ICD Connection Timeout

I'm using a melabs U2/USB Programmer w/ Microcode studio plus - PICBASIC PRO. I am running a LAB-X1 Experimenter Board running at 20 MHz. My program is as follows:
DEFINE OSC 20 ' Inform PBP that we're using 4MHz (change to 20 as necessary)
Counter VAR WORD ' Define word variable Counter
Counter = 0 ' Load word variable with 0
Junk VAR WORD ' Define word variable Junk
Junk = 10000 ' Load word variable with 10000

Begin:
FOR Counter = 0 TO 10000
Junk = Junk - 1
NEXT
GOTO Begin

I am assembling and programming from the ICD buttons. When I try to 'RUN' from the ICD controls I get an error 'ICD Connection Timeout'. I've tried everything under help and have searched the forums. Nothing I've tried seems to work. I've also set debug on and off to no avail.

Can somebody please help?
Thank you,
Don D (motorcycleman4701)

Try the "Compile Only" button or F9 from the keyboard.

This always help when we know the PIC model, and see the configuration fuses... here make sure you're using HS_OSC.

Not sure how ICD work with LAB-X1... maybe you need to reset the PIC first?

I am programming a 16F877a part and the HS Fuse is set. It seems I'm having another problem now and then I cannot program directly into the lab X Board. He keeps asking me to reset the microcontroller, however the microcontroller on the board will not reset. I'm sure it's not the programmer because I can program externally.

If you use MicroCode Loader, then you may have some problem... hence why the ICD doesn't work. Sorry i feel lazy now, not a bad idea to compare the LAB-X1 circuit with the recommended schematic for ICD and Bootloader... Bootloader and ICD have a MCLR signal attached to the MAX232.. not sure if the LAB-X1 have it :o