MSP430 USB-FET programming doesn't work

Hello All,

This is a topic I discussed with others on the Yahoo forum. Even after 
heeding their advice such as reloading IAR Kickstart and other things I 
still can't load any code. The debugger responds: "Failure to initialize 
device". That's it, no detailed info coming back. Tried it with several 
targets. With and without target power.

I still have to see what the FET probe is doing, going after it with 
scope and logic analyzer but I was wondering: Has anyone else had this 
problem? Maybe you have found what causes it?

Here is what I am using:

IAR Kickstart V3.21 (as downloaded from TI a few days ago)
FET430UIF  (The USB programming adapter from TI)
430F1232 header boards (Olimex)

Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com

Hallo Joerg,

I have the same HW+SW and everything works ok.
First when i tried to upload the olimex 1232 board, i got the same error.
I forgot to connect the usb programmer at the pc.

Ok, i think thats not your problem. Did you initialize the options dialog in
the IAR ?
In the "General options" box you have to choose "msp430F1232".
In the "Debugger box" you have to choose "FET Debugger".
In the "Fet Debugger" box you have to choose "TI USB FET".

Maybe the USB box is not installed correctly by the microschrott SW.

MIKE

Hello Mike,

>In the "General options" box you have to choose "msp430F1232".
>In the "Debugger box" you have to choose "FET Debugger".
>In the "Fet Debugger" box you have to choose "TI USB FET".
>  
>

All three are ok.

>Maybe the USB box is not installed correctly by the microschrott SW.
>  
>

Yes, that would something that could have gone wrong. Although the 
laptop did recognize it right away as the correct device the second I 
plugged it in. Two red flashes on red, then green, just as it has to be. 
Also, I'd assume the IAR software should issue a message if it can't see 
the USB box. But since it doesn't mention at all what is wrong except 
for the generic failure message, who knows.

Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com

Hallo Joerg,

Maybe something is broken during testing the download procedure with the
cable to the olimex board plugged the wrong direction.
The USB FET puts every unused pin of the 14pin connector to GND !!! (what a
bad idea !).
This could cause a damage on the FET as well as on the MSP because of
negative voltage on some pins.

I hope this hasn't happened to your HW, but it is possible, isn't it ?.

MIKE

Hello Mike,

>Maybe something is broken during testing the download procedure with the
>cable to the olimex board plugged the wrong direction.
>The USB FET puts every unused pin of the 14pin connector to GND !!! (what a
>bad idea !).
>This could cause a damage on the FET as well as on the MSP because of
>negative voltage on some pins.
>
>I hope this hasn't happened to your HW, but it is possible, isn't it ?.
>  
>

Oh boy, I hope not. If they stuck to the convention that pin 1 is where 
the arrow points down it should be rigged up correctly.

Tomorrow I'll chase it with the logic analyzer. Now we are barbequeing 
pork filets and sausages. In cold weather, gusting winds and driving 
rain. But with a glass of Merlot in hand that ain't so bad.

Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com

>
> Tomorrow I'll chase it with the logic analyzer. Now we are barbequeing
> pork filets and sausages. In cold weather, gusting winds and driving
> rain. But with a glass of Merlot in hand that ain't so bad.
>
> Regards, Joerg
>
> http://www.analogconsultants.com

That was the right idea to open my 2000 FETZER Cabernet Sauvignon from
California (www.fetzer.com). My mother took the bottle from US to Germany on
her last trip.
It's very tasty, and helps to solder lots of 0.5mm fine pitch corrections on
a TQ144 CPLD.

MIKE

Hello Mike,

>That was the right idea to open my 2000 FETZER Cabernet Sauvignon from
>California (www.fetzer.com). My mother took the bottle from US to Germany on
>her last trip.
>It's very tasty, and helps to solder lots of 0.5mm fine pitch corrections on
>a TQ144 CPLD.
>  
>

Fetzer is often at the higher end in terms of price, but it is certainly 
worth it. There are a lot of  local wineries just down the road from us 
where we stock up when our cellar runs low. Other good wines you 
sometimes find in Europe are the ones from the Barossa Valley in 
Australia. Really good stuff.

BTW, tonight we'll barbeque again. This time a nice big tri-tip steak, 
some onions and maybe potatoes. Sometimes we cook the whole meal in that 
trusty old Weber charcoal grill, including vegetables and gravy. This is 
why power outages leave us pretty much unfazed.

Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com

Hello All,

Well, now it worketh. A TI engineer asked me to re-install the same 
driver again. This was install number four. Lo and behold, that did it. 
Looks like the USB driver must be installed several times until it "sticks".

TI has a great customer service. When email debugging didn't work they 
called me the very same day.

Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com