MSP430FR2532 programming issue: Target Microcontroller is not responding - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: MrZeroo00
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: December 06, 2016, 10:06:49 pm
content: Hello,I am trying to establish communication with theMSP430FR2532on mytarget boardusing the Spy-Bi-Wire interface, the MSP-FET programmer and Elprotronic Lite application. When trying to "Verify Security Fuse" in Elpotronic software, I get an error that says that the: Target Microcontroller is not responding. The same error happens when trying to debug using CCS 6.2. I tried multiple voltages with the same result.Here's my schematic :I hand-soldered the components and tried multiple boards with the same result. The one show in the pictures below has only the minimal components soldered: the MCU, C6, C7, R6 and C8. Note that the capacitive pull-down C11 is not soldered.I checked the continuity from one end of the programmer's ribbon cable to the board connections and it looks fine. I also checked the voltage supplied.I'm kind of desperate here, I tried every lead I thought of. Thanks for your help !

author: TheDirty
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 07, 2016, 02:33:42 pm
content: I can't see anything wrong looking at the schematic (only the debug connector) and the wiring.I've never used a FET, only the spy-by-wire programmers like the eZ430 or launchpad. I did check the pinout and it looks okay. Also, I've never powered over the debug interface.Soldering on the lower part of that picture on the QFN looks a bit iffy, but I assume you looked over it. Also can't check the pin order on the 4 pin connector on the target, but I assume you put those the right way around.Have you done this successfully before, or is this your first time?

author: MrZeroo00
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: December 08, 2016, 11:05:14 pm
content: Thanks for your feedback TheDirty! The soldering on the bottom indeed looks iffy but is ok. It actually is my first time with the MSP430.I accidentally solved the issue by externally supplying the 3.3V to the board. It's now flashing perfectly and consistently.I'm kind of surprised the MSP-FET doesn't supply enough current.On another note, I had to buy the MSP-FET to flash this MSP430FR2532. The Launchpad doesn't program all MSP430 MCU which is kind of suprising considering the fact that the Spy-Bi-Wire protocol should be the same... There's a table in one of TI's docs explaining which tool flashes what MCU.Cheers.Badr

author: flochlandla
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: March 12, 2017, 11:11:54 am
content: Hi together!Nice to see that I am not the only one facing that problem.It seems to be a bug within the MSP430. I as well as some colleages at work struggle with that, too. Normally I use the IAR Workbench along with the MSP-430UIF debugger (the Elprotronic model is by some unknown reason extraordinary slow at stepwise debugging). When I finish working one day and want to go on on the day I have the same error.My workaround is as follows: Switch to the Elprotronic debugger, start the FET-Pro430 software. Then (important) unplug the MSP from external supply, plug in again and immediately execute a flash erase. Then the system works fine again.This week I will be at the "Embedded World" Exhibition in Nuremberg (Germany) and squeeze some information out of IAR and TI as well.

author: Fred27
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 12, 2017, 04:32:15 pm
content: The MSP-FET can definitely supply enough power if you connect it correctly. You can even set what voltage you want for VCC.

author: chicken
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 12, 2017, 06:26:36 pm
content: I also used the MSPFET without any issues. But you must make sure to use the correct VCC pin. Only one of the two is for powering your device. Selecting the right signals for TST/RST is also non-obvious.Even though I own an MSPFET, I usually resort to a MSP430F5529 launchpad as programmer. A lot fewer pins to get confused about.

author: flochlandla
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: March 18, 2017, 08:01:27 am
content: So here I am again: This week I've been at the "Embedded World 2017" Exhibition in Nuremberg (Germany) and visited TI, IAR, and Elprotronic.Feedback from IAR was 'we don't know' - honestly, we did only buy the IAR workbench because of support and because TI CCS was horribly slow a few years ago.Feedback from Elprotronic (directly talked to CEO Gregory Czajkowski): TI seems to have made many changes to their Debug-Interface and MSP-FPA.dll - several years ago it was a compact file, now it's almost 10 MB large. Mr. Czajkowski himself said it is quite possible that there are still bugs left. Notably, Elprotronic also modifies that DLL to fit their Debugger. He also verified that sometimes the only chance to get the system running again is to close IAR Workbench (in my case), unplug the debugger, power off the MCU and plug in and power on everything again - I can verify that for myself.TI provided some additional possibilities: First, a debugger seems to have problems with sync'ing to the MCU when the MCU is off, i.e. CPUOFF-flag is set. Currently my personal solution (together with re-powering the MCU as described above) is to provide a delay of e.g. a few 100ms after initializing the ports, i.e. the code fundamentally looks as follows// Disable Watchdog// Set Stack Pointer// Initialize Ports (Direction, hi/lo, etc.)// Delay for a few 100ms// etc.The delay itself is recommendable anyway to provide time for the system for a fully stabilized power supply.Another potential source of problems are EMI-interferences to the USB-interface, e.g. the inverters in modern lightning, ground loops from the power supply to the USB interface, etc. etc.So, have fun to check all that things