DFU failing with nRF Secure Immutable Bootloader(NSIB) as the first stage bootloader

[Devanshu5]

Hi,

We are using the nRF Secure Immutable Bootloader(NSIB) as the first stage bootloader along with MCUboot as the second stage bootloader in our nrf5340 project. We have observed that the BLE (SMP based) DFU fails when we add the immutable bootloader to the project. The firmware get's downloaded to the device, but after reset it doesn't boot into the new application and gets stuck somewhere. There are no logs that get printed to indicate any issue. I am using the 'nRF Connect' mobile application in Android for our testing. The SDK is  NCSv2.1.0.

I have made the bare minimum changes needed to reproduce this in the example projects(machine learning and matter lock) provided by Nordic. I have added the CONFIG_SECURE_BOOT=y in the prj.conf of both examples and made sure to use the same memory partitions in both the the projects(pm_static.yml). Below are the zip files of the two projects:

1. Machine learning

  machine_learning.zip

2. Matter lock:

lock.zip

Please try performing the DFU from the first project to the second project or vice-a-versa on nrf5340DK board. It is failing for us.

This same upgrade works fine if we don't use the first stage immutable bootloader(NSIB) in the project.

Please help us in resolving this issue.

Also, I would like to know how we could upgrade the MCUboot image. Which is the binary that needs to be used? Is it the 'signed_by_b0_s0_image.bin'? Can we use the 'nRF Connect' mobile application itself for updating the MCUboot image?

Regards,

Devanshu Agarwal

[Menon]

Hello,

Sorry somehow I missed this case from my queue.

I was checking the Machine learning sample and I can see that in this sample MCUboot is running in the Application core, while bon (Bootloader for networkcore) is running in the Network core. I wanted to ask: is that your requirement i.e you want all the available bootloader options like MCUboot +NSIB+ b0n(for networkcore). This is reason why the update image for the MCUboot is missing in your build file. If you are only looking for a dual bootloader configuration take a look at this sample.

Kind Regards,

Abhijith

[Devanshu5]

Hi,

The machine learning example uses BLE, hence you see the network core bootloader b0n. In our product too, we have BLE and thread stack being used. The example that you have shared doesn’t use any RF protocol hence you do not have b0n for network core bootloader. This example you provided is practically of no use for us.

This again brings me to my point of why the DFU is not working on addition of NSIB with the sample projects provided Nordic. Can you please assign this ticket to someone who has more experience working on nRF53 controllers?

Regards,

Devanshu Agarwal

[Menon]

Hello,

Devanshu5 said:

This again brings me to my point of why the DFU is not working on addition of NSIB with the sample projects provided Nordic

If you check this repo from my colleague you can see DFU sample for 5340 with MCUBOOT and NSIB. This sample is also not using BLE for doing DFU. But I am attaching the same sample with BLE enabled so you can do OTA DFU. I didn't get enough time do the same in Machine learning sample as I need to start from the scratch for doing this. Hope this sample will serve your purpose.

7416.update_mcuboot_app_and_netcore_NSIB_ble.zip

Devanshu5 said:

The machine learning example uses BLE, hence you see the network core bootloader b0n. In our product too, we have BLE and thread stack being used. The example that you have shared doesn’t use any RF protocol hence you do not have b0n for network core bootloader. This example you provided is practically of no use for us.

Yes I understood. Sorry to hear that the sample I pointed to was of no use for you.  

Devanshu5 said:

Can you please assign this ticket to someone who has more experience working on nRF53 controllers?

Yes I will do that myself if I am completely stuck with the issue.

Kind Regards,

Abhijith