Option Byte Programming failed upon trying to modify option bytes

[breynard]

Hello! I'm new to STM32 hardware, and I'm having some difficulties getting it running on my Black Pill board with an STM32F411CEU6. It has both Read and Write Protection enabled, and I am trying to disable them using STM32CubeProgrammer through an STLINK V2. However, upon trying change option bytes, it gives me a weird error.

For attempting to change read protection from value 0xFF to 0xAA it gives me this:

16:24:25:038 : Error: Expected value for Option Byte "RDP": 0xAA, found: 0xFF
16:24:25:044 : Error: Option Byte Programming failed Or modified by application after OB_LAUNCH

 

And similar story for trying to change the write protection values from true to false for all flash sectors:

 16:26:41:386 : Error: Expected value for Option Byte "WRP0": 0x0, found: 0x1
 16:26:41:391 : Error: Expected value for Option Byte "WRP1": 0x0, found: 0x1
 16:26:41:395 : Error: Expected value for Option Byte "WRP2": 0x0, found: 0x1
 16:26:41:399 : Error: Expected value for Option Byte "WRP3": 0x0, found: 0x1
 16:26:41:408 : Error: Expected value for Option Byte "WRP4": 0x0, found: 0x1
 16:26:41:416 : Error: Expected value for Option Byte "WRP5": 0x0, found: 0x1
 16:26:41:428 : Error: Expected value for Option Byte "WRP6": 0x0, found: 0x1
 16:26:41:436 : Error: Expected value for Option Byte "WRP7": 0x0, found: 0x1
 16:26:41:441 : Error: Option Byte Programming failed Or modified by application after OB_LAUNCH

I am on Linux, and the software recognizes the MCU type and ID, so I believe the connection is good. Any help would be appreciated!

[Issamos]

Hello @breynard 

This problem depends on different conditions (level of read protection,Proprietary code readout protection,...) that's why I suggest you to take a look at the parts 3.6.5, 3.6.4 et 3.6.3 of the RM0383. That will give you all details you need to now. I'm suspecting that the read protection is in level 2 and that's going to be impossible to change. 

Best regards.

II

[breynard]

Thank you for the prompt reply. I don't think it's in level 2 read protection, as the value reads 0xFF, not 0xCC. I remember seeing somewhere that anything but 0xAA and 0xCC is level 1 protection. Also, I don't think that will affect the ability to write to option bytes, but I could be mistaken. PCROP is enabled, and upon trying to disable it, I get the same error.

 17:40:06 : Error: Expected value for Option Byte "SPRMOD": 0x0, found: 0x1
 17:40:06 : Error: Option Byte Programming failed Or modified by application after OB_LAUNCH

You know far more than I do though, and if it is truly unrecoverable (either on part of the MCU or the STLINK), I can still return either or both of them.

[Issamos]

Than, this post may be helpful for you.

Best regards.

II

[MikaelM]

hello @breynard ,

as suggested, you could read reference manual RM0383.
You will find page 57/844 :
"The deactivation of the SPRMOD and/or the unprotection of PCROPed user sectors can
only occur when, at the same time, the RDP level changes from 1 to 0. If this condition is not
respected, the user option byte modification is cancelled and the write error WRPERR flag
is set. The modification of the users option bytes (BOR_LEV, RST_STDBY, ..) is allowed
since none of the active nWRPi bits is reset and SPRMOD is kept active."

Best regards

Mikael

[breynard]

Hello @MikaelM 

I interpret that to mean that I can only change protection option bytes at the same time I change RDP from Level 1 (which I think it is at right now with value FF) to Level 0. Upon changing this, the same error as before manifested itself:

 22:47:38 : Error: Expected value for Option Byte "RDP": 0xAA, found: 0xFF
 22:47:38 : Error: Expected value for Option Byte "SPRMOD": 0x0, found: 0x1
 22:47:38 : Error: Expected value for Option Byte "WRP0": 0x0, found: 0x1
 22:47:38 : Error: Expected value for Option Byte "WRP1": 0x0, found: 0x1
 22:47:38 : Error: Expected value for Option Byte "WRP2": 0x0, found: 0x1
 22:47:38 : Error: Expected value for Option Byte "WRP3": 0x0, found: 0x1
 22:47:38 : Error: Expected value for Option Byte "WRP4": 0x0, found: 0x1
 22:47:38 : Error: Expected value for Option Byte "WRP5": 0x0, found: 0x1
 22:47:38 : Error: Expected value for Option Byte "WRP6": 0x0, found: 0x1
 22:47:38 : Error: Expected value for Option Byte "WRP7": 0x0, found: 0x1
 22:47:38 : Error: Option Byte Programming failed Or modified by application after OB_LAUNCH

Am I misinterpreting, or is my device bricked? Thank you so much for your time, both of you!

[MikaelM]

hello @breynard 

could you just connect, dump option bytes and send me the log file caontaining all option bytes values ?

thanks

Mikael

[breynard]

Hello everyone,

I ended up ordering two Nucleo L432KC boards and one new Black Pill board from Digikey. Given that Digikey's quality standards are higher than Amazon's, I figured it was a safe bet to order another one.

I've had a chance to mess around with the new Black Pill and one of the Nucleo boards and they're both working perfectly with my old programmer (or a USB cable in the case of the Nucleo board). I don't believe the old Black Pill had a counterfeit chip, but it does seem to be bricked somehow.

Thank you to @Issamos and @MikaelM for your help! I suppose the moral of the story is to order electronics off of a reputable seller rather than some random person on Amazon. I believe I will mark this as the solution, unless others have something to add.

Many thanks,

breynard

[SandeepBajaniya]

Try using

"STM link utility"

Target>Option byte>Flash protection mode