VSCode ST-Link GDB Server error

[timIdeaTech]

I'm getting the following failures of the stlink-gdb-server in VS Code on a NUCLEO_H743ZI2.

Windows 11 Pro, VS Code 1.89.0, STM32CubeIde 1.15.1 (full install), updated on-board ST-Link firmware V3J15M6

The first two are the common fails with the first being more prevalent. Every once in a while (~ 1 in 10) it seems to initialize properly, as can be seen in the third listing. It seems to be an issue with resetting and/or halting the target?

I tried reducing the SWD frequency from 24000 to 8000 kHz like STM32CubeProg uses but it doesn't seem to matter.

I was trying to debug an network application where ::get_instance_name() returning NULLs on this board but to simplify matters I'm using the mbed-ce-hello-world example.

One thing I tried because it seems to be a processor reset/halt issue and the line "Target connection failed. Try connecting under reset" in the third listing below was to hold reset on the Nucleo board until stlink-gdb-server gets passed the "Target connection mode:..." point and it retries reset and lowers the COM frequency. Letting go of reset at this point then proceeds and recognizes the target processor. Things proceed to program and then reconnect to stlink-gdb-server for mbed-ce-hello-world but my app fails again as it switches back to the stlink-gdb-server.

Anybody else having these problems and have any insight?

 *  Executing task: C:/ST/STM32CubeIDE_1.15.1/STM32CubeIDE/plugins/com.st.stm32cube.ide.mcu.externaltools.stlink-gdb-server.win32_2.1.300.202403291623/tools/bin/ST-LINK_gdbserver.exe --swd -cp C:/ST/STM32CubeIDE_1.15.1/STM32CubeIDE/plugins/com.st.stm32cube.ide.mcu.externaltools.cubeprogrammer.win32_2.1.201.202404072231/tools/bin -p 23331 --halt 



STMicroelectronics ST-LINK GDB server. Version 7.7.0
Copyright (c) 2024, STMicroelectronics. All rights reserved.

Starting server with the following options:
        Persistent Mode            : Disabled
        Logging Level              : 31
        Listen Port Number         : 23331
        Status Refresh Delay       : 15s
        Verbose Mode               : Disabled
        SWD Debug                  : Enabled

COM frequency = 24000 kHz
Target connection mode: Default
Reading ROM table for AP 0 @0xe00fefd0
Hardware watchpoint supported by the target
ST-LINK Firmware version : V3J15M6
Device ID: 0x0
PC: 0xa05f0000
ST-LINK device status: HALT_MODE
ST-LINK detects target voltage = 3.27 V

Error in initializing ST-LINK device.
Reason: ST-LINK: Could not verify ST device! Abort connection.

 *  The terminal process "C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe -Command C:/ST/STM32CubeIDE_1.15.1/STM32CubeIDE/plugins/com.st.stm32cube.ide.mcu.externaltools.stlink-gdb-server.win32_2.1.300.202403291623/tools/bin/ST-LINK_gdbserver.exe --swd -cp C:/ST/STM32CubeIDE_1.15.1/STM32CubeIDE/plugins/com.st.stm32cube.ide.mcu.externaltools.cubeprogrammer.win32_2.1.201.202404072231/tools/bin -p 23331 --halt" terminated with exit code: 1. 
 *  Terminal will be reused by tasks, press any key to close it. 

 *  Executing task: C:/ST/STM32CubeIDE_1.15.1/STM32CubeIDE/plugins/com.st.stm32cube.ide.mcu.externaltools.stlink-gdb-server.win32_2.1.300.202403291623/tools/bin/ST-LINK_gdbserver.exe --swd -cp C:/ST/STM32CubeIDE_1.15.1/STM32CubeIDE/plugins/com.st.stm32cube.ide.mcu.externaltools.cubeprogrammer.win32_2.1.201.202404072231/tools/bin -p 23331 --halt 



STMicroelectronics ST-LINK GDB server. Version 7.7.0
Copyright (c) 2024, STMicroelectronics. All rights reserved.

Starting server with the following options:
        Persistent Mode            : Disabled
        Logging Level              : 31
        Listen Port Number         : 23331
        Status Refresh Delay       : 15s
        Verbose Mode               : Disabled
        SWD Debug                  : Enabled

COM frequency = 24000 kHz
Target connection mode: Default
Target not halted after reset. Force halt
Failed to halt target
Target not halted

Error in initializing ST-LINK device.
Reason: Target not halted.

 *  The terminal process "C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe -Command C:/ST/STM32CubeIDE_1.15.1/STM32CubeIDE/plugins/com.st.stm32cube.ide.mcu.externaltools.stlink-gdb-server.win32_2.1.300.202403291623/tools/bin/ST-LINK_gdbserver.exe --swd -cp C:/ST/STM32CubeIDE_1.15.1/STM32CubeIDE/plugins/com.st.stm32cube.ide.mcu.externaltools.cubeprogrammer.win32_2.1.201.202404072231/tools/bin -p 23331 --halt" terminated with exit code: 1. 
 *  Terminal will be reused by tasks, press any key to close it. 

 *  Executing task: C:/ST/STM32CubeIDE_1.15.1/STM32CubeIDE/plugins/com.st.stm32cube.ide.mcu.externaltools.stlink-gdb-server.win32_2.1.300.202403291623/tools/bin/ST-LINK_gdbserver.exe --swd -cp C:/ST/STM32CubeIDE_1.15.1/STM32CubeIDE/plugins/com.st.stm32cube.ide.mcu.externaltools.cubeprogrammer.win32_2.1.201.202404072231/tools/bin -p 23331 --halt 



STMicroelectronics ST-LINK GDB server. Version 7.7.0
Copyright (c) 2024, STMicroelectronics. All rights reserved.

