I am trying to use MPLAB SIM to check out code I’m writing for an 18F8722. I have a brand new installation of MPLAB V7.40, and I can certainly build and execute runnable projects. EXCEPT I cannot enable Linker/COFF debugging, which I need. I run Windows XP Pro here. I have a friend with the same OS & the same MPLAB who does the same thing and can build and simulate with no problems. Yet whenever I try and build my project it gets far enough to report assembly success, I immediately get a Microsoft trap “PBP has encountered a problem and needs to close.” Then the PBP message tells me the .O file is not in valid COFF format. I have easily demonstrated the suite works fine if I do not enable Linker/COFF debugging.

I would like to look a bit closer to narrow down the reason for the problem. It seems the Linker/COFF debugging is unique to PBP. Can anyone offer any insight about what may be going on? It is at least conceivable that I have a problem with some PBP package file.