How many times flash PIC before verification errors?

[jfathman]

I am using CCSLoad and LOAD-n-GO to program a PIC18F67J60.

After reprogramming it less than a dozen times, I am getting verification errors.

In general, how many times should I expect to be able to reprogram this (or similar) PIC processor? Do these things only take programming a few times before wearing out, or is the one I have atypical?

Thanks.

Jim

[PCM programmer]

The PIC data sheet says:

[Ttelmah]

That really is terribly low. Perhaps 100* worse than just about any other PIC!...
It's worth also realising that you may create more cycles than you 'think', unless you are very careful in how things are set, and what you change. :(

However, that being said, a failure so soon, raises other things:
Most likely cause, wiring, smoothing, environment, etc.. The life can be made much worse, by things like excessive heat, poor smoothing during the write, electrical spikes - list is endless.
Also the actual electrical connections used by the programmer can have a major effect.
This thread might be interesting:
<http://www.microchip.com/forums/m342033.aspx>

What programmer are you using?.

There were bugs with this chip and several programmers on specific software versions.

There are several threads on the Microchip site about this.

[asmallri]

[jfathman]

Thanks, these are all very helpful replies. Great community.

To answer the questions, I am using CCSLoad with LOAD-n-GO, and the verification step fails with:

Verification Results
Program Memory
Address Actual Expected
00000800 30 72
00000801 21 EF
00000802 20 A1
00000803 30 F0
00000800 30 38
00000801 21 31
00000802 20 38
00000803 30 39

8 errors from 800 to 803

Error patterns indicate a failure to erase.

[jfathman]

This turns out to be pilot error on my part. I had changed the serial number length used by the CCSLoad utility, and that clobbered the very address 0800 that reported the verification failure. Dueling storage. Sorry for the fire drill, really appreciate the helpful suggestions.

So with the PIC flashing properly again, I am back to the original problem that had me fiddling with the serial number storage.

I have procedure documentation for what is probably an older version of CCSLoad that has serial number configuration fields including Address and Length(bytes), and a choice between Prgm ROM and Data EEPROM.

However, my contemporary version of CCSLoad v5.018 has instead Address, To, Length(bytes) and a choice between EEPROM, ROM 1/Inst, ROM 2/Inst, ROM 3/Inst, and ROM CONST.

(The odd thing is that the online help in the new v5.018 CCSLoad has screen shots of the older fields, not the new ones.)

If I was supposed to select Prgm ROM with the older CCSLoad, what is the equivalent choice among EEPROM, ROM 1/Inst, ROM 2/Inst, ROM 3/Inst, and ROM CONST?

Thanks very much.

Jim

[Ttelmah]

The options are for:

1) EEPROM - puts it in EEPROM - only for chips with EEPROM
2) ROM 1/Inst - puts one character per instruction. For PIC16
2) ROM 2/Inst - 2 per instruction PIC18
3) ROM 3/Inst - 3 per instruction PIC24 etc..
4) ROM Const - formats as for a Const.

#ROM for your chip stores as option 2.

[jfathman]

Thanks Ttelmah, most helpful. Makes perfect sense.

[ronaldoklais]

What is the minimum? To put a PIC into production we need to burn 100 times the same source?

[Ttelmah]

Read the data sheet....

Already been answered for this particular PIC (100 Minimum), however this is very exceptional. Most are more like 10000.

[ronaldoklais]

And a hardware to do this?

[jfathman]

Following up for future readers of this topic --

It turns that I was experiencing a problem with CCSLoad when programming the PIC18F67J60 using LOAD-n-GO.

I reverted from a recent CCSLoad version 5.018 to an earlier version 4.030, and the flash write errors no longer occur. I can reprogram the PIC at will.

Thanks again for all the quick assistance.

[Ttelmah]

[gaugeguy]

You can program the processor up to a minimum of 100 times before it may begin to fail.
You do not program the source code 100 times before releasing it.

[ELCouz]