Pickit 3 failed to program

[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...

[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.