PICKIT 3 issue

Thread Starter

Matteo Grandi

Joined Jan 31, 2016
5
Hello everyone!
I'm writing a new post since everything I found is pretty old.
I'm having troubles to get a Pickit3 clone to work with MPLABX 3.2
First of all I'm using OS X, but even on a virtual machine with Windows 10 the programmer doesn't work.
The error code that MPLAB shows is:

The programmer could not be started: Could not connect to tool hardware: PICkit3PlatformTool, com.microchip.mplab.mdbcore.PICKit3Tool.PICkit3DbgToolManager

What's strange is that with MPLABX on OSX the device is not identified, but I can at the same time program it using the IPE on the virtual machine.

Thanks is advance for the help! :)
 

Thread Starter

Matteo Grandi

Joined Jan 31, 2016
5
Could it due to it being a clone?
Well it could be..
But why the virtual machine can detect and correctly use it ?
I read online something concerning java, that should be executed as 32bit.. But actually I didn't understand what did they mean.. Maybe someone already experienced the same and maybe solved the same issue! The original one is correctly working?
 

spinnaker

Joined Oct 29, 2009
7,830
Hello everyone!

I'm having troubles to get a Pickit3 clone to work with MPLABX 3.2
Problem #1. We have a saying that is actually an old British saying. "Penny wise but pound foolish. Buy a real pickkit 3.

First of all I'm using OS X, but even on a virtual machine with Windows 10 the programmer doesn't work.
The error code that MPLAB shows is:

MPLabX supports the Mac. Why not use the supported version?
 

MaxHeadRoom

Joined Jul 18, 2013
28,617
So far I have found the sequence of connecting the Pickit 3 is important, vary from this and you get a message Pickit3 not connected.
Microchip show the sequence with a blurb included with it.
Max.
 

Thread Starter

Matteo Grandi

Joined Jan 31, 2016
5
Problem #1. We have a saying that is actually an old British saying. "Penny wise but pound foolish. Buy a real pickkit 3.




MPLabX supports the Mac. Why not use the supported version?

So far I have found the sequence of connecting the Pickit 3 is important, vary from this and you get a message Pickit3 not connected.
Microchip show the sequence with a blurb included with it.
Max.

Thank you very much for the feedback!
I'm new with uC programming!
I will try to look for the correct sequence..

@spinnaker Actually I use MPLabX for mac, that works. It just don't detect the pickit.
 

Thread Starter

Matteo Grandi

Joined Jan 31, 2016
5
Again, thank you all for support.
Something actually changed, but still doesn't work :(
@MaxHeadRoom I followed step by step the guide, and now the error message when I try to compile is the following:
"The target circuit may require more power than the debug tool can provide. An external power supply might be necessary.
Connection Failed."

Of course I tried also to avoid the circuit powering via Pickit but without success.
Actually, MPLab on mac sees the device!

@stefan.54 can you explain me better which software you refer to? I only know mplabX and the relative IPE..


Schermata 2016-02-02 alle 17.23.26.jpg
 

stefan.54

Joined Dec 26, 2015
28
@Matteo Grandi The software looks like the one attached below. If properly connected via usb to the PC/laptop, you'll be prompted a "Device found" message. I, myself, am using a clone PICkit3 and never had a problem with it.

If you encounter this error: "Pickit3 is in mplab mode", disconnect the usb and keep the button pressed down while reconnecting the usb. You must do this only once!! (or whenever you get this error). Leave it like that 5-10 seconds and you should be good to go. Remember, always use Tools->Check com. to make sure your Pickit or MCU is detected.
 

Attachments

JohnInTX

Joined Jun 26, 2012
4,787
Just wondering, have you tried the MPLABX device driver switcher to ensure that the 'X' drivers are installed (instead of the earlier MPLAB ones?). You have to run it as Administrator.
Have you checked the Readme files for the IDE and PK3 to see if there are any OS limitations? Here's a snippet from MPLABX3.20 as an example. Note the restriction on Virtual Machines and that 'Home' versions of Win 7/8/10 are not listed as supported.
2 System Requirements
NOTICE: Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP3 is no longer supported in this release of MPLAB X IDE. However, the IDE may continue to function on this operating system.

2.1 Minimum Configurations
Note: Using this configuration may result in hardware tool performance that is not acceptable to some developers. If so, please use the “Recommended Configuration”.

