Have I bricked my shiny BPv3?

Topic: Have I bricked my shiny BPv3? (Read 2747 times) previous topic - next topic

Have I bricked my shiny BPv3?

January 09, 2010, 03:26:38 pm

I received my BPv3 a few weeks ago, flashed the Firmware 3.1 onto it, no problem so far. But yesterday I tried to flash the v3.5 Firmware, which looks fine at first (linux- Python script) but no conection possible. After flashing it again (with the -v verification) I saw it was no good. I also tried the Windows tool. The bootloader starts fine, the device is recognized, everything seems ok, only the Flash doesn't seem to change at all. due to successful erase all above 0x16D0 is cleared. What can I do. I don't have a PIC programmer (althoug I do own the AVR Dragon and some ftdis). What could be the next step, is it likely that the PIC is really dead?

Re: Have I bricked my shine BPv3?

Reply #1 – January 09, 2010, 03:30:43 pm

Hi wiebel,

Please use the windows programmer to read out the PIC (up arrow icon) and post the progmem.txt file dump here. Maybe there's something we can do. If you can still connect with the programmer we'll probably be able to get it going again.

Re: Have I bricked my shine BPv3?

Reply #2 – January 09, 2010, 04:45:40 pm

Hi ian,
that's some quick response.

Here you are, I assume the Bootloader itself is between 0x800 and 0x16CF. And the rest is gone. State after erase and writing attempt of the v3.5 Firmware @9600. The PIC24F detectet a PIC24FJ64GA002 @ FWv1.2

Re: Have I bricked my shine BPv3?

Reply #3 – January 09, 2010, 05:20:02 pm

I think maybe it's a configuration bits issue. You could try unchecking the 'protect config bits on erase', erase the chip, and program it again. Be careful though, if you lose power or don't complete the update between erasing the chip and programming it again, the config bits will be blank and the bootloader won't start any more. It might be best to try from a fully-charged, plugged-in laptop just in case.

Re: Have I bricked my shine BPv3?

Reply #4 – January 09, 2010, 05:25:53 pm

Already tried.

Re: Have I bricked my shine BPv3?

Reply #5 – January 09, 2010, 06:06:54 pm

I think we can bring it back from the dead as long as the bootloader is still working.

Are you able to flash at 115200? That won't fix anything but it will be much faster.

Do you press the green play button after flashing? Do you unplug and plug in the USB cable to reset the Bus Pirate?

What terminal are you using? Can you try Tera Term with this configuration file, it's helped some others before:
http://whereisian.com/forum/index.php?t ... 59#msg1459

Re: Have I bricked my shiny BPv3?

Reply #6 – January 09, 2010, 08:13:46 pm

Flashing with the windows tool is only possible up to 19200 (I also tried 1200) I did press the button I reseted the BP mutiple times. Right now it always goes to the bootloader (even with PGD tied to GND). I used screen and minicom in linux not yet in Windows.

Re: Have I bricked my shiny BPv3?

Reply #7 – January 09, 2010, 10:23:30 pm

i assume once you have finished with the bootloader you ar4e moving the jumper to put the BP back to app mode not bootloader mode?

Re: Have I bricked my shiny BPv3?

Reply #8 – January 10, 2010, 09:29:46 am

Thanks for the extra info. It looks like you've covered everything.

I did a diff on your progmem.txt and one from my Bus Pirate. I noticed that you have no config words programmed.

Here's my last line:
0157F0 FF FF FF 00 FF FF FF 00 DF F9 00 00 7F 3F 00 00

Here's yours:
0157F0 FF FF FF 00 FF FF FF 00 FF FF FF 00 FF FF FF 00

Did you do this dump immediately after an erase with 'preserve config bits' unchecked? If you really don't have any configuration bits, that is probably the source of the problem. Most likely the flash is write protected. It needs to have the config words (bootloader) reprogrammed with a PIC programmer.

The really strange thing is that the bootloader shouldn't work at all if the config bits are blank.

My next step would be to reprogram the bootloader. Is there anyway you can borrow or access a PIC programmer to reflash the bootloader? I'd do it for you, but if the PIC is actually dead I don't have any chips to replace it with.