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Forum Index : Microcontroller and PC projects : PicKit3 and MPLabX 3.1

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matherp
Guru

Joined: 11/12/2012
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 10180

Posted: 03:15am 19 Jan 2016

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If you are trying to use a PicKit3 with MPLabX V3.1 you may be having issues. There is a L..O..N..G.. video on EEVBlog about this, but basically MPLABX 3.1 needs up-to-date firmware in the PicKit3 and doesn't load it

To sort this out load and install the stand-alone PicKit3 programmer V3.1 software from
here

Navigate to Downloads Archive and select "PICkit 3 Programmer App and Scripting Tool v3.10"

Install and run this. It will tell you the PicKit3 firmware is out-of-date so let it update it.

Then click on "Tools" and select "Revert to MPLab mode". The program will do this successfully and then crash!!!!

Disconnect and re-connect the PicKit3. Then go into MPLAB IPE and all should be well. Note that MPLAB IDE will have to re-load the device specific firmware to the PicKit3.

You can then de-install "PICkit 3 Programmer App and Scripting Tool v3.10" and just use the MBLabX IPE
Edited by matherp 2016-01-20

Chris Roper
Senior Member

Joined: 19/05/2015
Location: South Africa
Posts: 280

Posted: 03:37am 19 Jan 2016

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He ran in to the same issue I had 2 weeks in this thread: http://www.thebackshed.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=8202&PN=1&TPN=3

Chris Roper said ...When it started complaining about Voltage Levels on the PIC32 I assumed I had a fault with the Dev Board so spent a day faultfinding that, rather than jumping to the logical conclusion that it was, in fact, a misleading error from Microchip.

It had nothing to do with my hardware. Turns out it messed itself up when it reflashed itself from PIC24 to PIC32 modes (Why does it even have to do that?).
....
As it was a tricky one to find and Microchip offered no help on the forum search this is how I forced the PICKit 3 to reflash itself:

Load the PICKit 3 Programmer Standalone Tool (Not the MPLAB IPE tool) and goto tools, download operating system, then tools revert to MPLAB Mode.

It is as good as doing a factory reset.

http://caroper.blogspot.com/

disco4now

Guru

Joined: 18/12/2014
Location: Australia
Posts: 999

Posted: 11:20am 19 Jan 2016

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Hi,

What do you get with upgrade to MPLabX V3.1 from MPLabX V2.26

Regards
Gerry

Latest F4 Latest H7 FotS

Chris Roper
Senior Member

Joined: 19/05/2015
Location: South Africa
Posts: 280

Posted: 11:45am 19 Jan 2016

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matherp said You can then de-install "PICkit 3 Programmer App and Scripting Tool v3.10" and just use the MBLabX IPE

Just note that you don't have to uninstall the "PICkit 3 Programmer App and Scripting Tool v3.10" to use the MBLabX IPE, in fact I suggest that you don't.

With that tool you can use the PICKit3 as a 3 channel Logic Analyzer, a low power 2.5V to 5V variable Power Supply and a handy Logic IO simulator.

My PICKit 3 spends more time configured as a Logic Analyzer than it does as a programmer and has proved invaluable on several occasions finding timing issues in SPI/I2C or UART communications as well as debugging PWM output.

Just remember to switch it back to MPLAB mode when you need to use it as a programmer or just use PIC32Prog and treat it as a PICKit 2.

Cheers
Chris

http://caroper.blogspot.com/

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