ERROR: Failed to power off modem

Troubleshooting
1

Hello together,
i have a boron which does not connect to the internet. I flashed https://github.com/rickkas7/boron-clouddebug/blob/master/boron-clouddebug-v1.3.1-rc.1.bin

to inspect whats going on. I get following log.

Does this device suffer from an hardware fault, if the modem cannot be turned off?

clouddebug: press letter corresponding to the command
a - enter APN for 3rd-party SIM card
k - set keep-alive value
c - show carriers at this location
p - select MNO profile
t - run normal tests (occurs automatically after 10 seconds)
or tap the MODE button once to show carriers
enter APN: 0000011557 [hal] ERROR: Failed to power off modem

APN set to iotde.telefonica.com
clouddebug: press letter corresponding to the command
a - enter APN for 3rd-party SIM card
k - set keep-alive value
c - show carriers at this location
p - select MNO profile
t - run normal tests (occurs automatically after 10 seconds)
or tap the MODE button once to show carriers
starting tests...
turning cellular on...
0000052755 [hal] ERROR: No response from NCP
0000052755 [system.nm] INFO: State changed: DISABLED -> IFACE_DOWN
deviceID=XXXXXX
manufacturer=
model=
firmware version=
ordering code=
IMEI=
IMSI=
ICCID=
0000126757 [app] INFO: enabling trace logging
0000126758 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT+CGDCONT?
0000136759 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT+CSQ
attempting to connect to the cellular network...
0000146761 [system.nm] INFO: State changed: IFACE_DOWN -> IFACE_REQUEST_UP
0000146761 [system.nm] INFO: State changed: IFACE_DOWN -> IFACE_REQUEST_UP
0000146763 [hal] TRACE: PPP netif -> 8
0000146764 [net.ifapi] INFO: Netif pp3 state UP
0000146764 [net.ifapi] INFO: Netif pp3 state UP
0000146765 [hal] TRACE: Modem already on
0000146767 [hal] TRACE: Setting UART voltage translator state 1
0000146838 [system.nm] INFO: State changed: IFACE_REQUEST_UP -> IFACE_UP
0000146838 [system.nm] INFO: State changed: IFACE_REQUEST_UP -> IFACE_UP
0000147767 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000148767 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000149767 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000150767 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000151767 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000152767 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000153767 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000154767 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000155767 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000156767 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000157767 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000158767 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000159767 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000160767 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000161767 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000162767 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000163767 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000164767 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000165767 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000166767 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000167767 [hal] ERROR: No response from NCP
0000167767 [hal] ERROR: No response from NCP
0000167768 [hal] TRACE: Setting UART voltage translator state 0
0000167769 [hal] TRACE: Hard resetting the modem
0000168819 [net.pppncp] TRACE: Failed to initialize ublox NCP client: -210
0000168820 [hal] TRACE: Setting UART voltage translator state 0
0000168821 [hal] TRACE: Powering modem off
0000168822 [hal] TRACE: Setting UART voltage translator state 0
0000180322 [hal] ERROR: Failed to power off modem
0000180322 [hal] ERROR: Failed to power off modem
0000180423 [hal] TRACE: Modem already on
0000180424 [hal] TRACE: Setting UART voltage translator state 1
0000181425 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000182425 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000183425 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000184425 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000185425 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000186425 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000187425 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000188425 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000189425 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000190425 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000191425 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000192425 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000193425 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000194425 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000195425 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000196425 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000197425 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000198425 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000199425 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000200425 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000201425 [hal] ERROR: No response from NCP
0000201425 [hal] ERROR: No response from NCP
0000201426 [hal] TRACE: Setting UART voltage translator state 0
0000201428 [hal] TRACE: Hard resetting the modem
0000202478 [net.pppncp] TRACE: Failed to initialize ublox NCP client: -210
0000202479 [hal] TRACE: Setting UART voltage translator state 0
0000202480 [hal] TRACE: Powering modem off
0000202481 [hal] TRACE: Setting UART voltage translator state 0
0000213982 [hal] ERROR: Failed to power off modem
0000213982 [hal] ERROR: Failed to power off modem
0000214083 [hal] TRACE: Modem already on
0000214084 [hal] TRACE: Setting UART voltage translator state 1
0000215085 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000216085 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000217085 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000218085 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000219085 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000220085 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000221085 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000222085 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000223085 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000224085 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000225085 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000226085 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000227085 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000228085 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000229085 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000230085 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000231085 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000232085 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000233085 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000234085 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000235085 [hal] ERROR: No response from NCP
0000235085 [hal] ERROR: No response from NCP
0000235086 [hal] TRACE: Setting UART voltage translator state 0
0000235087 [hal] TRACE: Hard resetting the modem
0000236137 [net.pppncp] TRACE: Failed to initialize ublox NCP client: -210
0000236138 [hal] TRACE: Setting UART voltage translator state 0
0000236139 [hal] TRACE: Powering modem off
0000236140 [hal] TRACE: Setting UART voltage translator state 0
0000247640 [hal] ERROR: Failed to power off modem
0000247640 [hal] ERROR: Failed to power off modem
0000247741 [hal] TRACE: Modem already on
0000247742 [hal] TRACE: Setting UART voltage translator state 1
0000248743 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000249743 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000250743 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000251743 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000252743 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000253743 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000254743 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000255743 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000256743 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000257743 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000258743 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000259743 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000260743 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000261743 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000262743 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000263743 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000264743 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000265743 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000266743 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000267743 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000268743 [hal] ERROR: No response from NCP
0000268743 [hal] ERROR: No response from NCP
0000268744 [hal] TRACE: Setting UART voltage translator state 0
0000268745 [hal] TRACE: Hard resetting the modem
0000269795 [net.pppncp] TRACE: Failed to initialize ublox NCP client: -210
0000269796 [hal] TRACE: Setting UART voltage translator state 0
0000269797 [hal] TRACE: Powering modem off
0000269797 [hal] TRACE: Setting UART voltage translator state 0
0000281298 [hal] ERROR: Failed to power off modem
0000281298 [hal] ERROR: Failed to power off modem
0000281398 [hal] TRACE: Modem already on
0000281399 [hal] TRACE: Setting UART voltage translator state 1
0000282400 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000283400 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000284400 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000285400 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000286400 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000287400 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000288400 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000289400 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000290400 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000291400 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000292400 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000293400 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000294400 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000295400 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000296400 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000297400 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000298400 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000299400 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000300400 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000301400 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000302400 [hal] ERROR: No response from NCP
0000302400 [hal] ERROR: No response from NCP
0000302401 [hal] TRACE: Setting UART voltage translator state 0
0000302401 [hal] TRACE: Hard resetting the modem
0000303452 [net.pppncp] TRACE: Failed to initialize ublox NCP client: -210
0000303453 [hal] TRACE: Setting UART voltage translator state 0
0000303454 [hal] TRACE: Powering modem off
0000303455 [hal] TRACE: Setting UART voltage translator state 0
0000314955 [hal] ERROR: Failed to power off modem
0000314955 [hal] ERROR: Failed to power off modem
0000315056 [hal] TRACE: Modem already on
0000315057 [hal] TRACE: Setting UART voltage translator state 1
0000316059 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000317059 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000318059 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT
0000319059 [ncp.at] TRACE: > AT

