How to run and debug an example "hello world" program in FRDM IMX93 from VS Code with MCUXpresso

[Shanmugapriya]

Hi,

I have successfully built the example Hello World code and would like to run and debug it on the Cortex-M33 core, validating the output in the console.

Based on the knowledge base, I removed the two resistors to enable the SWD debugger and reworked the board for a 1.8 V VTref. The boot switches are configured in 1001 mode.

I am encountering the attached error when using the J-Link Commander. 

Shanmugapriya_0-1769601176741.png

Additionally, when attempting to debug from VS Code, I encounter the same issue and the debug session fails.

Shanmugapriya_1-1769601243673.png

Could you please help me identify and resolve these errors?

Thank you for your support.

[Chavira]

Hi @Shanmugapriya,

Thank you for contacting NXP Support.

Please refer to this guide for detailed instructions. It includes a step-by-step procedure to debug the FRDM board.

Although the reference guide uses an MCU-Link Pro, the same steps apply when using J-Link debuggers, as the debugging process is equivalent.

If you have any questions while following the guide, please let us know.

Best regards,
Chavira

[Shanmugapriya]

Hi @Chavira ,

I am facing such an error when "fastboot 0" is commanded.

Shanmugapriya_0-1769685894527.png

[Shanmugapriya]

Hi @Chavira 

Could you please clarify the correct position of the boot switch SW1 for the steps mentioned in the link you shared: Getting Started with FRDM-IMX93 and MCU-LINK Pro for M Core Debugging - NXP Community

Thanks.

[Chavira]

Hi @Shanmugapriya,

The position of SW1 depends on whether the system is booting from eMMC or from the SD card. Please ensure SW1 is set according to the selected boot source.

The message “Failed to configure default pinctrl” is expected behavior and can be safely ignored. It does not indicate a functional issue.

On the FRDM board, the resistors that need to be removed are R3017 and R3018.
Please refer to the board image or schematic to verify their exact location before removal.

Chavira_1-1770039931783.png

Best Regards,

Chavira

[Shanmugapriya]

Hi,

Thank you, @Chavira. If the error "Failed to configure default pinctrl" can be safely ignored, I will proceed with the steps and update the status.

Best Regards,

Shanmugapriya

[Shanmugapriya]

Hi @Chavira ,

While checking the layout screenshot, I accidentally removed the wrong resistor — R403 (10 kΩ) instead of R3018. I seem to have misplaced the tiny resistor. Where can I source a replacement for this component?

[Chavira · Accepted solution]

Hi @Shanmugapriya,

You can purchase a 10 k, 0402 resistor with ±1% tolerance from your local electronic components distributor.

There is nothing special or custom about this part, it is a standard 10 kΩ resistor.

Best regards,
Chavira

[Shanmugapriya]

Hi @Chavira 

Thank you. I will check and resolder the resistor.

[Shanmugapriya]

Hi @Chavira 

I’ve followed the steps up to “Launch the M Core from U‑Boot Terminal”, and the output from that step matches what the guide describes.

Shanmugapriya_0-1771417183138.png

After this, I connected a J-Link probe to the board using the pins specified in the guide: SWCLK, DIO, Vref (3.3 V), and GND.

Then, in VS Code, I selected the debug configuration.

Shanmugapriya_1-1771417284863.png

Below is my launch.json:

This is my launch.json file contents

{

  "configurations": [

    {

      "type": "mcuxpresso-debug",

      "name": "Debug",

      "request": "launch",

      "cwd": "${workspaceFolder}",

      "executable": {

        "elf": "D:/NXP_SDKs/SDK_25_12_00_MCIMX93-EVK/mcuxsdk/examples/demo_apps/hello_world/debug/hello_world_cm33.elf"

      },

      // Launch mode = "load + reset + halt @ main"

      "isAttach": false,

      "stopAtSymbol": "main",

      "skipBuildBeforeDebug": false,

      // Your probe S/N

      "probeSerialNumber": "801023331",

      "gdbInitCommands": [

        "set remotetimeout 600",

        "set debug-file-directory",

        "set non-stop off"

        // Helpful with i.MX93/J-Link "no generic reset":

      ],

      "gdbServerConfigs": {

        "linkserver": {},

        "segger": {

          // i.MX93 M33 device name in J-Link

          "device": "MIMX9352_M33",

          "interface": "SWD",

          "speed": "1000",               // start conservative; increase later (e.g., 4000)

          "reset": "halt",

          "serialNumber": "801023331",

          "core": 0,

          "logFile": "${workspaceFolder}/.vscode/jlink_gdbserver.log"

        },

        "pemicro": {}

      },

      "showDevDebugOutput": "raw"

    }

  ]

}

When I start debugging from VS Code, I get the following error:

Shanmugapriya_2-1771417393340.pngShanmugapriya_3-1771417442590.pngShanmugapriya_4-1771417459147.png

 Note: For this test, both P1 and P16 USB ports were connected, along with the J-Link probe.

Please let me know if you need any additional details to help diagnose the issue.

[Shanmugapriya]

Hi @Chavira 

Thanks for sharing the steps. While following them, I noticed that the resistor indicated by the red arrow does not have continuity to the SW_CLK pin. Earlier, based on a community post, I had already removed two resistors.

After checking continuity from the SW_CLK and SW_DIO pins, I found that the resistors actually connected to these lines are the ones marked with the yellow arrows, and I removed those instead.

Could someone please confirm which specific resistor(s) should be removed for SWD access—the ones marked in red, or the ones marked in yellow?

Shanmugapriya_0-1769664672182.png