Are you sure it was the original hex file ? The C54 reads scrambled data
for verification purposes when protected, as opposed to higher PICs which
read zeros when protected. This is covered in the data sheets. Also some
high end programmers have buffers where you store one or more images.
Maybe you read back the image instead of the chip ?

I have not yet seen a protected PIC that was in fact 'not protected'.

Peter

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