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I recently purchased a couple of nRF9160 Feather boards from DigiKey and have encountered a recurring issue during programming. Initially, I was able to program each board using the J-Link (nRF5340 J-Link connection) without any problems through the SDK Programmer app. However, on subsequent attempts, when I connected the nRF9160 Feather board via J-Link and opened the SDK Programmer app, the nRF9160 chip was not detected, and I received an “unknown family” error.

This issue has occurred consistently across multiple boards on second time of programming. Interestingly, when I used the Icarus IoT Board with nRF9160, I did not experience this error.

I already have several nRF9160 feather boards and would designed my product by using feather board so I like to resolve this issue as soon as possible. Could you please provide guidance on how to address this problem?

Thank you for your assistance.

    Hi @ashad66

    Can you provide a picture of your programming setup? Also please include the commands that you’re issuing to program? (or is it only using the GUI?) Typically you need to hold the Tag Connect in place while programming or else it won’t make a good connection. Also, make sure the nRF9160 Feather and nRF52DK are both connected to USB.

    We don’t support any other means of programming other than using nrfjprog or pyocd. (directly or indirectly via west flash)

      jaredwolff Just now I showed the error to someone working on the nRF9160 Feather board and he told me that while programming I deleted the Bootloader, that might be the reason I am not getting bootloader activate. But he did not mentioned why I am not getting nRF9160 detected while connected via J-link to nRF9160 feather board.

      I am going to take pics for setup and send it to you.

          ashad66 Just now I showed the error to someone working on the nRF9160 Feather board and he told me that while programming I deleted the Bootloader, that might be the reason I am not getting bootloader activate.

          Yup if you erase the flash you will erase the bootloader. Alternatively if your application does not have the bootloader enabled you will overwrite the bootloader.

          The JLINK should work no matter what though. Do you have the nRF Command Line Tools installed? I’d be curious to see what happens if you run a nrfjprog -r for instance. The connection between the TC-20230-NL and the board in the picture is not sufficient enough. I would push it against the board or use a retaining clip to keep it pressed throughout the use of that application.

          Reason being: there are lots of “auto” features enabled so if you don’t have a good connection one failure will cause issues for the remaining operations.

          One thing that you mentioned before is that you were successfully able to program before. What program did you flash to the device? If it has an infinite loop with little to no delay you may have issues.

              jaredwolff The JLINK should work no matter what though. Do you have the nRF Command Line Tools installed? I’d be curious to see what happens if you run a nrfjprog -r for instance. The connection between the TC-20230-NL and the board in the picture is not sufficient enough. I would push it against the board or use a retaining clip to keep it pressed throughout the use of that application.

              I added the picture after sending the nrfprog -r command in shared slide deck (slide number 7)

                  jaredwolff The connection between the TC-20230-NL and the board in the picture is not sufficient enough. I would push it against the board or use a retaining clip to keep it pressed throughout the use of that application.

                  For taking picture I used both hands, otherwise I was keep pressing the connector while programming

                      jaredwolff One thing that you mentioned before is that you were successfully able to program before. What program did you flash to the device? If it has an infinite loop with little to no delay you may have issues.

                      I bought many boards for my application by mistake I programmed then without bootloader to test the firmware. but now I need to update the firmware board is not detecting at all via SDK connect programmer

                      Initially when I received first time nRF9160 feather board with bootloader, it was connected successfully via SDK connect and I erased all and programmed with new firmware after that I could not be able to reconnect with the same boards.

                          ashad66 I added the picture after sending the nrfprog -r command in shared slide deck (slide number 7)

                          I’ve never seen an error like that with nrfjprog. If you don’t connect the Tag Connect, does it work with the nRF53 ok? My nRF53DK is very flaky and essentially stopped working after many hours of work. Did you modify the DK at all?

                          ashad66 For taking picture I used both hands, otherwise I was keep pressing the connector while programming

                          Got it 👍️

                          ashad66 Initially when I received first time nRF9160 feather board with bootloader, it was connected successfully via SDK connect and I erased all and programmed with new firmware after that I could not be able to reconnect with the same boards.

                          Right, what functionality does your firmware accomplish? Nevertheless, nrfjprog should work a-OK with a nRF9160 Feather connected via Tag Connect with both boards powered (as long as the JLink on the nRF53DK behaving!)

                                  jaredwolff I’ve never seen an error like that with nrfjprog. If you don’t connect the Tag Connect, does it work with the nRF53 ok? My nRF53DK is very flaky and essentially stopped working after many hours of work. Did you modify the DK at all?