Kind regards!

2

Hi @user1235 - this corresponds with a known modem issue. Would you mind opening up a support ticket? I’ll get you sorted!

3

Hi there,
tried https://github.com/rickkas7/boron-clouddebug/blob/master/boron-clouddebug-v0.9.0.bin and with this the boron connects to the cloud.

Hard power cycle helped.

Are there different hardware revisions regarding the modem?
Is there a recommended device OS version to avoid this issue?
Can we upgrade from 0.9.0 to e.g. 1.4.2 regarding this context?

4

Hi there,

Great! I suspect the issue was with a problematic OS/bootloader state on the device, remedied by flash of the monolithic cloud debug firmware.

You should absolutely upgrade to 1.4.2. While it’s easiest to do this OTA, I find that doing this from Particle CLI running particle update and particle flash --usb tinker is the safest way to do so on a device recovering from a fragile state.

5

@marekparticle Are you able to elaborate just what this error means? I have seen it before when I am using Manual mode and there for there should be no reason for the Particle OS to attempt to "Power off the modem".??

6

Hi @ric_hard - the above is a serious instance of modem failure. Are you seeing ERROR: Failed to power off modem exactly?

Would you mind sending the complete logs/context in which you’ve seen this error in your support ticket? Are you using threading in your AT commands only application at all?