2195159_en-US

i.MXRT1180-EVK: Cannot set a breakpoint in CM33 project

I’m using the i.MXRT1180-EVK board with Keil uVision and the CMSIS-DAP ARMv8-M Debugger to debug the hello_world_cm33 multicore project. I can step through the code, but when I set a breakpoint and press the Run button, the command window displays the message
“Cannot access memory (@0x2800F3E0, Read, Access Size: 2 Bytes)” and the program crashes. Please note that I’m using the original example project, and I build the hello_world_cm7 project before starting the debugging process for the hello_world_cm33 project. The i.MXRT1180-EVK board is setup to BOOT_MODE[2:0] - 100 FlexSPI quad SPI serial NOR.

What do I have to do to use breakpoints in my project?

Re: i.MXRT1180-EVK: Cannot set a breakpoint in CM33 project

What process are you doing to import the examples, and build these projects? Are you making sure to create a multi-core workspace? Are you making sure to build first the secondary core (cm7) and then the primary core (cm33)? Please see the process on how to run a multicore application on Keil here: Run a demo using Keil MDK/μVision — MCUXpresso SDK Documentation

Although for the RT1170, it is the same process for RT1180.

BR,
Edwin.

Re: i.MXRT1180-EVK: Cannot set a breakpoint in CM33 project

I also have no problem with MCUXpresso, but I have to use the Keil uVision and I cannot switch to MCUXpresso. I use the Keil uVision Pack Installer with the package NXT::MIMXRT1189_DFP – 25.09.00-pvw2 (2025-08-12). It seems to me that we are using the same device specific package. I have tried a Segger Flasher Portable PLUS debugger, and it works with the hello_world_cm33 project but it doesn’t work with the hello_world_cm7. The project hang up in a tasks.c at startup. It is not possible to debug anything.

Onboard debugger Segger

hello_world_cm33 no Breakpoint possible works

hello_world_cm7 works hang up in a task at startup

Re: i.MXRT1180-EVK: Cannot set a breakpoint in CM33 project

I imported the multicore hello world example projects from the MIMXRT1180-EVK SDK v25.09.00. Are you also using this SDK release? I ran the example and placed a breakpoint on the main.c file of the cm33 project, and it stopped at the breakpoint without any error messages.

That said, I did this on MCUXpresso. Could you try doing this on MCUXpresso in order to make sure it is not an issue with the hardware or with the example projects, but rather with your IDE settings?

BR,
Edwin.

Re: i.MXRT1180-EVK: Cannot set a breakpoint in CM33 project

Thank you for your reply. I can set a breakpoint in the hello_world_cm7 project, but it doesn't work in the hello_world_cm33 project, even after clearing all the flash memory. I've tried several times. Could you please reproduce my debugging problem? It's a sample project from Keil and I'm using the i.MXRT1180-EVK board.

Re: i.MXRT1180-EVK: Cannot set a breakpoint in CM33 project

Try doing a mass erase, delete the "debug" folder on your project, and finally clean your project before rebuilding and re-flashing your board. If you are not able to do a mass erase, please follow these steps: RT board recovery for debugger connect issues - NXP Community

BR,
Edwin.