User manual

Troubleshooting

5. Make sure that a COM port is properly set up exclusively for use by MPLAB PM3.

Check the resources to ensure they are operating properly and that there are no

conflicts with other devices. This commonly happens when you have a modem

or other serial device that is improperly configured. Consult your Windows man-

ual or other reference literature. You can try removing, reconfiguring or disabling

the conflicting device, but do so only if you are familiar with those procedures.

6. Some system errors are caused by driver and hardware incompatibility.

7. You must use the Microsoft Windows communications driver that is native to the

version of Windows that you use.

8. Make sure you are not using a third party communications driver. Open your

SYSTEM.INI file and look for the line in the [OPTIONS] section that reads

COMM.DRV=COMM.DRV

If this line reads differently, you are using a different communications driver.

B.4.2 No MPLAB PM3 Menu Visible

If you have been using another programmer (e.g., PICSTART Plus), the MPLAB PM3

menu might not be available. Select Programmer>Select Programmer

to open the

Select Programmer dialog and choose MPLAB PM3 from the list. After you select the

programmer, MPLAB IDE will issue you a warning prompt and shut itself down.

MPLAB IDE must be restarted before the programmer options are available. The

MPLAB PM3 menu will appear on the menu bar when MPLAB IDE is restarted.

B.4.3 Default Serial Port

MPLAB PM3 uses COM1 as the default serial port the first time you run MPLAB PM3.

If you change your serial port selection with the Programmer>Communications Port

Setup command, then the next time you run MPLAB PM3, the host software will use

the same serial port used in the previous session.

B.4.4 Operating System Update Needed

If the device you selected when setting up the development mode in MPLAB IDE is not

supported by the MPLAB PM3 Operating System, a message box will appear when you

try to enable the programmer.

Make sure you allow MPLAB PM3 to upgrade to get the latest versions for MPLAB IDE

software and MPLAB PM3 operating system (Section 7.8 “Upgrading the MPLAB

PM3 Operating System”).