DFU fails with "Characteristic write error: 133" on Galaxy Tab A8

DFU Bootloader version (please complete the following information):

• SDK version: nRF5 SDK 17.0.2 with nrf5 SDK for Mesh 5.0.0
• Bonding used: no
• Library version: 2.0.3 (through noridc_dfu plugin for Flutter: https://pub.dev/packages/nordic_dfu)

Device information (please complete the following information):

• Device: Samsung Galaxy Tab A8, SM-X200
• OS: Android 11 (SDK 30), Patch 2022-02-01

Describe the bug DFU reliably fails on Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 with Characteristic write error: 133. It (DFU) is, however, reliably working on dozens of other devices from Samsung, Lenovo, Google, Huawai, Vollaphone…

Logs Interesting part starts quite far down after: Sending Calculate Checksum command (Op Code = 3):

2022-06-22 22:06:07.561 I/DfuBaseService: DFU service created. Version: 2.0.3
2022-06-22 22:06:07.578 I/DfuBaseService: Starting DFU service in foreground
2022-06-22 22:06:07.595 I/DfuBaseService: Connecting to the device...
2022-06-22 22:06:07.597 D/BluetoothGatt: connect() - device: C6:8E:F1:CB:2C:B2, auto: false
2022-06-22 22:06:07.946 I/DfuBaseService: Connected to GATT server
2022-06-22 22:06:07.948 D/BluetoothGatt: discoverServices() - device: C6:8E:F1:CB:2C:B2
2022-06-22 22:06:07.949 I/DfuBaseService: Attempting to start service discovery... succeed
2022-06-22 22:06:10.682 I/DfuBaseService: Services discovered
2022-06-22 22:06:10.683 I/DfuImpl: Buttonless service without bond sharing found -> SDK 13 or newer
2022-06-22 22:06:11.692 I/DfuImpl: Enabling indications...
2022-06-22 22:06:12.935 I/DfuImpl: Sending Enter Bootloader (Op Code = 1)
2022-06-22 22:06:13.291 I/DfuImpl: Response received (Op Code = 1, Status = 1)
2022-06-22 22:06:13.293 I/DfuBaseService: Refreshing result: true
2022-06-22 22:06:13.294 I/DfuBaseService: Cleaning up...
2022-06-22 22:06:13.310 I/DfuImpl: Restarting to bootloader mode
2022-06-22 22:06:13.957 I/DfuImpl: Scanning for new address finished with: C6:8E:F1:CB:2C:B3
2022-06-22 22:06:13.963 I/DfuBaseService: Starting DFU service in foreground
2022-06-22 22:06:15.979 I/DfuBaseService: Connecting to the device...
2022-06-22 22:06:16.144 I/DfuBaseService: Connected to GATT server
2022-06-22 22:06:16.146 I/DfuBaseService: Attempting to start service discovery... succeed
2022-06-22 22:06:18.662 I/DfuBaseService: Services discovered
2022-06-22 22:06:18.664 W/DfuImpl: Secure DFU bootloader found
2022-06-22 22:06:19.673 I/DfuImpl: Requesting MTU = 517
2022-06-22 22:06:19.694 I/DfuImpl: MTU changed to: 247
2022-06-22 22:06:19.695 I/DfuImpl: Enabling notifications...
2022-06-22 22:06:20.726 I/DfuImpl: Setting object to Command (Op Code = 6, Type = 1)
2022-06-22 22:06:20.761 I/DfuImpl: Command object info received (Max size = 512, Offset = 0, CRC = 00000000)
2022-06-22 22:06:20.762 I/DfuImpl: Sending the number of packets before notifications (Op Code = 2, Value = 0)
2022-06-22 22:06:20.791 I/DfuImpl: Creating Init packet object (Op Code = 1, Type = 1, Size = 141)
2022-06-22 22:06:20.822 I/DfuImpl: Sending 141 bytes of init packet...
2022-06-22 22:06:20.822 I/DfuImpl: Sending init packet (Value = 12-8A-01-0A-44-08-01-12-40-08-03-10-03-1A-02-A4-02-20-00-28-00-30-00-38-90-D4-07-42-24-08-03-12-20-AA-86-6E-38-3F-ED-1A-FE-14-FD-82-3A-A3-AB-89-55-16-AC-27-A9-C8-8C-4F-8E-39-16-EB-52-72-B8-F7-1E-48-00-52-04-08-01-12-00-10-00-1A-40-0A-12-82-72-70-2D-00-DC-43-56-74-91-15-2F-73-3C-32-56-F5-C4-3B-D2-A8-00-DD-FA-3A-24-57-E2-52-07-6D-7A-8D-4A-37-08-A5-E1-31-62-CE-F9-8E-3A-3F-25-6E-34-E4-92-55-94-1E-D0-9A-98-DE-4A-FE-1A-AE-41)
2022-06-22 22:06:20.827 I/DfuImpl: Sending Calculate Checksum command (Op Code = 3)
2022-06-22 22:06:26.824 E/DfuImpl: Characteristic write error: 133
2022-06-22 22:06:26.825 D/BluetoothGatt: onClientConnectionState() - status=8 clientIf=9 device=C6:8E:F1:CB:2C:B3
2022-06-22 22:06:26.826 E/DfuBaseService: Unable to write Op Code 3 (error 133)
2022-06-22 22:06:26.828 W/DfuBaseService: Target device disconnected with status: 8
2022-06-22 22:06:26.834 I/DfuBaseService: Action received: android.bluetooth.device.action.ACL_DISCONNECTED
2022-06-22 22:06:26.836 I/DfuBaseService: Disconnecting from the device...
2022-06-22 22:06:26.848 I/DfuBaseService: Refreshing result: true
2022-06-22 22:06:26.848 I/DfuBaseService: Cleaning up...
2022-06-22 22:06:27.479 I/DfuBaseService: DFU service destroyed

Have you ever seen something similar?

Any ideas how to workaround or fix this issue are welcome.

[philips77]

I’m in a process of fixing issues we found in version 2.2.0. I’ll run some tests on Tab A8 this week.

[FluffyBunniesTasteTheBest]

@wodyy666 Thanks for sharing these links!

There are all kind of issues on the Galaxy Tab A8, and the way it looks they won’t be fixed for Android 11, however, the upgrade to Android 12 is scheduled for August, so hopefully the problems disappear with it…