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Discussion Groups | Rabbit-Semi | RCM4100 and programming failure
This is a group for folks designing and programming embedded systems using the Rabbit Semiconductor C-programmable microcontroller. Rabbit Semi is a spin-off from Z-World who makes a variety of embedded modules and tools. This group is not affiliated with either Rabbit or Z-World, but is a user forum for sharing ideas, asking questions, flaunting knowledge, and other typical user group stuff. The Rabbit is a powerful uC, supported by a full-featured C-compiler.
RCM4100 and programming failure - Marco Trapanese - May 31 13:51:08 2008
Hi,
I'm working on a project with an RCM4100. After a week of development
I get the infamous error message "No Rabbit Processor Detected". I use
Rabbit Core Modules since two years so I know what it means and I read
tons of threads here.
I have three RCM4100 on my desk: the first worked for a couple of days
then it couldn't be reprogrammer but it's still working (that is the
code previously downloaded runs fine removing the programming cable).
The same (strange) thing applies for the second and the third RCM I used.
I don't know what happens. If they still run it means there are no
hardware problems (i.e. they are alive, not dead).
On the other side I can't say how changing something in the code may
lead to a programming failure.
Please, could you help me to fix the problem?
Thanks a lot
Marco / iw2nzm
------------------------------------
(You need to be a member of rabbit-semi -- send a blank email to rabbit-semi-subscribe@yahoogroups.com )
I'm working on a project with an RCM4100. After a week of development
I get the infamous error message "No Rabbit Processor Detected". I use
Rabbit Core Modules since two years so I know what it means and I read
tons of threads here.
I have three RCM4100 on my desk: the first worked for a couple of days
then it couldn't be reprogrammer but it's still working (that is the
code previously downloaded runs fine removing the programming cable).
The same (strange) thing applies for the second and the third RCM I used.
I don't know what happens. If they still run it means there are no
hardware problems (i.e. they are alive, not dead).
On the other side I can't say how changing something in the code may
lead to a programming failure.
Please, could you help me to fix the problem?
Thanks a lot
Marco / iw2nzm
------------------------------------
(You need to be a member of rabbit-semi -- send a blank email to rabbit-semi-subscribe@yahoogroups.com )
RE: RCM4100 and programming failure - Adnan Mohammad-Ali - Jun 1 19:21:21 2008
Hello,
I actually had a similar problem. Using the RCM37 it was
working for a while and then "stopped" working.
The Red PCB is lead free and the lead free solder is finiky about heat
during reflow. There is no real proof that this is true until someone
really pulls a soldering iron out and tries it out. The problem is that
when RESET is toggled the PC gets no response. So which is it the Reset
signal or the serial signal, the ground, the connector.
Anyway I went to rabbit
And this was the reply I had from them
""If the customer is using a USB to serial converter, is (s)he sure that
the right com port has been selected? One way to verify this is to open
Hyperterminal and select a com port, any baud, but no flow control.
Then on the DB9 of the USB to serial cable, connect pins 2 to 3. Then,
in Hyperterminal's window, type something. This is a loopback test.
What was typed should be seen. If so, then disconnect pins 2 and 3.
Then type again. There should be no characters seen. If characters are
seen, then local echo is on and the test is invalid. If not, then the
com port is a valid one. If (s)he is using that com port, and the same
problems occur, then board needs to come in for repair."
"
I sent it back and I had it repaired and now works fine.
In your situation however, it is strange all three are not working.
Perhaps check your serial port or USB port that it is still functional
(with hyperterminal). Or you may be very unlucky and have 3 faulty
products.
Good lucky
Rony
From: r...@yahoogroups.com [mailto:r...@yahoogroups.com]
On Behalf Of Marco Trapanese
Sent: Sunday, 1 June 2008 3:51 AM
To: r...@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [!! SPAM] [rabbit-semi] RCM4100 and programming failure
Hi,
I'm working on a project with an RCM4100. After a week of development
I get the infamous error message "No Rabbit Processor Detected". I use
Rabbit Core Modules since two years so I know what it means and I read
tons of threads here.
