I really need some help with PBP3

[Ramius]

Hi All!
I jst installed PBP3 Gold, with MicroCode Studios Plus and MPLAB IDE v8.80 and have a PICKSTART Plus programmer. The complier seems to run and gives a MicroCode Loader error message "Reset Required Please reset the target microcontroller in order to access the bootloader process ..." I have looked and looked and can not seem to find what the error message really means, what I should do and basically how to configure all these new software programs so that everything works together. The help menus offer very little help. Anyone have any ideas where I could find a set of step by step instructions and asnwers?

Thanks, Ed

[ScaleRobotics]

I do not have a picstart plus programmer, but it looks like the programmer that is set up in your MicroCode Studio is a bootloader. To change it, go to View, then compile and programmer options. Then change your programmer to the picstart plus, or go to add new programmer, if needed.

[Acetronics2]

Hi, Ramius

I do not think you can use directly a PicStart from MCS ... looks it's been a while since last time you've used your Picstart ...

So, simply use the " compile " button and THEN load you Hex into MPLAB to run the Picstart ... :disgust:

You also could directly compile AND program with MPLAB ... looked obvious, but why not simply do it ???

:smug:

Alain

[Ramius]

Thank you both for your ideas and suggestions and in MPLAB IDE 8.84 there is an option under Programmer to "Down load PICKSTART OS" which is supposted to ensure the correct programmer firmware. For some unknown reason I can not figure out or resolve the MPLAB gives an error message: "PICSTART Plus not found. Please verify serial connection and try the current operation again. A serial time out has occurred. Please verify your serial connection and try again." I am running Windows XP Pro SP3, removed and reinstalled the RS-232 com port, changed the configuration of the port several time and checked all that I know to check without any success. I am certain whatever I am doing wrong is very basic and simple, just can not figure out what it is!

[Acetronics2]

hum ...

looks interesting ...

Did you recently have changed your PC ???

1) The Picstart only works with NATIVE serial port .... ( no USB/Serial adapter nor PCI/Serial card in the PC allowed )
2) you must define " by hand " the used port in the MPLAB Programmer/Setting Window ... setting DEFAULTS for port works fine here.
3) Picstart needs a 9 V supply to work ...
4) You are to select "Picstart" as a programmer in the programmer menu
5) You're supposed to tick on the " programmer enable " option in the Programmer menu

6) once those 5 points Ok ... you should be able to read the " PICSTART Plus Firmware Version 04.50.11" connecting success message in the output window ... ( WARNING - also comes with an adapter !!! - but no success if programming or O/P download )

Else we could consider a failure somewhere in your Picstart :dispirited:

Solution being to buy a small PicKit 2/3 or an ICD 2/3 , the programming adaptor AC 162049, and the AC 164110 cable adaptor ...

Alain

[Ramius]

First I wish to sincerely thank you for the answers and suggestions! Okay, so it turned out to be one of those all too frequent times when I was having one of my usual "brain craps"! I have a P-Touch lable maker which was pluged into the comm port! I know really stupid on my part! It was great to know which PicKit to look at getting in the future. Thank you very much again!