15.8.1 PFM Write Protection

Write protection for the PFM region is implemented by pages and defined by the NVMPWPLT and NVMPWPGTE registers. The NVMPWP* registers define an area within the program space (PFM) that is write-protected. This write-protected address resolves to Flash page boundaries; therefore, the user can ignore the 12 LSBs for a 4 KB page Flash of any address written to the NVMPWP* registers. The size of the Flash determines the width of each NVMPWP* address register. Use the NVMPWPLT register to set the Program Flash pages lower than the provided address as write-protected. Use the NVMPWPLT register to set the Program Flash pages greater than or equal to the provided address as write-protected. Therefore, a value of all 0s in the NVMPWPLT register and all 1s in the NVMPWPGTE register results in no region of Flash being write-protected (default state at Reset).

There is also an unlock bit, ULOCK (NVMPWPLT [31] and NVMPWPGTE[31]), that is set at Reset and can be cleared by the user software. After clearing, the user can no longer make changes to the write-protection of the PFM, including the ULOCK bit. The NVMPWPLT and NVMPWPGTE write-protected register can only be changed by following the unlock sequence. See NVMKEY Register Unlocking Sequence from Related Links.