I have three RCM4100 on my desk: the first worked for a couple of days
then it couldn't be reprogrammer but it's still working (that is the
code previously downloaded runs fine removing the programming cable).
The same (strange) thing applies for the second and the third RCM I
used.
I don't know what happens. If they still run it means there are no
hardware problems (i.e. they are alive, not dead).
On the other side I can't say how changing something in the code may
lead to a programming failure.
Please, could you help me to fix the problem?
Thanks a lot
Marco / iw2nzm
(You need to be a member of rabbit-semi -- send a blank email to rabbit-semi-subscribe@yahoogroups.com )
I actually had a similar problem. Using the RCM37 it was
working for a while and then "stopped" working.
The Red PCB is lead free and the lead free solder is finiky about heat
during reflow. There is no real proof that this is true until someone
really pulls a soldering iron out and tries it out. The problem is that
when RESET is toggled the PC gets no response. So which is it the Reset
signal or the serial signal, the ground, the connector.
Anyway I went to rabbit
And this was the reply I had from them
""If the customer is using a USB to serial converter, is (s)he sure that
the right com port has been selected? One way to verify this is to open
Hyperterminal and select a com port, any baud, but no flow control.
Then on the DB9 of the USB to serial cable, connect pins 2 to 3. Then,
in Hyperterminal's window, type something. This is a loopback test.
What was typed should be seen. If so, then disconnect pins 2 and 3.
Then type again. There should be no characters seen. If characters are
seen, then local echo is on and the test is invalid. If not, then the
com port is a valid one. If (s)he is using that com port, and the same
problems occur, then board needs to come in for repair."
"
I sent it back and I had it repaired and now works fine.
In your situation however, it is strange all three are not working.
Perhaps check your serial port or USB port that it is still functional
(with hyperterminal). Or you may be very unlucky and have 3 faulty
products.
Good lucky
Rony
From: r...@yahoogroups.com [mailto:r...@yahoogroups.com]
On Behalf Of Marco Trapanese
Sent: Sunday, 1 June 2008 3:51 AM
To: r...@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [!! SPAM] [rabbit-semi] RCM4100 and programming failure
Hi,
I'm working on a project with an RCM4100. After a week of development
I get the infamous error message "No Rabbit Processor Detected". I use
Rabbit Core Modules since two years so I know what it means and I read
tons of threads here.
I have three RCM4100 on my desk: the first worked for a couple of days
then it couldn't be reprogrammer but it's still working (that is the
code previously downloaded runs fine removing the programming cable).
The same (strange) thing applies for the second and the third RCM I
used.
I don't know what happens. If they still run it means there are no
hardware problems (i.e. they are alive, not dead).
On the other side I can't say how changing something in the code may
lead to a programming failure.
Please, could you help me to fix the problem?
Thanks a lot
Marco / iw2nzm
(You need to be a member of rabbit-semi -- send a blank email to rabbit-semi-subscribe@yahoogroups.com )
Re: RCM4100 and programming failure - Marco Trapanese - Jun 2 5:50:31 2008
--- In r...@yahoogroups.com, "Adnan Mohammad-Ali" wrote:
> So which is it the Reset
> signal or the serial signal, the ground, the connector.
I guess reset and ground are ok, otherwise the RCM can't run.
How to check the connector of the programming cable?
[cut]
> This is a loopback test.
> What was typed should be seen. If so, then disconnect pins 2 and 3.
> Then type again. There should be no characters seen. If characters are
> seen, then local echo is on and the test is invalid. If not, then the
> com port is a valid one. If (s)he is using that com port, and the same
> problems occur, then board needs to come in for repair."
>
> I sent it back and I had it repaired and now works fine.
I'm not sure I correctly understand: do you mean you sent back the RCM
and they returned it repaired? In other words did Rabbit admit it was
an hardware failure?
> In your situation however, it is strange all three are not working.
