Picstart Plus working OK for years and then...

Thread Starter

atferrari

Joined Jan 6, 2004
4,764
I've been using this Picstart Plus for the last 3 or 4 years, duly upgraded. Today I was programing a 16F84A which had been programed many times in the previous hour.

After starting a new project, I tried to enable Picstart Plus again. This message showed up instead:

This device requires firmware version 02.01.00 or higher.
This may require purchasing a PICSTART Plus upgrade kit.

I selected diferent devices and MPLAB just changed what version I need even for a 16C57!

PC & Picstart Plus were duly reset but no change. So many days working expecting to have a free day for this!!

What could I do?
 

ErnieM

Joined Apr 24, 2011
8,377
A curious problem. I hanv't used the PICstart Plus since it came in the all off-white case. I do remember doing an upgrade once, that may have been changing the internal PIC.

The symptom I see you mention is "after starting a new project." I would check if an older project still works, and if so that sounds like MPLAB is now making incompatible projects, so see if an older version of MPLAB works.

I'm just spitballin here. You may get a better answer on the Microchip Forums.
 

MrChips

Joined Oct 2, 2009
30,708
Maybe some kind AAC member can program a new chip for you. I too have an old PICstart which I believe has never been updated. I will see what I have.
 
I would make sure I had the latest version of MPLAB and that will have the latest hex file for the programmer. There have been some changes to MPLAB that screwed up my projects and I had to redo the code fuses in all my programs.
 

Thread Starter

atferrari

Joined Jan 6, 2004
4,764
Sometimes is good to have the oportunity to tell about good things: yesterday I received a replacement sent by Microchip with the compromise of sending the defective one back to them.

Good service.
 

ErnieM

Joined Apr 24, 2011
8,377
11 days for customer service to respond to you? I've been hearing they are backed up but that would drive me crazy.

Hope it all works out in the end for you.
 

Thread Starter

atferrari

Joined Jan 6, 2004
4,764
I do not understand your comment. Arrived to my door here at Buenos Aires with a holiday in the middle.

For me worked OK and that is all that matters.

Feliz Año Nuevo.
 

ErnieM

Joined Apr 24, 2011
8,377
Sorry, missed that you already had the replacement. That is a pretty good response.

In the past I have found I get a much better response (faster and more accurate) from using the Microchip user supported forums then the corporate support.
 
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