRFConnect path: C:\Users\inspiron\AppData\Local\Programs\nrfconnect\resources\app.asar
2022-09-30T16:45:41.757Z DEBUG HomeDir: C:\Users\inspiron
2022-09-30T16:45:41.757Z DEBUG TmpDir: C:\Users\inspiron\AppData\Local\Temp
2022-09-30T16:46:48.621Z ERROR Error while setting up device 0.01: TypeError: Cannot read property '0' of undefined
2022-09-30T16:46:48.621Z INFO Target device closed

Also after clicking on MCUBOOT nRFConnect crashed with this screen

TypeError: Cannot read property 'map' of undefined
at n (C:\Users\inspiron\.nrfconnect-apps\node_modules\pc-nrfconnect-programmer\dist\bundle.js:45:92325)
at Ki (file:///C:/Users/inspiron/AppData/Local/Programs/nrfconnect/resources/app.asar/dist/app-bundle.js:40:57930)
at ys (file:///C:/Users/inspiron/AppData/Local/Programs/nrfconnect/resources/app.asar/dist/app-bundle.js:40:104169)
at ul (file:///C:/Users/inspiron/AppData/Local/Programs/nrfconnect/resources/app.asar/dist/app-bundle.js:40:96717)
at sl (file:///C:/Users/inspiron/AppData/Local/Programs/nrfconnect/resources/app.asar/dist/app-bundle.js:40:96642)
at Qs (file:///C:/Users/inspiron/AppData/Local/Programs/nrfconnect/resources/app.asar/dist/app-bundle.js:40:93672)
at file:///C:/Users/inspiron/AppData/Local/Programs/nrfconnect/resources/app.asar/dist/app-bundle.js:40:45314
at t.unstable_runWithPriority (file:///C:/Users/inspiron/AppData/Local/Programs/nrfconnect/resources/app.asar/dist/app-bundle.js:48:3844)
at zo (file:///C:/Users/inspiron/AppData/Local/Programs/nrfconnect/resources/app.asar/dist/app-bundle.js:40:45023)
at Go (file:///C:/Users/inspiron/AppData/Local/Programs/nrfconnect/resources/app.asar/dist/app-bundle.js:40:45259)

Then I tried nRFConnect 3.7.1, as suggested by EdgeImpulse and many others on devzone. But it also failed with following error

Error Log as following

2022-09-30T17:26:22.738Z INFO Application data folder: C:\Users\inspiron\AppData\Roaming\nrfconnect\pc-nrfconnect-programmer
2022-09-30T17:26:23.949Z DEBUG App pc-nrfconnect-programmer v1.4.11 official
2022-09-30T17:26:23.950Z DEBUG App path: C:\Users\inspiron\.nrfconnect-apps\external\3.7 compatible apps\node_modules\pc-nrfconnect-programmer
2022-09-30T17:26:23.950Z DEBUG nRFConnect 3.7.1, required by the app is (^3.6.0)
2022-09-30T17:26:23.950Z DEBUG nRFConnect path: C:\Users\inspiron\AppData\Local\Programs\nrfconnect\resources\app.asar
2022-09-30T17:26:23.950Z DEBUG HomeDir: C:\Users\inspiron
2022-09-30T17:26:23.951Z DEBUG TmpDir: C:\Users\inspiron\AppData\Local\Temp
2022-09-30T17:26:23.983Z INFO Using nrfjprog library 10.12.1, pc-nrfjprog-js 1.7.6
2022-09-30T17:29:18.302Z INFO Parsing HEX file: C:\Users\inspiron\Downloads\Compressed\img_fota_dfu_hex\thingy91_nrf52_connectivity_bridge_2022-06-02_880c82db.hex
2022-09-30T17:29:18.321Z INFO File was last modified at 6/2/2022, 2:08:00 PM
2022-09-30T17:29:25.838Z INFO Does not need to be reloaded: C:\Users\inspiron\Downloads\Compressed\img_fota_dfu_hex\thingy91_nrf52_connectivity_bridge_2022-06-02_880c82db.hex
2022-09-30T17:29:29.757Z ERROR MCUboot DFU failed. Error occured when program. Errorcode: CouldNotOpenDevice (0x4)
Lowlevel error: Unknown value (ffffff8e)

