ST-Link Utility - The elf loader file is not accessible

[DrOnline]

Hi,

I'm trying to program a 32-bit STM32 Cortex-m4 MCU (specifically STM32L4P5ZGT6P).

I'm using v 4.6.0 of ST-Link Utility, and I've tried both an ST-Link V2, and an ST-link V3, both with latest firmware.

Both succeed at connecting (reading) the MCU, but I can neither wrote firmware, or delete the chip. Both give me the error. "The elf loader file is not accessible".

10:43:37 : ST-LINK SN : 37FF6A064D4E383507241143

10:43:37 : V2J37S7

10:43:37 : Connected via SWD.

10:43:37 : SWD Frequency = 4,0 MHz.

10:43:37 : Connection mode : Normal.

10:43:37 : Debug in Low Power mode enabled.

10:43:37 : Device ID:0x471 

10:43:37 : Device flash Size : 1MBytes

10:43:37 : Device family :STM32L4Px/L4Qx

10:43:48 : The elf loader file is not accessible.

10:44:00 : Error occured during flash mass erase!

Now here's the strange thing: It works fine when I use STM32CubeProgrammer. So my question is: Why does ST-link Utility 4.6.0 not work? Is this program obsolete?

Edit: I forgot to mention, I am not even using an elf file. I am using a hex file.

[Tesla DeLorean · Accepted solution]

Yes, obsolete/ deprecated ​

ST has a habit of abandoning good working tools and replacing them with others with a new set of quirks.

STM32 Cube Programmer has gone through several revisions and is reasonably serviceable at this point, but is quite large and slow to load.​

[DrOnline]

Alright, well I had no idea that was the state of things. I thought ST-Link Utility was their one programming software. The go-to tool. I'll migrate to STM32CubeProgrammer then. I work as an electronics test developer, making automated tests, so I just need the command line tools anyway. I'll figure out what the differences in syntax and such is. Thanks, Clive.

[Pavel A.]

ST-LINK utility does not seem to support writing elf files.

[DrOnline]

Oh, I failed to mention this important fact in my post: I wasn't even using an elf file. I was using a .hex file. And furthermore: even if I ONLY try to erase all on the chip, I get an error message about elf files, for some reason.