Starting server with the following options:
        Persistent Mode            : Disabled
        Logging Level              : 31
        Listen Port Number         : 23331
        Status Refresh Delay       : 15s
        Verbose Mode               : Disabled
        SWD Debug                  : Enabled

COM frequency = 24000 kHz
Target connection mode: Default
Target connection failed. Try connecting under reset
Reading ROM table for AP 0 @0xe00fefd0
Hardware watchpoint supported by the target
ST-LINK Firmware version : V3J15M6
Device ID: 0x450
PC: 0x8000560
ST-LINK device status: HALT_MODE
ST-LINK detects target voltage = 3.27 V
ST-LINK device status: HALT_MODE
ST-LINK device initialization OK
Stm32Device, pollAndNotify running...
SwvSrv state change: 0 -> 1
Waiting for connection on port 23332...
Waiting for debugger connection...
Waiting for connection on port 23331...
Accepted connection on port 23331...
Debugger connected
Waiting for debugger connection...
GDB session thread running
GdbSessionManager, session started: 1
Waiting for connection on port 23331...
Enter STM32_SystemReset() function 
Enter STM32_InitAfterReset() function 
NVIC_DFSR_REG = 0x00000009
NVIC_CFGFSR_REG = 0x00000000
Stm32Device, closeDevice() entry
GDB session, device event: 5
Stm32Device, pollAndNotify stopped
Stm32Device, closeDevice() exit
 ------ Switching to STM32CubeProgrammer -----
      -------------------------------------------------------------------
                       STM32CubeProgrammer v2.16.0
      -------------------------------------------------------------------



Log output file:   C:\Users\tim\AppData\Local\Temp\STM32CubeProgrammer_a21728.log
ST-LINK SN  : 001D00393137511739383538
ST-LINK FW  : V3J15M6
Board       : NUCLEO-H743ZI
Voltage     : 3.27V
SWD freq    : 8000 KHz
Connect mode: Under Reset
Reset mode  : Hardware reset
Device ID   : 0x450
Revision ID : Rev V
Device name : STM32H7xx
Flash size  : 2 MBytes
Start Address : 8000000
Device type : MCU
Device CPU  : Cortex-M7
BL Version  : 0x90



Memory Programming ...
Opening and parsing file: ST-LINK_GDB_server_a21728.srec
  File          : ST-LINK_GDB_server_a21728.srec
  Size          : 60.02 KB
  Address       : 0x08000000


Erasing memory corresponding to segment 0:
Erasing internal memory sector 0
Download in Progress:


File download complete
Time elapsed during download operation: 00:00:01.064
 ------ Switching context ----- 
COM frequency = 24000 kHz
Target connection mode: Default
Reading ROM table for AP 0 @0xe00fefd0
Hardware watchpoint supported by the target
ST-LINK Firmware version : V3J15M6
Device ID: 0x450
PC: 0x8000560
ST-LINK detects target voltage = 3.28 V
ST-LINK device status: HALT_MODE
GDB session, device event: 6
Stm32Device, pollAndNotify running...
Enter STM32_SystemReset() function
Enter STM32_InitAfterReset() function
NVIC_DFSR_REG = 0x0000000B
NVIC_CFGFSR_REG = 0x00000000
GDB session, device event: 3
GDB session, device event: 1
GDB session, device event: 0
NVIC_DFSR_REG = 0x00000003

[timIdeaTech]

So I found a solution but I'm wondering if something has changed in the stlink-gdb-server defaults. I added the -k option, to initialize under reset, along with the --swd option.

Word of note: if you want to make a change to the default board GDB configurations already in mbed-ce, you need to place the set(...) statement between include(mbed-os/tools/cmake/app.cmake) and the add_subdirectory(mbed-os) statements.

Again, has anybody else had this problem and do we need to alter the mbed-os/targets/upload_method_cfg files?

[JohnK1987]

Hello and sorry for late response. I didn't found any time to reproduce your issue.
@multiplemonomials did you try to use the debug during your work on #262 ?

[multiplemonomials]

Strangely I also had a very similar issue a while back when working with NUCLEO_H743ZI2 specifically, so I believe this is a real issue. It's awesome that you figured out a fix! @timIdeaTech would you be able to make a PR to change this file to add your change?

[JohnK1987]

Thank you for the PR #279

[timIdeaTech]

I'm guessing this is related to setting reset=HWrst in STM32CUBE_CONNECT_COMMAND and --connect-under-reset under STLINK_ARGS. Those and the fact that I typically had to change the "Reset mode" setting in STM32CubeProgrammer to "Hardware reset" from the default "Software reset", when I first started using a custom STM32H743ZI board with Mbed Studio. For some reason I couldn't get some custom targets programming properly with Studio and had to use STM32CubeProgrammer. Intellisense was also messed up for custom targets.

I wonder if this issue affects any of the other STM32H7xx parts/boards or other series. We are looking at migrating to the H72x/3x parts in the future but we don't have any of the dev boards yet.

[multiplemonomials]

I think we can close this now as #279 has been merged

[timIdeaTech]

👍Looks like I didn't finish the paperwork. Thanks!