NUCLEO-WL33CC1 Connection to CubeIDE

[Dobry]

Hello,

 

I am using different ST MCUs from few years and already have a wide set of development boards, tools and JTAG emulators and so far did not experienced any troubles to attach new board (even custom made) to CuveIDE and to flash and debug my solutions... until this week.

I've deceded to get some more experience in low power SubGHz solutions from ST and ordered two NUCLEO-WL33CC1 development boards (Mouser store) and also some Chinese modules based on STM32WL33 (AliExpress).

Now I have few different STM32WL33 based boards and 3 different available debug interfaces - J-LINK (stand-alone), ST_LINK V2 (stand-alone) and ST_LINK V3 (embedded in NUCLEO-WL33CC1).

The problem is that there is no any combination of boards and JTAGs that can connect to STM32CubeIDE.

So far there is only one partial success - Using STM32CubeProgrammer + ST_LINK V2 and Chinese modile - I can connect, flash and verify some ELF file: 

08:47:13 : UR connection mode is defined with the HWrst reset mode
08:47:13 : ST-LINK SN : 16004A002933353739303541
08:47:13 : ST-LINK FW : V2J46S7
08:47:13 : Board : --
08:47:13 : Voltage : 3.20V
08:47:13 : SWD freq : 4000 KHz
08:47:13 : Connect mode: Under Reset
08:47:13 : Reset mode : Hardware reset
08:47:13 : Device ID : 0x027
08:47:13 : Revision ID : Rev A
08:47:13 : Debug in Low Power mode is not supported for this device.
08:47:14 : UPLOADING OPTION BYTES DATA ...
08:47:14 : Bank : 0x00
08:47:14 : Address : 0xf9f9f9f9
08:47:14 : Size : 4 Bytes
08:47:14 : UPLOADING ...
08:47:14 : Size : 32768 Bytes
08:47:14 : Address : 0x10040000
08:47:14 : Read progress:
08:47:14 : Data read successfully

The same attempts on STM32CubeIDE gives no success:

 

STMicroelectronics ST-LINK GDB server. Version 7.13.0

Copyright (c) 2026, STMicroelectronics. All rights reserved.

 

Starting server with the following options:

Persistent Mode : Disabled

Logging Level : 1

Listen Port Number : 61234

Status Refresh Delay : 15s

Verbose Mode : Disabled

SWD Debug : Enabled

InitWhile : Enabled

 

Waiting for debugger connection...

Debugger connected

Waiting for debugger connection...

Debugger connected

Waiting for debugger connection...

-------------------------------------------------------------------

STM32CubeProgrammer v2.22.0

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Log output file: C:\Users\ddenchev\AppData\Local\Temp\STM32CubeProgrammer_a37840.log

ST-LINK SN : 16004A002933353739303541

ST-LINK FW : V2J47S7

Board : --

Voltage : 3.20V

Error: ST-LINK error (DEV_TARGET_RESET_ERR)

Encountered Error when opening F:\ST\STM32CubeIDE_1.19.0\STM32CubeIDE\plugins\com.st.stm32cube.ide.mcu.externaltools.cubeprogrammer.win32_2.2.400.202601091506\tools\bin\STM32_Programmer_CLI.exe

Error in STM32CubeProgrammer

Shutting down...

Exit.

 

Whentrying the same test with NUCLEO-WL33CC1 board, it still fails, but in slightly different way.

With Programmer: 

09:47:19 : UR connection mode is defined with the HWrst reset mode
09:47:19 : ST-LINK SN : 002C00413433511137363934
09:47:19 : ST-LINK FW : V3J17M10B6S1
09:47:19 : Board : NUCLEO-WL33CC
09:47:19 : Voltage : 3.29V
09:47:19 : Error: Unable to get core ID
09:47:19 : Error: No STM32 target found! If your product embeds Debug Authentication, please perform a discovery using Debug Authentication

 

With CubeIDE:

 

With CubeIDE:STMicroelectronics ST-LINK GDB server. Version 7.13.0

Copyright (c) 2026, STMicroelectronics. All rights reserved.

 

Starting server with the following options:

Persistent Mode : Disabled

Logging Level : 1

Listen Port Number : 61234

Status Refresh Delay : 15s

Verbose Mode : Disabled

SWD Debug : Enabled

InitWhile : Enabled

 

Target no device found

 

Error in initializing ST-LINK device.

Reason: No device found on target.

 

A'we updated all tools to the latest available version - no improvements.

Tried also different FW versions of ST_LINK V2 and V3 - no improvements.

Also tried different connection speeds and reset behavior options - no any success to connect any of these boards to STM32CubeIDE.

The last tests that I did were to try the same on different computers and also on Linux Ubuntu OS - behavior is the same as on my Windows11 work machine.

I did not expected that official development board with embedded debug interface will not be able to connect to ofiicial developmen environment, so may be there is something specific for STM32WL33 MCU that I am missing and that blocking my work.

Any ideas or advices are very welcome.

 

Best Regards,

Dobry

[TDK]

You should use the on-board programmer for the NUCLEO-WL33CC1 board.

If it isn't working, try different cable or USB port. Does it enumerate? What happens when you hit "Connect" in STM32CubeProgrammer?

What OS?

[Dobry]

Hello TDK,

 

Yes, my goal is to use the NUCLEO-WL33CC1 onboard ST_LINK V3 for programming and debugging my code, but the problem is that still can't make it work. This is the reason to try different STM32WL33 based boards and programming interfaces - to prove that I can have a stable connection to STM32WL33 and to flash/debug code through STM32CubeIDE.

