Pickit 3 failed to program

[Michael]

All of a sudden, now I'm getting this message. Read where it may be an issue with USB voltage? BUT it did work fine.
I've been using the usb port for power and choosing 4.875v (which always worked) (5v didn't)

Any insight on this problem? Disconnected it -- switched ports -- all that and nothing.

Is there any sort of external supply that I can power the pickit with using the micro usb that will still let the data pass through? like an inline supply or something? thanks

pickit 3 connects, does an erase and read -- just wont program. always something. just when I think I have the code right.

[Michael]

i now see that you can get a powered usb hub

[Michael]

anyone know anything about this issue? bought a powered hub and now even more problems.
everything has been fine with this pickit3 and then "failed to program". chips are good.

[Michael]

never a problem with my old melabs programmer. I hate this pickit3.
I need something reliable. ??

[mpgmike]

Process of elimination:

- Try a different hub, or better yet, plug directly into your PC
- Hold the button on the front of the PICKit 3 when you power it up until the lights blink. This forces a RESET. You may have to program it with MPLABX IPE at least once to get a fresh PICKit3 firmware reload.
- Try programming a different PIC to see if it's the chip and not the Programmer

[towlerg]

IIRC the PicKit3 stand alone GUI program and the command line app PK3CMD.EXE are limited to older devices. If you want to program the latest devices you need to soil your self with IPE or look at PicKitPlus (which breaths new life into Pk2 and Pk3 and well worth the price).

Note that for some reason known only to Microchip, IPE writes different firmware thus screwing the GUI version.

Ditto mpgmike's comments. Definitely try different USB ports and Pic devices, even better try a different PC.

What Pic device are you trying to program?

BTW many current Pic devices will program with very low voltages. For instance I regularly program 18F25K50 locally powered with 3.3v.

Edit. I forgot you can tell the Pk3 not to provide Vcc.

[mpgmike]

For $15 US you can replace it (or have a back-up) with the new Snap from Microchip. It has pretty much all the functionality of other Programmers, except you cannot power the device from it. Microchip seems to have finally worked the bugs out of the PicKit4. I have one I use regularly and it works as advertised. In fact, I have an old PICKit2 clone, PICKit 3, PICKit4, IDC4, Snap, and ME Labs U2 Programmer. I haven't touched the ancient PICKit2 in years. If I have issues where I suspect the Programmer, I can grab a different one to verify. The Snap makes for an inexpensive back-up.

[Michael]

well, went to a new pc with a fresh install of mplab and the ipe, just using the pickit3, no other usb ports being used.

and this after trying to simply connect --

Now Downloading new Firmware for target device: PIC16F88
Downloading bootloader
Bootloader download complete
Programming download...

and it hangs here. been a half hour.

anyway, probably my own fault for buying a pickit3 clone unless someone knows of one that really performs. don't know how much the oem one is but can't do big dollars now. (where do you buy it anyway?!) searched.

bottom line the programmer is flaky. hit and miss, lot's of weird error messages etc.

I may end up buying another cheapo and consider it disposable after 20 or so uses which is about how long mine lasted.

really sucks -- I'm an "occasional" pic hobbyist and don't know why they can't make a damn standalone programmer that just burns the hex file and keeps it simple.

[Michael]

by the way you said push the button and then connect usb for reset -- wait till leds blink.
no such thing happening with mine -- held the button forever and nothing.

[Michael]

just ordered another one -- not the same one I had but certainly a clone

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

figure if I get 20 uses out of it, it's only a dollar per program. normally not a "return person" but amazon is very liberal with returns.... so who knows?

[towlerg]

You don't need to use MPLabx/IPE for 16F88, you can use Pickit3.exe or CLI or even a PicKit2. Make sure you use the download option in the tools menu.

If you can use something else instead of 16F88 do so, I seem to recall several posts re. OSCCON and a couple of other things.

[Michael]

thanks George. I'll write that down and look at those options today. yes -- in my searches on 16F88 regarding all this I kept seeing "issues" regarding 16F88 and noted digikey doesn't even stock it now. oredered some 16F1847 because I need the memory but hope it isn't problematic as well ?

[Michael]

George --
How do I download pickit3.exe?

I went to tools on both mplab and the ipe and see download plug ins but don't see anything.

Google search shows a site for download that looks shady.


thanks

[Dave]

Michael, I have been using the 16F1847 for the past few years with the PicKit3 and PicKit4 as well as the ICD3 programmer's from MicroChip with there software and have had NO problems at all...

[mpgmike]

It just occurred to me that the really old PIC16F chips have an issue with the Vpp/MCLR voltage. As I recall, putting a 100 ohm resistor between the Vpp pin and the PICKit3 was a work-around.

[towlerg]

@michael PicKit3 GUI version http:// http://ww1.microchip.com/dow...on%20v3.10.zip , google PK3CMD.EXE for the command line version. Even better buy PickitPlus, it's well worth it.

[Michael]

It just occurred to me that the really old PIC16F chips have an issue with the Vpp/MCLR voltage. As I recall, putting a 100 ohm resistor between the Vpp pin and the PICKit3 was a work-around.

I have MCLR_OFF and using all of porta as outputs. MCLR has always confused me so simply, what should I be doing?
I have some 16F1847 coming today, so that's the chip I'll be using (same pinout as 16F88).

I need to get these things set up right for the peace of mind nothing in configuration is an issue. Also, new pickit3 coming today.

So, do I simply tie a 100 ohm to Vdd? Designate MCLR_ON? Do I set up the MCLR pin as an input?

You guys will have to forgive me but I'm an occasional user and all these setup details I don't retain.

[mpgmike]

In a previous post the question was posed, where to buy? I searched Microchip's site for PICKit3 and it appears they have discontinued selling it. There are probably many in inventory at DigiKey and other vendors. Their flagship programmer is now the PICKit4:

https://www.microchip.com/developmen...tails/PG164140

Their cost leader is the Snap programmer costing around $15 US.

https://www.microchip.com/developmen...tails/PG164100

[Michael]

Disregard post above about mclr.

What I need to know is this --

I've always had mclr tied to Vdd through a 4.7K with my earlier stuff but now with this 16F88 or 1847 I see the mclr is also porta.5 which has me thoroughly confused about the importance of mclr in the first place.

Right now I have all pins on porta as outputs.

?? what should I be doing? I can lose the porta.5 as an output if need be.

[Michael]

sorry about all this mindless gibber jabber. ran into this which clarifies much in plain english --
https://www.theengineeringprojects.c...-pic16f88.html

and wow, pretty nice site I've never seen before. !

[mpgmike]

Early PIC chips had a dedicated RESET pin; MCLR. Later they allowed that pin to also work as a generic digital input, giving it a name (like RE3). I am not aware of ANY PIC that allows the MCLR pin to be configured as an output. As a caveat, I do know of someone that was able to finagle the MCLR pin to act as a very low current output using the Weak Pull-Up function by turning it on and off.

[towlerg]

Most "modern" PIC devices allow MCLR to be turned off by setting the appropriate bit in config fuses. This pis should be used as an absolute last resort as loads will potentially upset ICSP.