Microsoft® Windows® 7 Professional/ Windows 8 Professional/ Windows 10 Professional:

· Processor: 2.6 GHz Intel® Pentium® IV or equivalent

· Memory: 1 GB

· Disk space: 1 GB of free disk space

Ubuntu® 9.10:

· Processor: 2.6 GHz Intel Pentium IV or equivalent

· Memory: 1 GB

· Disk space: 1 GB of free disk space

Mac OS® X 10.7.3 Intel:

· Processor: Intel® Core™ Duo or Intel Core 2 Duo

· Memory: 1 GB

· Disk space: 1 GB of free disk space

2.2 Recommended Configurations
Microsoft Windows 7 Professional/ Windows 8 Professional/ Windows 10 Professional:

· Processor: Intel Core Duo or Intel Core 2 Duo

· Memory: 2 GB (32-bit), 4 GB (64-bit)

· Disk space: 1.5 GB of free disk space

Ubuntu 12.04:

· Processor: Intel Core Duo or Intel Core 2 Duo

· Memory: 2 GB (32-bit), 4 GB (64-bit)

· Disk space: 1.5 GB of free disk space

Mac OS X 10.8 Intel:

· Processor: Intel Core Duo or Intel Core 2 Duo

· Memory: 4 GB (32-bit), 4 GB (64-bit)

· Disk space: 1.5 GB of free disk space

2.3 Other Configurations
MPLAB® X IDE may also run on the various other Linux® distributions such as Oracle® Enterprise Linux 5, Ubuntu 8.x and 10.04, Red Hat® Enterprise Linux and many others.

2.4 Unsupported Configurations
MPLAB X IDE does not support Virtual Machines.

3 Java® Standard Edition (SE) Requirements
Information about the Java® Runtime Environment (JRE) required for MPLAB X IDE to run is discussed in this section. JRE 8 is installed with MPLAB X IDE. For Windows XP, JRE 7 will need to be installed.

Note: MPLAB X IDE will not run on older versions of JRE.

3.1 Windows® and Linux® Operating Systems
The current version of the JRE used with MPLAB X IDE on these operating systems is v1.8.x (JRE 8).

MPLAB X IDE now includes the correct JRE for your system, so you do not need to download it separately. This JRE is used solely with MPLAB X IDE and is not registered on your computer for general use.

Note: For Windows XP, JRE 7 will need to be installed. The MPLAB X IDE installer will search for JRE 7 on your system, and if it is not found will recommend sites for download.

3.2 Mac OS® Operating System
MPLAB X IDE requires and installs JRE8, which was first supported on the Mac OS X 10.8 (Mountain Lion). Therefore Mac OS X 10.8 or greater is required for MPLAB X IDE.
Good luck.
 
Last edited:
Make sure the pickit 3 is powered. You need to set this in MPLAB.
It could be your pickit 3 is expecting external power and so is not powering up.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Brunel92

Joined Mar 1, 2016
1
Hello everyone!
I'm writing a new post since everything I found is pretty old.
I'm having troubles to get a Pickit3 clone to work with MPLABX 3.2
First of all I'm using OS X, but even on a virtual machine with Windows 10 the programmer doesn't work.
The error code that MPLAB shows is:

The programmer could not be started: Could not connect to tool hardware: PICkit3PlatformTool, com.microchip.mplab.mdbcore.PICKit3Tool.PICkit3DbgToolManager

What's strange is that with MPLABX on OSX the device is not identified, but I can at the same time program it using the IPE on the virtual machine.

Thanks is advance for the help! :)
ON WINDOWS, ALL I DID was uninstalling JAVA (if Installed) and reinstall it... plug PICKIT 3 , launch MPLAB and tadaaa.. worked for me
 

Robin66

Joined Jan 5, 2016
275
A few times along the way when I was getting set up I found that turning off and on again fixed "connecting" type issues (including restarting MPLAB).

But contrary to some of the other comments I wouldn't assume that your problem is due to it being a clone. I have had 2 different pickit3 clones, one from amazon, one from ebay (I fried my first one). Both worked fine out of the box and updated their own firmware no trouble. For £20 vs £60 I thought it was worth a punt and now I don't feel half as bad having fried one.
 
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