(forgot the [PIC] label in the subject line of the first post -- sorry)

Beginner here -- please be gentle   :-) 

I have been having some trouble with inconsistent programming results.  
I get many error messages from the programming software, mostly things 
like "Could not verify at 0007h (or other)".  Another message I get 
(when loading the hex file) is "The file does not contain a device ID 
value".

Background:
After spending the last two months reading the posts on this list and 
perusing whatever info I can find on the net, I decided to try Nigel's 
tutorials at http://winpicprog.co.uk/pic_tutorial.htm
With these tutorials in mind, I purchased an Olimex PG4D 
programmer/development board from Sparkfun.com because it was 
inexpensive and came with a 16F628A PIC installed.  The two birds with 
one stone theory.  I am using IC-Prog 1.05D for programming software and 
MPLAB 7.21 to convert the assembly source files to hex files for IC-Prog 
(I am beginning to wonder if this is a correct procedure).  I initially 
tried using the 16F628A supplied with the programmer with the 16F628 
based tutorials, figuring it would be easy enough to adapt the config 
word and inc files.  Although I had a few glitches at first, I was able 
to program a few of the files in Nigel's first tutorial.  Sometimes I 
needed a few tries to get some of them programmed correctly.  I ordered 
three 16F628 PICs to see if the non-A version would help me with my 
programming inconsistencies, but of course that has nothing to do with 
it.  I get the same results whether programming in circuit or swapping 
the chip into the programmer socket.  What bothers me is that some of 
the files I had been able to program earlier I can no longer get to work.

Can someone please tell me if I am using the correct procedure, 
software, etc.?  Should I invest in a better (or easier to use) 
programmer?  I'm guessing that my next programmer (if and when) should 
be compatible with MPLAB to simplify things.  I'm lost here.  I can't 
get into studying program writing until I know I can actually program 
the chip consistently.

Any and all help will be deeply appreciated.

Nels

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