 

I can successfully completed step 2. "Update the modem firmware on the nRF9160 SiP" to latest one - mfw_nrf9160_1.3.2

using latest nRFConnect 3.12.0  Application and Programmer v3.0.4 

But I could not update firmware of nRF52840 SoC on Thingy:91 i.e Connectivity bridge firmware (specifically - thingy91_nrf52_connectivity_bridge_2022-06-02_880c82db), which is recommended by Edge Impulse to get Edge Impulse CLI to run.

So please let me know, How can I "update firmware of nRF52840 SoC" ?

P.S - I do not have privilege/access to any External probe. So my only way is through a (USB) cable using MCUboot.

I appreciate your time and hope for support from you.

Best Regards

[Hakon]

Hi,

the HW version is old, so you most likely need to use a 10 pin connector and an external debugger to program it.

[Celeritas]

Hello Hakon 

I've successfully upgraded nRF9160(SiP) Firmware and Modem Firmware to the latest one. Using USB secure MCUBoot method. But above mentioned error only occurs with nRF52840(SoC). I dont know why?

I never used(Updated) this Thingy:91 earlier. Never connected to any external debugger then what is the reason I can not upgrade nRF52840(SoC) firmware which is probably of factory version still untouched/unmodified.

"External Debug Probe - Like Segger Jlink". I found that these are very costly hardware's (Rs-80000), I'm kind of Hobbyist and student, I cannot afford this costly hardware for just to program one (binary) file "connectivity-bidge.hex", into Thingy:91. Actually I did not know about all this(Old Hardware thing) when I received this hardware from your vendor. If I known this earlier I might have requested them for replacement of this Thingy:91 one to latest hardware.

Please suggest me any other way than external debugger probe. I'll very grateful to you.

Best Regards

[Hakon]

Celeritas said:

"External Debug Probe - Like Segger Jlink". I found that these are very costly hardware's (Rs-80000), I'm kind of Hobbyist and student, I cannot afford this costly hardware for just to program one (binary) file "connectivity-bidge.hex", into Thingy:91.

Do you have a DK? You can use the interface chip on the DK to program it.

[Celeritas]

Hi Hakon 

Currently, I do not have any Nordic DK board, I've to check with my friends. but meantime can you please answer my following questions

1. Can I use Thingy:53 to program Thingy:91? My friend have this thingy:53 dev kit.

2. Check out following link, Can I use any other ST boards to do above 

https://www.segger.com/products/debug-probes/j-link/models/other-j-links/st-link-on-board/

3. Where Can I get proper support(RMA related) for this issue?, Should I contact local distributor from where I received this hardware?

Please help, I need to use this device for my project. WebUSB also not working.

Best Regards

[Hakon]

Celeritas said:

1. Can I use Thingy:53 to program Thingy:91? My friend have this thingy:53 dev kit.

No, the Thingy:53 does not have on-board debugger, so it's not possible.

Celeritas said:

2. Check out following link, Can I use any other ST boards to do above 

No, if you check the "Limitations" further down on the page, you can see that it's not supported.

Celeritas said:

3. Where Can I get proper support(RMA related) for this issue?, Should I contact local distributor from where I received this hardware?

I don't think you can get RMA related support for this issue. The best option is probably just buy a nrf9160 dk or an external debugger.

[Celeritas]

Is this NRF9160-DK is the only board which have this capability (On-board SEGGER J-Link debugger/programmer)

Can I use other DK's like NRF52840-DK or NRF5340-DK or NRF52833 DK, these are somewhat affordable than RF9160-DK.

[Hakon]

Celeritas said:

Can I use other DK's like NRF52840-DK or NRF5340-DK or NRF52833 DK, these are somewhat affordable than RF9160-DK.

You need to check if the debugger is compatible with the Cortex M33, so any nrf9160dk or nrf5340dk should work, and some nrf52dks depending on how recent the version is.