serial data ideas please

[mackrackit]

I doubt it is the PIC.

With all the stuff you have going on in the ISR and the possible jumping out of the ISR is one problem. ISRs should be short and it is not a good idea to jump out of one.

Then you describe the touching of a wire to the board causes problems... That is a hardware problem you have, not the PIC. Post a schematic and someone may be able to spot the problem there.

[languer]

The MCU is HW; so yes it could have an issue. That being said, there can also be an issue with the supporting HW (i.e. around the MCU itself).

As for reading the silicon revision; look for DEVID1 on datasheet.
PicKit can read it. From Readme File of PicKit2: NOTE: silicon revision display is enabled by adding the INI file value "REVS: Y".
This link should also give you ideas on how to read it from the PIC itself:http://www.microchip.com/forums/m34318.aspx.

You say you have code which only does the UART stuff and still has the issue. What does that code looks like? I presume it shouldn't have any of the fancy interrupt, LCD, or other stuff.