                                  The strangest part is that the blinky code I programmed last time is still functioning. When I connect the nRF5340 without the J-Link being attached to the Feather board, the SDK Connect Programmer App recognizes it as an nRF5340DK (see slide 8). However, as soon as I connect the J-Link to the Feather board, the SDK Connect Programmer App no longer detects the nRF5340DK and only shows the J-Link (see slide 8).

                                  I did not modify the dk but I am sure nRF5340dk detects the board is connected via P19, because without connection app recognised as nRF5340dk and with connection with feather board it does not recognised as DK

                                  I have three new nRF5340 DK boards and I tested 02 and getting same issue. I need to order more boards but waiting to resolve this issue because I already designed PCB as per Feather board pinouts

                                      jaredwolff Right, what functionality does your firmware accomplish? Nevertheless, nrfjprog should work a-OK with a nRF9160 Feather connected via Tag Connect with both boards powered (as long as the JLink on the nRF53DK behaving!)

                                      I recently flashed the Blinky code from your repository onto an nRF9160 Feather board using a J-Link connected via Tag Connect. Although the program is running successfully on the board, the board itself is not responding. This is the third board where I’ve encountered the same issue. I consulted an experienced developer who works with the nRF DK and sent him the nRF9160 Feather board. After he programmed the board using Tag Connect, he also was unable to detect or re-flash the board. He suggested that this seems to be a consistent issue with these boards.

                                          I have one board left, I would like to reflash bootloader again, could you guide me where I can find the nRF9160 feather board bootloader and how I can flash it without having any trouble

                                            ashad66 I have one board left, I would like to reflash bootloader again, could you guide me where I can find the nRF9160 feather board bootloader and how I can flash it without having any trouble

                                            Is there a reason why you’re not simply using the bootloader that is already there? Have you set up your SDK as per the documentation? Doing anything outside of what’s prescribed is not supported.

                                            Bootloader reflashing

                                            https://community.circuitdojo.com/assets/files/2024-08-16/1723816279-33982-v5-2-ga33aa1f-fast-blink.zip

                                            Instructions:

                                            • Unzip
                                            • Make all necessary connections to your boards
                                            • Run nrfjprog --program v5-2-ga33aa1f-fast-blink.hex --chiperase --verify

                                            The device should blink 500ms and you should get some test output from the console.

                                            Also please confirm you have a newer version of nrfjprog. Anything equal or newer to the one I have installed should work as expected:

                                            ❯ nrfjprog --version
nrfjprog version: 10.18.1 external
JLinkARM.dll version: 7.86f

                                                jaredwolff Is there a reason why you’re not simply using the bootloader that is already there? Have you set up your SDK as per the documentation? Doing anything outside of what’s prescribed is not supported.

                                                by mistake I erased all nRF9160 feather board but after erasing I retrieve the board but other board, I could not be able to retrieve.

                                                    6 days later

                                                    Hi @ashad66

                                                    Any update on my suggestions?

                                                    I see you also soldered headers to the board. What did you connect the board to? Any chance you may have damaged it while doing so? The fact that you have 3 inoperable boards makes me think something went wrong. What power sources have you connected the board to?

                                                    When you plug in USB, do you get 3.3V on the 3V3 pin?

                                                    What version of Windows are you running?

                                                      7 days later

                                                      jaredwolff I see you also soldered headers to the board. What did you connect the board to? Any chance you may have damaged it while doing so? The fact that you have 3 inoperable boards makes me think something went wrong. What power sources have you connected the board to?

                                                      I ordered almost 04 Boards and need at least 21 more to built 25 Units of AQM. I have temperature controlled Soldering station and I solder all board Carefully. All boards I soldered works fine even this board as well.
                                                      After Soldering I programmed the Blinky Application which works fine and still it is working fine. I do not think it is a soldering issue.
                                                      But after programming this board I could be able to reconnect and program again, although I retrieve other boards and still I am developing the HW by using other board.
                                                      I think this specific issue is related to other board only therefore, I decided not waste more time and continue develop my project with other working boards

                                                        ashad66 Yes, 3.3V and 5V as well

                                                        3.3V pin should never have 5V. That’s a problem! I’m assuming though you’re saying the 5V pin has 5V and 3.3V has 3.3V.

                                                        ashad66 I do not think it is window issue because other 03 board works fine to me

                                                        Ok

                                                        Let me know if you need any other assistance.

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