> Perhaps check your serial port or USB port that it is still functional
> (with hyperterminal). Or you may be very unlucky and have 3 faulty
> products.
I'm completely sure my two serials are working. The first is a true
RS232 and the second is the USB converter suggested by Rabbit (which
has two leds to show rx/tx activities). I have on my desk several
circuits with serial connections and I have no problem to communicate
with them.
I should be very unlucky if my all three RCM breaks after some time. I
think there are a cause in my hardware/firmware but I can't guess which.
Marco / iw2nzm
------------------------------------
(You need to be a member of rabbit-semi -- send a blank email to rabbit-semi-subscribe@yahoogroups.com )
> So which is it the Reset
> signal or the serial signal, the ground, the connector.
I guess reset and ground are ok, otherwise the RCM can't run.
How to check the connector of the programming cable?
[cut]
> This is a loopback test.
> What was typed should be seen. If so, then disconnect pins 2 and 3.
> Then type again. There should be no characters seen. If characters are
> seen, then local echo is on and the test is invalid. If not, then the
> com port is a valid one. If (s)he is using that com port, and the same
> problems occur, then board needs to come in for repair."
>
> I sent it back and I had it repaired and now works fine.
I'm not sure I correctly understand: do you mean you sent back the RCM
and they returned it repaired? In other words did Rabbit admit it was
an hardware failure?
> In your situation however, it is strange all three are not working.
> Perhaps check your serial port or USB port that it is still functional
> (with hyperterminal). Or you may be very unlucky and have 3 faulty
> products.
I'm completely sure my two serials are working. The first is a true
RS232 and the second is the USB converter suggested by Rabbit (which
has two leds to show rx/tx activities). I have on my desk several
circuits with serial connections and I have no problem to communicate
with them.
I should be very unlucky if my all three RCM breaks after some time. I
think there are a cause in my hardware/firmware but I can't guess which.
Marco / iw2nzm
------------------------------------
(You need to be a member of rabbit-semi -- send a blank email to rabbit-semi-subscribe@yahoogroups.com )
Re: RCM4100 and programming failure - Marco Trapanese - Jun 2 7:15:06 2008
Update:
I checked the signals on the programming header on RCM4100 during
programming.
I can see some activity on the RXA and reset pins (1 and 5). But no
changes happen on CLKA and TXA.
Does this may help in any way?
Marco / iw2nzm
------------------------------------
(You need to be a member of rabbit-semi -- send a blank email to rabbit-semi-subscribe@yahoogroups.com )
I checked the signals on the programming header on RCM4100 during
programming.
I can see some activity on the RXA and reset pins (1 and 5). But no
changes happen on CLKA and TXA.
Does this may help in any way?
Marco / iw2nzm
------------------------------------
(You need to be a member of rabbit-semi -- send a blank email to rabbit-semi-subscribe@yahoogroups.com )
RE: Re: RCM4100 and programming failure - Adnan Mohammad-Ali - Jun 2 21:18:35 2008
That is expected,
You won't be able to measure the signal on CLKA because the frequency of
the signal will be high.
Something is going wrong from my understanding because you need a TXA
signal to notify dynamic C that your connected.
My suggestion is to talk to rabbit or your supplier about a replacement
From: r...@yahoogroups.com [mailto:r...@yahoogroups.com]
On Behalf Of Marco Trapanese
Sent: Monday, 2 June 2008 9:15 PM
To: r...@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [!! SPAM] [rabbit-semi] Re: RCM4100 and programming failure
Update:
I checked the signals on the programming header on RCM4100 during
programming.
I can see some activity on the RXA and reset pins (1 and 5). But no
changes happen on CLKA and TXA.
Does this may help in any way?
Marco / iw2nzm
(You need to be a member of rabbit-semi -- send a blank email to rabbit-semi-subscribe@yahoogroups.com )
You won't be able to measure the signal on CLKA because the frequency of
the signal will be high.
Something is going wrong from my understanding because you need a TXA
signal to notify dynamic C that your connected.
