Failing to program the xiao BLE SoC via the nRF_DK board + XIAO expansion board

Products & Technology
#1

I’m trying to program the Xiao BLE device, while mounted on the XIAO expansion board, using the nRF52840 DK board.
I’ve connected the SWDIO, SWDCLK, VTG (to 3v3) and GND DETECT (to GND)
I’m using windows 11, and the latest nRF connect Application + Programmer app.
I press reset twice on the XIAO BLE, to enter boot loader mode.
I select the “XIAO nRF52840 Sense” device, but the programmer fails to detect it

“Unsupported device. The detected device could not be recognized as neither JLink device nor Nordic USB device.”

image

Can anyone assist in allowing me to program the XIAO BLE Sense via nRF programmer?

#2

20230302_112210
20230302_1122101705×2563 474 KB

#3

20230302_112149
20230302_112149987×1621 251 KB

#4

20230302_112131
20230302_1121311054×1582 460 KB

#5

Hi, doesn’t look connected properly, look at what I have…
HTH
GL;-)

5
51200×1200 165 KB

switch to the top row of pins and swap the red (GND) and Blue (3v3)wires. Your SWCLK is Yellow and data is green AOK,

#6

PJ , thanks for your answer.
I have double checked the 3v3 and GND signals on the XIAO expansion board, and they are OK.
I even tried to use the VDD–>3v3 instead of VTG–>3v3, and also tried GND–>GND instead of
“GND detect”–>GND.
nothing worked.
I wonder:

  1. did you need to connect the RST pin to the JLINK, to make it be able to identify the XIAO?
  2. are the connections marked in yellow necessary?
    image
#7

this solved the issue.

1 Like
#8

Ok, Just to put a bow on this, You can power the Expansion board with the USB and or the Lipo, Those are the connections you have circled.

“If you want to debug and have USB connected on your external board, I recommend doing it like you’re doing now, and connect an additional USB cable to your custom board.”
Like above…

The trick is the JUMPER on the Nrf52840DK, The one for Vref and VDD is what finally makes it go.
The logical switch on P20 is the “VTG” pin. If you short this with the neighboring pin “VDD_NRF”, you will enable P20 (but first; revert the above mention SB).

HTH
GL :slight_smile: PJ :v:

Also you can build the app in NrF-SDK and drag and drop the Uf2 file on it just the same. If you pick the Xiao BLE as the target it works very well. (on to device tree) we need one for the Xiao Expansion board.
Overlay for the Display, buttons, buzzer and Grove connectors would do I think. :+1: