Clone Pickit 3's As Good As The Genuine Microchip Versions, Can't Program :(

[cookiejunkie]

The Problem:
I'm new to programming any sort of hardware, I bought a pickit 3 off Ebay and am currently trying to program my first PIC24HJ128GP506A-TQFP chip but I keep getting the error:
"Target Device ID (0Xffff0000)does not match expected ID (0x610000), Would you like to continue ?". Am I doing something wrong or is it because I need to pay for the microchip 'proper' PICKIT 3?

What have I done?

• Can't find any shorts
• Have also updated all relevant software on my pc to (MPLAB X IDE V 3.4 running on windows 10).[Currently Im downloading MPLAB onto a windows 7 pc to see if that will work ]
• Checked the pic orientation on my PCB
• Made sure that the connection from my pickit to the ISCP headers were good.
• Oh and I'm providing power from the board not the pickit 3.
• Researched online and found that people got "Target Device ID (0X0)" and not what I get :"Target Device ID (0Xffff0000)"  .
• MCLR Resistor is 10K .

,
Link to photos of my PCB's on Onedrive :https://1drv.ms/f/s!AnIFZHzLZp6phGBGmgvpuW3hhytn   (note that some components have been purposefully missed off as I didn't want them and didn't design this board)

Original Project: http://www.instructables.com/id/Interactive-LED-Beer-Pong-Table/step15/Construction-Connecting-the-LED-Grid-to-the-Master/

If anyone can help I would really appreciate it

[StillTrying]

Googling suggests the pull-up resistance of MCLR might be too low, 10K to 100K is recommended.

[cookiejunkie]

Thanks, I thought that too but I have a 10K resistor as shown in my wiring schematic(top right of the schematic) ,I've just tested it with a meter too

[JPortici]

10k is fine, don't really like that diode from VCC to mclr though.

can you program other pics?
where exactly are you having this problem?

is the power supply ok? is the firmware in the pickit correct? (you may want to force an update)

i recommend trying on windows 7, drivers can get picky with clones but they will ALWAYS work on XP/7

[KL27x]

My Sure Electronics clone went into the trash. All the others are fine.

Try doing manual firmware update? For certain software versions, this may be necessary. Even though all my PK3's, genuine and clone, autoupdated firmware for the device family, the "firmware suite" would not update unless I did it manually. And they would not work until I did this.

The diode is fine. But any capacitance (like even a signal FET gate) on MCLR or PGC will cause failure to flash. (That's not the error u are getting though). Keep the ICSP cable short as possible. PK3 is not very forgiving.

[NivagSwerdna]

Put a C between VCAP and GND

[step_s]

Are you trying to program it without anything connected, or is it in some kind of setup?

[Wilksey]

It looks like there is a C between VCAP and GND.
10K will be fine, looks like the programmer has detected VDD, so the PSU should be working.

You don't really need that diode.

I notice you are on PGC1 and PGD1, does this chip (forgive me I haven't looked at the datasheet) have several PGXX pins to choose from? Check the fuse bits if so, also check that LVP isn't enabled in the configuration bits.

Assumed you have checked continuity between the pins and the PGC / PGD lines also?

These should be connected directly to the PIC, the connector doesn't have to be right next to the PIC, I have ICSP connectors in various positions on my boards and they all work fine.

Failing that, try and program another chip, perhaps buy a cheap board and try and program it.

Is this a PCB you have created or had made from existing Gerbers?

[Buriedcode]

Remove the diode on MCLR or just replace it with a low value resistor (the 10k is fine, but another 10k in series wont' make much of a difference).
Double check power to the board and all relevant pins.  This includes any noise on the power supply.
Reduce length of programming cable, or if there's space, plug the PICkit3 right on the board.

I had 'issues' programming PIC24's too, it seems the PICkit3 really is quite sensitive to programming line capacitance and resistance (possibly due to the speed) and can get arsey if you try to program without powering up the board first.  It *should* just say 'target device power not detected' but sometimes it just hangs and comes up with the error you're getting where the PGED line has a single transition that looks like FFF0000 or something.

I didn't want to join in the hate on the PICkit3 when it came out, but it really is a step back from the PICkit2.  At least its a fairly good debugger.

[Wilksey]

I use mine to program PIC32's, 24's, 18's and 16's and it's never had an issue, I recently programmed a 24FJ256GA406, I must have a one built on a Tuesday or something as it's never given me any gip!