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Solution to FRDM-A-S32K144 and FRDM-A-S32K144N not detected during initial USB-C connection

Overview

The FRDM-A-S32K144 and FRDM-A-S32K144N boards ship with a factory-programmed demonstration application that showcases USB Power Delivery functionality through an RGB LED example.

Under certain USB-C host and cable combinations, the factory application may prevent the on-board OpenSDA/K20 debugger from completing its initialization sequence and becoming available to the host system. When this occurs, the board may appear unresponsive and cannot be programmed through the standard OpenSDA interface.

This article describes how to identify the condition and provides a simple one-time recovery procedure.

This behavior is limited to the following boards:

FRDM-A-S32K144
FRDM-A-S32K144N

No other FRDM boards are affected.

Symptoms

The behavior is typically observed during the initial programming session while the factory application is still present. During the first use of the board, users may observe the following:

The board is connected using a USB-C to USB-C cable.
The operating system does not detect the board.
No OpenSDA programming interface appears.
Debugging and programming tools cannot establish communication.
The OpenSDA/K20 status LED (D4) remains OFF.

Although the board may not be detected by the host computer, the factory application may continue running on the target MCU.

FRDM-A-S32K144 OpenSDA/K20 debugger status LED (D4) not working as expectedFRDM-A-S32K144 OpenSDA/K20 debugger status LED (D4) not working as expected

Issue

The factory image included on the affected boards performs USB Power Delivery negotiation during startup.

On certain USB-C host configurations, this initialization sequence may prevent the on-board OpenSDA/K20 debugger from reaching its operational state. As a result, the debugger does not enumerate on the host PC and programming access is not available.

Once the factory image is replaced with a user application, the startup sequence changes and the OpenSDA/K20 debugger initializes normally.

Workaround

Materials required

FRDM-A-S32K144 or FRDM-A-S32K144N board
USB-A to USB-C data cable
Host computer with an available USB port
S32 Design Studio IDE 3.6.5 or above
Any valid S32K144 application image

If the board is not detected through a USB-C to USB-C connection during the initial programming session:

Disconnect the board from the host PC
Reconnect the board using a USB-A to USB-C cable
Verify that the D4 LED is illuminated solid orange
Program in S32 Design Studio any valid application to the S32K144 MCU, such as:
- S32K144 GPIO LED Blink example
- Any S32K144 Application Code Hub demonstration project
- Any S32K144 custom user application
Wait for the programming operation to complete successfully

The newly programmed application replaces the factory image and restores normal debugger operation.

Expected operation

Once the workaround described above is applied successfully, the board LED D4 is illuminated with a solid orange light, and the device manager operating system detects the board as a COM port and a PEMicro OpenSDA Debug Driver.

FRDM-A-S32K144 OpenSDA/K20 debugger status LED (D4) working as expectedFRDM-A-S32K144 OpenSDA/K20 debugger status LED (D4) working as expected

FRDM-A-S32K144 correctly detected by Windows device managerFRDM-A-S32K144 correctly detected by Windows device manager

After a successful programming session:

USB-C to USB-C cables can be used normally.
Debugging functions operate as expected.
Programming functions operate as expected.
No additional configuration is required.
The recovery process only needs to be performed once.

Subsequent application updates can be performed using either USB-C to USB-C or USB-A to USB-C connections (if no PD is needed).

Troubleshooting checklist

If D4 is OFF, the OpenSDA/K20 debugger has not completed initialization.

Check the next list before applying the turnaround again:

Verify that D4 is solid orange.
Confirm the USB cable supports data transfer.
Check that the operating system detects the OpenSDA device.
Reprogram the board using a USB-A to USB-C connection.
Test with an alternative USB port or host PC.
Choose another project application to flash.

If D4 is still OFF, the OpenSDA/K20 debugger may be damaged or present another error. Please review the S32K Knowledge Base or the FRDM community for more information.

Any support, information, and technology (“Materials”) provided by NXP are provided AS IS, without any warranty express or implied, and NXP disclaims all direct and indirect liability and damages in connection with the Material to the maximum extent permitted by the applicable law. NXP accepts no liability for any assistance with applications or product design. Materials may only be used in connection with NXP products. Any feedback provided to NXP regarding the Materials may be used by NXP without restriction.

If your FRDM-A-S32K144 or FRDM-A-S32K144N is not detected during its first USB-C connection, this article explains the cause, how to verify OpenSDA/K20 status, and the steps to quickly enable normal operation.