My suggestion is to talk to rabbit or your supplier about a replacement
From: r...@yahoogroups.com [mailto:r...@yahoogroups.com]
On Behalf Of Marco Trapanese
Sent: Monday, 2 June 2008 9:15 PM
To: r...@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [!! SPAM] [rabbit-semi] Re: RCM4100 and programming failure
Update:
I checked the signals on the programming header on RCM4100 during
programming.
I can see some activity on the RXA and reset pins (1 and 5). But no
changes happen on CLKA and TXA.
Does this may help in any way?
Marco / iw2nzm
(You need to be a member of rabbit-semi -- send a blank email to rabbit-semi-subscribe@yahoogroups.com )
Re: Re: RCM4100 and programming failure - Scott Henion - Jun 2 21:27:31 2008
Adnan Mohammad-Ali wrote:
>
> That is expected,
>
>
>
> You won’t be able to measure the signal on CLKA because the frequency
> of the signal will be high.
>
CLKA is not used, it should stay tri-state.
> Something is going wrong from my understanding because you need a TXA
> signal to notify dynamic C that your connected.
>
Yes, but that does nothing until after downloading the pilot bios. Hard
to see it on a scope as it is a very short ack after the long download.
--
------------------------------------------
| Scott G. Henion| s...@shdesigns.org |
| Consultant | Stone Mountain, GA |
| SHDesigns http://www.shdesigns.org |
------------------------------------------
Rabbit libs: http://www.shdesigns.org/rabbit/
today's fortune
Lazlo's Chinese Relativity Axiom:
No matter how great your triumphs or how tragic your defeats --
approximately one billion Chinese couldn't care less.
(You need to be a member of rabbit-semi -- send a blank email to rabbit-semi-subscribe@yahoogroups.com )
>
> That is expected,
>
>
>
> You won’t be able to measure the signal on CLKA because the frequency
> of the signal will be high.
>
CLKA is not used, it should stay tri-state.
> Something is going wrong from my understanding because you need a TXA
> signal to notify dynamic C that your connected.
>
Yes, but that does nothing until after downloading the pilot bios. Hard
to see it on a scope as it is a very short ack after the long download.
--
------------------------------------------
| Scott G. Henion| s...@shdesigns.org |
| Consultant | Stone Mountain, GA |
| SHDesigns http://www.shdesigns.org |
------------------------------------------
Rabbit libs: http://www.shdesigns.org/rabbit/
today's fortune
Lazlo's Chinese Relativity Axiom:
No matter how great your triumphs or how tragic your defeats --
approximately one billion Chinese couldn't care less.
(You need to be a member of rabbit-semi -- send a blank email to rabbit-semi-subscribe@yahoogroups.com )
Re: RCM4100 and programming failure - Marco Trapanese - Jun 3 1:51:30 2008
I talked with Rabbit support and they discouraged me from using PC6:7
as general purpose I/O pins. In my opinion this is not related with my
problem (otherwise those pins should be neither configurable nor
available on the connector).
Perhaps I found my mistake. PC6 (TXA) is connected to a photo-coupler
but it should sink about 20 mA due to a wrong resistor. Hence, I may
have damaged that pin and therefore the download/debug connection.
I've just replaced the resistor with the correct one. Today I'll try
with a fresh RCM4100. I hope I'm right.
Marco / iw2nzm
------------------------------------
(You need to be a member of rabbit-semi -- send a blank email to rabbit-semi-subscribe@yahoogroups.com )
as general purpose I/O pins. In my opinion this is not related with my
problem (otherwise those pins should be neither configurable nor
available on the connector).
Perhaps I found my mistake. PC6 (TXA) is connected to a photo-coupler
but it should sink about 20 mA due to a wrong resistor. Hence, I may
have damaged that pin and therefore the download/debug connection.
I've just replaced the resistor with the correct one. Today I'll try
with a fresh RCM4100. I hope I'm right.
