EPIC, Code programming error at 0000

[Darrel Taylor]

Just a guess, but maybe installing that printer driver re-enabled "Printer Polling".

You might try the registry entries shown at the bottom of this page again.

Stop Windows XP from polling printer port
http://www.melabs.com/support/patches.htm

I also had to change the 7407 once. But I wasn't able to read the PIC, so that might not be it.

DOH! - beat me again Steve

[mister_e]

Nice to hear about the 7407. Could be handy for all EPIC user.

At least we are two with the same suggestion

[shorton]

Hi guys. Thanks for the time to give suggestions but as I mentioned in the original post I tried every debug step on melabs page. Including:

- On both PC's I applied the polling registry edit. It had no visible effect.

- As for the 7407 I wouldn't think it would work sporatically. But I changed it to be sure, did not help.

re: the other thread, no suggestions there helped.

error @0000 is often caused by a too low MCLR/Vpp voltage while programming, it should be close to 13V. I would suggest you to measure it,

See original post. Not only did I measure it, I adjusted Reg2 to be exactly 13.5.

0.1uF capacitor installed as close as possible of your PIC Vcc line

You mean add one to the EPIC? I'm not doing ICP, just using the EPIC and ZIF adapter.

Just to avoid confusion, let's ignore the desktop issue. I'll deal with that later. Sticking to the laptop, all above applies, all debug suggestions tried. Using the laptop I can reliably read the 16F628A, but it will only program it sporatically. I don't change anything in meProg, I just click on burn, then OK on the ...0000 error, over and over. Eventually it will burn one.

[mister_e]

mmm, could be, but can you confirm you already program a 16F628A with the same programmer before?

Assuming there's no faulty/dirty/loose connector pin (DIP & Printer ones), your printer cable is OK and you don't have any switch-box in between... it has to work.

Apart of a cold joint, those on-Board Transistors is my last bet. Even if they test good with a multimeter, they could be lazy and/or leaky... Lazy electrolytic? mmmpfff

Bah why not change all parts on, as there only a few?

Sure a weird coincidence with the HP printer... In the HP Printer Properties, is the printer assign to a DOT port? let's say DOT4_001? Is the Enable printer pooling check box checked?

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EDIT: did you also try the EPIC.INI suggested modification?
http://www.melabs.com/support/epicini.htm

Now i'm out of idea

[Darrel Taylor]

I am currently programming 16F628A DIPs (or trying to) via the EPIC 8-40 pin ZIF adapter.

Have you tried using the socket ON the EPIC, instead of the 8-40 adapter?

_

[shorton]

Thanks again guys for the time to help.

Steve:

Yep, the 628A is all I have ever bought. Never owned a 628"plain". I have a couple tubes full. I got out my reading glasses and looked to be *sure* Digikey didn't mess up, they did not.

re the ini fix thing, yes I tried that too just to be thorough, but other than selecting the chip, and having some MRU files listed, all was identical. It was a clean software install.

Darrel:

Can't use the on-board socket, chip is too long.

FWIW, the laptop dosen't have a printer built at all.

The desktop printer's port is a TCP/IP printer. The printer is brand new, installed last week. It does not even have a parallel port. Was odd to me too that it might be the culprit, but HP is not on my good guys list when it comes to loading bloatware on my PC.

OK, here's some fun.... I decided I'd try to figure out what was wrong with the desktop. I had some barcodes to print today (via LPT1) so figured it would be a good test to see of LPT1 was even functional (on the desktop). I disconnected my EPIC programmer fromthe cable and connected it to the parallel cable end already hanging off the bar code printer (2 25-pin cables now). Printed some labels, worked fine. A little while later, I unhook the cable and connect it back into the programmer on the desktop, poof, programs like it always did. Does it every time now. Something about printing through the prarllel port seems to have unhosed it. Before, it would not even read a chip, much less program it. A read erroneously said the chip was blank (it wasn't). Not so much as a reboot has happened since it wasn't working. ???

So I figure maybe a cold solder joint as Steve suggested or a hardware issue that has cleared. Reconnect the laptop, same behavior, programs spoatically, although it was taking fewer tries this time. Back to desktop, works OK still.

Oh well. As long as the desktop works. I'll ask Charles next week.

CHeers, Scott

[Darrel Taylor]

Can't use the on-board socket, chip is too long.

If the chip is too long, then you don't have 16F628A's

The 628A is 18-pins, and the epic on-board socket is 18-pins.

_

[Darrel Taylor]

Now i'm out of idea

Ditto!
<br>

[mister_e]

There's nothing a hammer can't fix