Tony,

I had a somewhat similar experience with writing to
the EEPROM on the PIC18F1320. (4 MHz).  All went well
when I was using the ICD2.

But when I programmed devices using other programmers,
the WARP13 and the Olimex PG2, my write verify routine
indicated between 5 and 1000 tries to write before it
was successful and for this product I resorted to
using the ICD2 as the programmer.  I suspect that
although I believe the config settings to be the same
on the ICD2, the WARP13 and the PG2, only the ICD2 is
writing them correctly.  It is disconcerting to find
that using one set of programmers, the write EEPROM
function doesn't work as anticipated (works
stubbornly) and yet when using another programmer, the
feature works.  BTW, everything else worked with all
programmers.

Another source of frustration.  I was using about 80
percent of the PIC18F1320.  If I added a few lines of
very simple code, the device would hang.  Of course,
this could be many things, but again, disconcerting
and I am inclined to steer clear of this device in the
future.

On the next design I used the PIC16F648A and it was a
real confidence lifter to have things work as
advertised (at so I think) and not be spending 80
percent of my time chasing what I think are device
problems.

Peter H Anderson, http://www.phanderson.com

--- Tony_K|bek <tony.kubek@FLINTAB.COM> wrote:
> Olin Lathrop wrote:
> <snip>
> > I can understand an occasional screwup getting
> shipped.  It's a little
> > harder to understand how something this blatantly
> busted ever made it out
> > the door.  What really pisses me off, however, is
> that they apparently
> > waited until they had fixed silicon in hand before
> admitting the problem.
> > That's inexcusable.
> <snip>
>
> Yes I agree, and it's not the first time, this
> started around the time for the new gen
> 18Fxx and above. I (well me and my company) was
> bitten by the crossing half program
> memory of the initial 18F452, we had to (to this
> date) replace about 100 units
> already in service, some of those costs around
> $3000-$4000 to 'fix' ( there is
> govermenmt
> regulations/re-calibration/re-verification
> involved). I even haven't got
> microchip (or atleast the local supplier) to get me
> new chips !
>
> Also the other week I think I stumbled onto a new
> bug in the 18F452 (date code: 031129G),
> it could still be my programmer(labtool48XP), but
> the evidence sofar points to an problem
> in the chip.
> These settings:
>
> ;Program Configuration Register 5H
>         ;a) data eeprom no code protect
>         ;b) bootblock code protect 0x00000 - 0x00200
>                 __CONFIG    _CONFIG5H, _CPB_ON_5H &
> _CPD_OFF_5H
>
> ;Program Configuration Register 6L
>         ;a) write protect 0x00000 - 0x07FFF
>                 __CONFIG    _CONFIG6L, _WRT0_ON_6L &
> _WRT1_ON_6L & _WRT2_ON_6L & _WRT3_ON_6L
>
> ;Program Configuration Register 6H
>         ;a) data eeprom not write protected, boot
> block 0x000-0x1FF, configregs write protected
>                 __CONFIG    _CONFIG6H, _WRTC_ON_6H &
> _WRTB_ON_6H & _WRTD_OFF_6H
> .
> .
>
> caused *any* ee write to fail (i.e. data not stored
> in eeram), bits and flags
> were set correctly and no error flags were set, tha
> data just wasn't there.
> (Trapped by an ee verify routine)
> Mind you these settings works flawlessly in the
> ICE2k the problem only arises
> onboard the real chip.
>
> Changing to these settings:
> .
> .
> ;Program Configuration Register 5H
>         ;a) data eeprom no code protect
>         ;b) bootblock no code protect 0x00000 -
> 0x00200
>                 __CONFIG    _CONFIG5H, _CPB_OFF_5H &
> _CPD_OFF_5H
>
> ;Program Configuration Register 6L
>         ;a) write protect 0x00000 - 0x07FFF
>                 __CONFIG    _CONFIG6L, _WRT0_ON_6L &
> _WRT1_ON_6L & _WRT2_ON_6L & _WRT3_ON_6L
>
> ;Program Configuration Register 6H
>         ;a) data eeprom, boot block 0x000-0x1FF,
> configregs not write protected
>                 __CONFIG    _CONFIG6H, _WRTC_OFF_6H
> & _WRTB_OFF_6H & _WRTD_OFF_6H
>
> Made the write to eeram work.
> Sofar I do not put blame on microchip as the
> programmer cannot be ruled out.
>
> Anyone else seen this ?
>
> /Tony
>
> --
> http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived
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> ways.  See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for
details.


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