--- In , Dwayne Reid <dwayner@p...> wrote: > At 10:15 AM 6/14/2004, Jason Hsu wrote: > > >THE PROBLEM: > >When I click on the "Download PICSTART OS" command, NO MENU appears. > >I just see the progress bar, and then NOTHING else happens. Also, > >the "About" command under the Programmer menu is grayed out. I > >switched from MPLAB v6.40 to v6.50 and to v6.53, but the problem > >remains. My PICSTART Plus unit is the R21 version, so I shouldn't > >need a new chip. My computer uses the WIN98SE OS. > > First - have you contacted Microchip's tech support people? > > I'm starting to think you might have hardware issues. What machine are you > using? Did you select the right com port? Have you tried a different > machine? Tried a different serial cable? > > Do you know the com port you are using in fact works? I concur. A few more questions to add to the mix... Is this a laptop or a desktop system? Is it a serial port that is part of the machine or is it a usb serial port?

This is strictly a Tech Support issue and it is apparent nobody here has had your problem. Call Microchip or buy a different programmer. I assume the machine on which the software is running is connected to the Internet and not through a proxy server or firewall? 'Download' implies, to me at least, that the program is going outside to get something it needs. Have you reviewed the Help menu selections - sometimes they actually have useful information. Not often, but sometimes. --- In , Dwayne Reid <dwayner@p...> wrote: > At 10:15 AM 6/14/2004, Jason Hsu wrote: > > >THE PROBLEM: > >When I click on the "Download PICSTART OS" command, NO MENU appears. > >I just see the progress bar, and then NOTHING else happens. Also, > >the "About" command under the Programmer menu is grayed out. I > >switched from MPLAB v6.40 to v6.50 and to v6.53, but the problem > >remains. My PICSTART Plus unit is the R21 version, so I shouldn't > >need a new chip. My computer uses the WIN98SE OS. > > First - have you contacted Microchip's tech support people? > > I'm starting to think you might have hardware issues. What machine are you > using? Did you select the right com port? Have you tried a different > machine? Tried a different serial cable? > > Do you know the com port you are using in fact works? > > dwayne > > -- > Dwayne Reid <dwayner@p...> > Trinity Electronics Systems Ltd Edmonton, AB, CANADA > (780) 489-3199 voice (780) 487-6397 fax > > Celebrating 20 years of Engineering Innovation (1984 - 2004) > .-. .-. .-. .-. .-. .-. .-. .-. .-. .- > `-' `-' `-' `-' `-' `-' `-' `-' `-' > Do NOT send unsolicited commercial email to this email address. > This message neither grants consent to receive unsolicited > commercial email nor is intended to solicit commercial email.

At 10:15 AM 6/14/2004, Jason Hsu wrote: >THE PROBLEM: >When I click on the "Download PICSTART OS" command, NO MENU appears. >I just see the progress bar, and then NOTHING else happens. Also, >the "About" command under the Programmer menu is grayed out. I >switched from MPLAB v6.40 to v6.50 and to v6.53, but the problem >remains. My PICSTART Plus unit is the R21 version, so I shouldn't >need a new chip. My computer uses the WIN98SE OS. First - have you contacted Microchip's tech support people? I'm starting to think you might have hardware issues. What machine are you using? Did you select the right com port? Have you tried a different machine? Tried a different serial cable? Do you know the com port you are using in fact works? dwayne -- Dwayne Reid <> Trinity Electronics Systems Ltd Edmonton, AB, CANADA (780) 489-3199 voice (780) 487-6397 fax Celebrating 20 years of Engineering Innovation (1984 - 2004) .-. .-. .-. .-. .-. .-. .-. .-. .-. .- `-' `-' `-' `-' `-' `-' `-' `-' `-' Do NOT send unsolicited commercial email to this email address. This message neither grants consent to receive unsolicited commercial email nor is intended to solicit commercial email.

As I mentioned before, I keep on getting error messages demanding a firmware upgrade when I try to enable the programmer. I know now that I'm supposed to use the "Download PICSTART OS" command under the Programmer menu, which SHOULD open a menu showing various versions of firmware to download. THE PROBLEM: When I click on the "Download PICSTART OS" command, NO MENU appears. I just see the progress bar, and then NOTHING else happens. Also, the "About" command under the Programmer menu is grayed out. I switched from MPLAB v6.40 to v6.50 and to v6.53, but the problem remains. My PICSTART Plus unit is the R21 version, so I shouldn't need a new chip. My computer uses the WIN98SE OS. So why is the "About" command that tells me what firmware is in the PICSTART grayed out? The software must have some type of trigger that decides whether or not to make this "About" command available. And why won't the "download PICSTART OS" command work? According to the Help pages, "You must have installed the PICSTART Plus Processor Upgrade Kit (with PIC18F8720) and be using MPLAB IDE v6.40 and PICSTART Plus SW v3.40, FW (OS) v4.00 or greater for this method to work." I have MPLAB v6.53 and the R21 version of the PICSTART Plus, so I'm covered there. But what is PICSTART Plus SW v3.40? Where do I get it? And what do I do about the fact that I don't already have FW (OS) v4.00 or greater? If I already had this, I'd be proceeding with my projects and wouldn't have pester you or Technical Support about this issue. So what do I need to do now?