Yes, this happens to me too. It got particularly bad a year
or so ago and I purchased the 'new' firmware of the time,
that helped but it still isn't perfect. One day when I'm
bored I'll update the firmware again. I generally power down
the programmer between chips (while I see if my program fix
worked), but it ought not be necessary. And its a real pain
when you're racing to meet a deadline :)

Alex Barrett

----- Original Message -----
From: Andrew McDermott <fud@UDEL.EDU>
To: <PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU>
Sent: 15 February 2000 7:17 PM
Subject: PICStart Plus Problem (Power supply?)


> I am using a PICStart Plus with the original power supply
that came with
> the machine when I purchased it two years ago.  I have had
progressive
> difficulties with the programmer in the past two days.
The problems
> usually are characterized by a message from MPLAB
instructing me to
> check the power and serial connections and/or reset the
programmer.  The
> PICStart Plus is rated for a 9VDC input; also the output
rating of the
> power supply I am using.  I have measured  the power
supply output and
> found close to 12VDC even when plugged into the
programmer.  I say the
> problem was progressive because it was initially manifest
as the
> occasional inability of MPLAB to talk to the programmer.
This became
> more frequent and finally resulted in failure to program a
16C84  and
> then the complete inability to talk to the PICStart Plus
from MPLAB.
>
> I know it isn't unusual for a power supply to show a
voltage different
> from the nameplate rating, but 12VDC in lieu of 9VDC seems
excessive.
> Does anybody have any experience with how tolerant of
variations of
> input voltage the PICStart Plus programmer might be?
>
> Thank you for your consideration,
>
> Andrew McDermott
>