Natively I am an Windows user and all tests so far are done on Windows 11 with the 3 most recent CubeIDE releases - all they behaves in the same way. I tried also the latest CubeIDE release on Ubuntu 22 machine with exactly the same results. Tried also the latest version of STM32Programmer with all available ST_LINK FW releases and as I've explained above, the only success is with ST_LINK V2 and Chinеse STM32WL33 based module. The same configuration does not work on CubeIDE - error messages are posted above, but in short :

Error: ST-LINK error (DEV_TARGET_RESET_ERR) 

Encountered Error when opening F:\ST\STM32CubeIDE_1.19.0\STM32CubeIDE\plugins\com.st.stm32cube.ide.mcu.externaltools.cubeprogrammer.win32_2.2.400.202601091506\tools\bin\STM32_Programmer_CLI.exe

Error in STM32CubeProgrammer

Shutting down...

Exit.

 

With the onboard ST_LINK V3 I am unable to connect to NUCLEO-WL33CC1 boards (I have two brand new bought from Mouser), but the error in this case is different:

Target no device found

Error in initializing ST-LINK device.

Reason: No device found on target.

 

Tried also different programming tools as piocd and openocd, tested on different computers with Windows and Linux, different USB cables, different SWD reset options, different speeds... but again no success and the same error messades.

[Dobry]

Some more update on the reported problem:

I am still unable to connect to NUCLEO-WL33CC1 board with its embedded ST_LINK V3, neither through STM32CubeIDE, nor through STM32CubeProgrammer. No matter what are the SWD reset options and speed.

But with ST_LINK V2 and E04-900M20S based custom board, I am able to connect through STM32CubeProgrammer and to flash custom ELF file. The same setup seems to work also from the console, but when trying to start debug session with STM32CubeIDE, I stuck on the GDB starting and program loading. Once I disabled the program loading and kept only symbols loading, I am able to debug the programmed ELF file.

This experiment proves that the board and the ST_LINK V2 are fully functional and my troubles are caused by CubeIDE interaction with the GDB and ST_LINK.

Tried to uninstall all ST tools and drivers and to install it again in new disk locations, but do not seeing any improvement...

Still do not have clue about NUCLEO-WL33CC1 board connection problems.

Any ideas or advices are very welcome.

[Issamos]

Hello @Dobry

For the SB30 of the MB1801, is it closed or not. If it is not, try to close it and try to reconnect your board. 
Best Regards.

II

[Dobry]

Hello Issamos,

 

I am confirming that SB 30 is closed.

During this weekend I did a lot of experiments with this NUCLEO-WL33CC1 board, but unfortunately still do not have any success.

I already checked all jumpers and signals on my MB1801D board. Even I've profiled all DEBUG interface signals on MB2029B board - the oscilloscope shows that SWDIO, SWCLK and NRS lines toggles as expected. Triead also to solder R3, R4, R5 and CN3 on MB2029B board and to try it as stand-alone board with the external ST_LINK V2 that works on my side with Chinese module with STM32WL33 MCU, but I am still unable to connect to MB2029B MCU, no matter which reset option and clock speed I am trying. Tried also again to change the ST_LINK FW between all available versions for download, but there is no any success.

Did also experiments with J-LING in SWD mode, but also do not have any success so far. 

Even with the "working" combinatrtion of Chinese module and external ST_LINK V2, I am able to connect and flash the MCU with the Programmer tool only - all attempts to flash the MCU trough CubeIDE fails - looks like problem with GDB server... But if I disable code flashing in, I can load the sybols and debug already flashed code without problems.

Tried to trace how CubeIDE and Programmer tools are interacting with ST_LINK and seeing a bunch oh scripts, configuration files and parameters that are coming for different places and definitely there are many differences between Programmer and CubeIDE scripts and configurations... so I am getting the feeling that CubeIDE is not well tested with STM32WL3x series and there are some configuration issues...

I want to confirm that all tested J-LINK and ST_LINK JTAGs works fine in the same environment with other STM32F4xx and STM32F7xx MCUs, so the problem is definitely related to STM32WL3x and probably specifics of ARM M0 core...

I am continuing digging into this weird behavior, but I am starting running out of ideas...

 

Best Regards,

Dobry.

 

[Dobry]

Did one more test - removed SB15, SB17, SB28, SB29 and SB30 and connected external ST_LINK V2 to CN3 of MB2029B board (R3, R4 R5 and R6 were shorted as well). Connected ST_LINK is the one that is proven to work with another STM32WL33 based module and STM32 Programmer tools. Unfortunately I am still unable to connect to MB2029B board, no matter of used reset and clocking methods.

Based on all the tests that I made in the last two weeks I can conclude that the STM32WL33 MCUs are not supported by STM32CubeIDE - there are many-many problems with resetting, flashing and debuging of STM32WL33 MCUs.

The partial success with STM32Programmer tool seems to be related to the different set of scripts and settings used by Programmer tool compared to CubeIDE.

For now I have some weird workaround to unblock my development on STM32WL33 MCUs - to flash with Programmer and to debug in CubeIDE, but it is really disappointing to see such bad support on STM32CubeIDE for this family of MCUs... For STM32F4xx and STM32F7xx (so far) I do not experienced any similar troubles with the same setup and debug interfaces...

[mƎALLEm]

Hello,

I've reproduced the same behavior with CubeIDE 2.1.0 with NUCLEO-WL33CC1 board:

Issue, escalated internally for investigation. Internal ticket for follow-up: CDM0061070

I'll get back to you as soon as I have a feedback.

I did the same test with IAR and didn't get any issue.

[Dobry]

Hello mƎALLEm,

 

Do you have any update about internal ticket investigatiomn progress?

 

Best Regards,

Dobry.