Marco / iw2nzm
------------------------------------
(You need to be a member of rabbit-semi -- send a blank email to rabbit-semi-subscribe@yahoogroups.com )
Re: Re: RCM4100 and programming failure - Scott Henion - Jun 3 2:17:46 2008
Marco Trapanese wrote:
> I talked with Rabbit support and they discouraged me from using PC6:7
> as general purpose I/O pins. In my opinion this is not related with my
> problem (otherwise those pins should be neither configurable nor
> available on the connector).
>
> Perhaps I found my mistake. PC6 (TXA) is connected to a photo-coupler
> but it should sink about 20 mA due to a wrong resistor. Hence, I may
> have damaged that pin and therefore the download/debug connection.
>
> I've just replaced the resistor with the correct one. Today I'll try
> with a fresh RCM4100. I hope I'm right.
>
PC6:7 are used by the serial cable for the debugger. You can use TXA/RXA
while not using the debugger if the device has a relatively high impedance.
The programming cable drives RXA through a 330-ohm resistor. Again any
logic on the board must not use this pin with any impedance less than
about 3.3k.
Also, be sure your code also does not try to use these pins when running
under the debugger.
--
------------------------------------------
| Scott G. Henion| s...@shdesigns.org |
| Consultant | Stone Mountain, GA |
| SHDesigns http://www.shdesigns.org |
------------------------------------------
Rabbit libs: http://www.shdesigns.org/rabbit/
today's fortune
If you are over 80 years old and accompanied by your parents, we will
cash your check.
------------------------------------
(You need to be a member of rabbit-semi -- send a blank email to rabbit-semi-subscribe@yahoogroups.com )
> I talked with Rabbit support and they discouraged me from using PC6:7
> as general purpose I/O pins. In my opinion this is not related with my
> problem (otherwise those pins should be neither configurable nor
> available on the connector).
>
> Perhaps I found my mistake. PC6 (TXA) is connected to a photo-coupler
> but it should sink about 20 mA due to a wrong resistor. Hence, I may
> have damaged that pin and therefore the download/debug connection.
>
> I've just replaced the resistor with the correct one. Today I'll try
> with a fresh RCM4100. I hope I'm right.
>
PC6:7 are used by the serial cable for the debugger. You can use TXA/RXA
while not using the debugger if the device has a relatively high impedance.
The programming cable drives RXA through a 330-ohm resistor. Again any
logic on the board must not use this pin with any impedance less than
about 3.3k.
Also, be sure your code also does not try to use these pins when running
under the debugger.
--
------------------------------------------
| Scott G. Henion| s...@shdesigns.org |
| Consultant | Stone Mountain, GA |
| SHDesigns http://www.shdesigns.org |
------------------------------------------
Rabbit libs: http://www.shdesigns.org/rabbit/
today's fortune
If you are over 80 years old and accompanied by your parents, we will
cash your check.
------------------------------------
(You need to be a member of rabbit-semi -- send a blank email to rabbit-semi-subscribe@yahoogroups.com )
Re: RCM4100 and programming failure - Marco Trapanese - Jun 3 7:24:26 2008
--- In r...@yahoogroups.com, Scott Henion wrote:
> Also, be sure your code also does not try to use these pins when
running
> under the debugger.
You said "when running the debugger": do you mean when the debugger is
enabled under Project Options?
So if I don't enable that option (as well as the RST28 instructions) I
can use PC6:7 in my circuit, don't I?
Thanks again
Marco / iw2nzm
------------------------------------
(You need to be a member of rabbit-semi -- send a blank email to rabbit-semi-subscribe@yahoogroups.com )
> Also, be sure your code also does not try to use these pins when
running
> under the debugger.
You said "when running the debugger": do you mean when the debugger is
enabled under Project Options?
So if I don't enable that option (as well as the RST28 instructions) I
can use PC6:7 in my circuit, don't I?
Thanks again
Marco / iw2nzm
------------------------------------
(You need to be a member of rabbit-semi -- send a blank email to rabbit-semi-subscribe@yahoogroups.com )