DEBUGGER: 24EP256GP202 ICD-U80 "Not Ready" trying

allenhuffman · Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2019 7:30 am

We have a product based on PIC that we've been developing for several years. (I am currently looking at a system that has SEVEN of our custom boards, using at least two types of PICs, talking via I2C).

I have been working on a different PIC24 board and, other than occasional issues with the IDE losing it's mind, I'm generally able to debug just fine.

Recently, I started working on a different board based on 24EP256GP202. I am unable to get the debugger to run, and found out our lead engineer has also never been able to get it to debug.

I can attach to the other board, load a project, and debug just fine -- the ICD is connected and working.

When I connect to this other PIC and try the same, I see the status:

Ttelmah · Joined: 11 Mar 2010 Posts: 19496

What debugging tool?.
Matters...

A lot of the tools need up to date firmware for later PIC's. Some can't
support particular chips.

allenhuffman · Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2019 7:36 am

allenhuffman · Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2019 7:44 am

Absolutely baffling. After hearing that my team lead had never gotten this to work, and having zero success myself yesterday and this morning … I tried it again and suddenly it's working. It must know I posted here Smile

I changed nothing. I didn't even "wave the rubber chicken." If I can figure out what changed, I'll update this.

Off to see how much works...
_________________
Allen C. Huffman, Sub-Etha Software (est. 1990) http://www.subethasoftware.com
Embedded C, Arduino, MSP430, ESP8266/32, BASIC Stamp and PIC24 programmer.
http://www.whywouldyouwanttodothat.com ?

Ttelmah · Joined: 11 Mar 2010 Posts: 19496

The U80, is a little famous for being 'tempermental. You will find quite a few
posts here with people having problems with it...
It is particularly fussy about the length of the programming cable. I actually
had to make a super short one (only a couple of inches long) to get anything
approaching reliability. Also, what pull up resistor is on the MCLR?. It
has less drive capability than many of the older ICD units and doesn't
like resistors that used to work...

<https://www.ccsinfo.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=55767>
<http://www.ccsinfo.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=57410>
<http://www.ccsinfo.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=57679&highlight=icdu80>

are you powering the board with the debugger or with it's own supply?
If the former, it is very limited on what it can supply, and particularly
with the faster processors will have issues.

newguy · Joined: 24 Jun 2004 Posts: 1907

In my experience, the U80, to quote a family member, "isn't worth the powder it would take to blow it up".

Get an ICD-U64. Get several. You won't regret it - they're a nearly indestructible workhorse.

Ttelmah · Joined: 11 Mar 2010 Posts: 19496

There was I trying to be nice... Smile

I must admit I have five ICD debuggers, and the one that I use the least is the
U80. On a reliability scale from 0 to 10, it gives a very low result...
This changes with software releases. I've had particular firmware versions
that seem to work fine with some chips. Then want to use a different chip
update the firmware to support this, and the original stops working. Aaargh!...

drolleman · Joined: 03 Feb 2011 Posts: 116

Check the ground from the u80 to the chip. You may need several people to do this as it may have a current loop problem. I have used this chip and it debugs fine.

allenhuffman · Posted: Tue Aug 17, 2021 4:10 pm

newguy · Joined: 24 Jun 2004 Posts: 1907

Never used a Load-n-Go in a debugging role, but I have used it both standalone and directly connected to a PC to simply program targets. I highly recommend it.