PIC24 Bootloading problem

[RGV250]

Hi,
I have an old Firewing board, I think it is a R1 version. I am using PDS to program it and I think it has worked in the past but now I do not think it is.
I am trying a very simple LED flash program found here http://www.protonbasic.co.uk/showthread ... t-hardware post 8.
The board shows up in device manager as a COM port and says it is working correctly.
When I download it seems to go very quickly, all I see is "Programming" and then another message flashes up too quick to see, the TX/RX LED's flash quickly.
The program does not appear to work or it has worked and messed up bootloader, The TX LED flashing at about the same rate as what I would expect from the program but changing the value does nothing.
If I look with a serial monitor I get 2b2z:2 repeatedly, is this normal?

Regards,
Bob

[bitfogav]

Hi, I'm sure you have checked but if I remember the R1 version came with a 24HJ128GP502, the example code posted on that page is a 24FJ64GA002.
Just an idea are you sure you have changed the device code?.

[Jerry Messina]

Also

The TX LED flashing at about the same rate as what I would expect from the program

That program should blink the 'L' LED (D4), not the TX LED (D3).

If I look with a serial monitor I get 2b2z:2 repeatedly, is this normal?

What are you monitoring? I don't think any of the bootloader comms are ASCII chars so I don't think it's coming from there, and that main program shouldn't be sending anything out the uart.

If you think the bootloader is corrupt you could always reflash it with a PICkit2/3

[RGV250]

Hi Bitfogav,
I have checked and I did change it, I followed the rest of the advice there to get the loader into the PDS IDE.

Hi Jerry,
After downloading I just turned on a serial monitor and that is what I am getting so wondered if it was what I would get possibly from the bootloader if no program was loaded?
I tried to re-flash it but my Pickit 2 says there is nothing connected, I get that sometimes and cannot figure out why, I think it has something to do with the board I plug the device into, I will have to solder some pins onto the firewing board and try from that.

Bob

[RGV250]

Hi,
Not sure how but it looks like the PIC has died, I cannot detect it at all with either the Pickit2 on the board or with the PIC out and connected directly.
I think it is time for a new board, will probably buy a PIC as well to see if it was just the PIC.

Bob

[Jerry Messina]

Bob-

Are you powering the board externally, or do you have the PICkit supplying the 3V3 power?

[RGV250]

Hi Jerry,
I tried both ways, in a programming adaptor with just the Pickit as I normally do and in the Firewing board with the USB powering it.
I have now found the universal programming adaptor I use is not that universal and the connections are not OK with the PIC24 (why don't Microchip make all 28 pins the same??), it could not detect a device on either though.
I am assuming I have fried the device so am ordering another one.

Bob

[Jerry Messina]

You might want to be careful using the PICkit2 and the "autodetect" function.

It's my understanding that the PK2 can potentially supply damaging voltages if it doesn't know the correct family.
See How to auto detect pic mcu model like pickit does for an explanation.

Most PIC24 devices are spec'd with VDD=4V max, so if it uses 5V or tries the High Voltage programming entry on MCLR method that could be a problem.

[RGV250]

Hi,
I am not sure what the original issue was but pretty sure the bootloader had got corrupted.
After a lot of googling I found a port that implied the 24 series had an issue with 3.3v, I supplied it just from the PK2 and dropped the voltage to 2.9v and it worked, I now have a working board, a spare PIC and another Firewing board on the way.
Pretty hacked off with Microchip right now.