Which programmer is compatible with PIC32MX250F128B for reliable programming?

Hi all
Ive recently needed to program a PIC32MX250F128B. Ive used a PICKIT3 , no luck, PICkit2, I was desperate, and Ive a TL866A programmer. Each cannot find the device either in auto or by selecting manually.In the  EPE edition, November 2016, there is a small project to build an Arduino Nano PIC32 programmer. Ive tried hours with trying to program, this device and still no luck. Thinking a bad chip, I got hold of a few new, and still the same. The chip has all its vcc and grounds, each vcc/gnd having 10nf caps, and its Vcap with a 10uf tantulum cap.
Can someone tell me what programmer I need in order to program this chip please.
Thanks
_Rich_

Microchip’s site lists several devices here.However the PICKIT3 is among them, so perhaps you have some other issue. Microchip support is pretty good.

Not had a lot to do with Microchip but unlocked a lot of bricked Atmel in my time.Looking on the web these two answers seem to offer some help link to the 2 answers about not programming the chip it appears that the comment about pin 20 is crucial to programming.Another link programming environment requirements suggests that "MPLAB 8.92 can only instruct XC32 compiler to set mprocessor variable to 32MX250F128B: .But if you decide to import your PIC32MX250F128B project into a newer MPLAB X environment, there is in fact not much to do to make the code compile and run on PIC32MX270F256B. If you use an old (USB) library stack, you just have to add PIC32MX270F256B microcontroller in header files as if there was another kind of PIC32MX250F128B. It works! And it is easy enough!"I do not know if this will help you.

Hi Rich,I haven't used the PIC32MX250F128B specifically, but might be able to help out. I've used the PICs a bit in the past.As long as you have all your VCC and VSS connected, you should be able to connect to it and program it.How is your MCLR connected? I've been caught out before by not setting up MCLR properly. If the capacitor on this is too large, the programmer won't be able to pull it low to program it.How is your PIC powered, is it from an external source or from the PICKIT itself? Have you enabled the PICKIT to power the PIC in MPLAB X?
Let me know how you get on,Regards,Mike O'Keeffe

Hi Rich-The native Pickit2 app doesn't seem to support the PIC32MX250F128B, but the Pickit software was recently enhanced by a group of users and is now available as Pickit PLUS, which supports additional devices (including yours) and has other added features.  Unfortunately, it's not free. Pickit PLUS supports both the Pickit 2 and 3.I very much prefer the old Pickit 2 programmer even though it supports fewer chips than the Pickit 3 just because it seems more robust.Also-  I agree with Mike's comments (above).  I've been tripped up by problems with the MCLR pin on more than one occasion. One last thing- try turning off low voltage programming.-Rick

Can you post the schematic of the programming section of your design? I have used a PICKit 3 on a PIC32MX340. The reset circuitry was pretty finicky so it may be something there. Also, don't forget the VCORE cap and bypass caps on all of the Vcc lines. Nothing will work without them.

I've
just thrown an MX250F on a breadboard to see how to get it working with a
PICKIT3.

Using a brand new out the box PICKIT3, the first thing was that
I ended up having to use MPLABX as it looked like the PICKIT3 needed new
firmware to support the MX250F.

Downloaded and installed MPLABX 5.20. Next connect the PIC to the PICKIT3 as follows:

PIC                                         PICKIT3

Pin 1                                      Pin
1 – MCLR

Pin 4                                      Pin
4 – PGED1

Pin 5                                      Pin
5 – PGEC1

Pin 8,19,27                          GND

Pin 13,28                              Pin
2  +V  (more on this in a second)

Pin 18    10uF Cap to
GND

Now it may be me, but I’m used to the PICKIT powering the PIC
device during programming, but for some reason this didn't seem to be the case and In the
end, I had to supply 3.3v to Pin 13,28 before I could get things to work. There may be a setting somewhere that I missed. With the PICKIT3 connected, and the 3.3v switched on,  I then ran the MPLAB IPE ( NOT THE IDE) This was actually a mistake but it worked out better in the
end as the IPE is a LOT simpler to use than the IDE IMHO.

Start the IPE, select the correct PIC device from the list, select the PICKIT3
programmer from the Tool dropdown and click Connect.

As soon as I did this, new firmware was downloaded the PICKIT3.

 

 

*****************************************************

 

Connecting to MPLAB PICkit 3...

 

Currently loaded firmware on PICkit 3

Firmware Suite Version.....01.56.00

Firmware type..............PIC32MX

Now Downloading new Firmware for target device:
PIC32MX250F128B

Downloading AP...

AP download complete

Programming download...

 

 

Currently loaded firmware on PICkit 3

Firmware Suite Version.....01.56.00

Firmware type..............PIC32MX

Target voltage detected

Target device PIC32MX250F128B found.

Device ID Revision = A1
This was a great start as it had obviously detected the PIC and managed to read it's device id correctly.   Once the firmware update was complete (and it took a minute or so, so be patient), I pressed the “Read” button and got this:

Reading...

 

The following memory area(s) will be read:

program memory: start address = 0x1d000000, end address =
0x1d01ffff

boot config memory

configuration memory

Read complete   For completeness, I removed the 10uF capacitor and tried again and it still worked perfectly. Regards,Joe 

Hi allSorry for late reply, been away and a tad busy.Refering my problem, its now all good.  i thought that i could not had two faulty devices, so i ordered a few more. And this worked good. Sods law i suppose with two bad chips.
Thank you for all the help guys , appreciated.
Rich