"Error initializing emulator" when using CCS v5

Hi Helge,

does it ask more than two times?  I have experienced where CCS asks twice but it should not ask more than that.  DId you select yes the second time also (please do).

Also pelase see this wiki topic

http://processors.wiki.ti.com/index.php/MSP_Debug_Stack

Please keep me informed whether this gets you past the issue.

Best Regards,
LIsa

Hi Lisa,

it ask several times. I think I gave up after ten times clicking on Update again and again.

Best Regards,
Helge

HI Helge,

ok, that should not be happening.

Have you tried the more manual update method from the wiki I sent?  Please note the information on FET version as well regarding the update.

Please try that and keep us posted.

Best Regards,
Lisa

Hi Lisa,

I have one MSP-FET430UIF. The version is 1.4a.
When connecting it to the USB adapter, it just turns on the green light. So there is the older firmware on it.
The Device Manager has an entry "MSP-FET430UIF - CDC (COM3)".

The wiki you mentioned describes tha the CCS v5.1 already includes the MSP430.DLLv3. So the behaviour of the CCS software is as described these exceptions:

• The screenshot in the wiki has some additional lines, "Caution: This update includes significant changes. Older versions of Code Composer Studio or other IDEs may not work with this udpate. A downgrade will have to be performed manually. See www.ti.com/mspds for details."
• The update never succeeds

But the wiki http://processors.wiki.ti.com/index.php/MSP_Debug_Stack does not describe any manual upgrade.Do you have any instructions for manual upgrade or trouble shooting?

Regards,
Helge

Hi Helge,

ok, first of all the CDC regcognition in the device manager means v3 dll at that time.  Ie should be good for use with CCSv5, but not v4 (which requires the older v2 dll)

Yes a CCSv5 installation does come with the v3 dll and should automatically do an update when you connect your FET.

However, if this is problematic, as in the wiki, you can manually upgrade and downgrade.

Please try using the utility from your start menu.  It will be found under Texas Instruments->MSP-FET430UIF Debug Interface->

Please keep us informed how that goes for you.

Best Regards,

LIsa

Hi Lisa,

the start menu has a shortcut to the downgrade utility. It starts the tool with the command line

UpdateTool -u DOWN

Running this tool results in this operation:

   Initialize: done
 MSP430_FET_GetFwVersion()
 Firmware Version: 0 
Status: Starting firmware update with 'Uifv3Downgrader.txt'!

 Initializing bootloader...
 Erasing firmware... 
Status: VCP USB stack image was loaded successfully onto MSP-FET430UIF

Please unplug your MSP-FET430UIF debugger from your
PC Please press 'y' when done

y

Please reconnect your MSP-FET430UIF debugger to your PC again
Please press 'y' when done

y
*searching for VCP devices*

Please unplug your MSP-FET430UIF debugger from your PC
Please press 'y' when done

y
Please reconnect your MSP-FET430UIF debugger to your PC again
Please press 'y' when done

y
Status: USB stack of MSP-FET430UIF was successfully downgraded to VCP Initializing bootloader...
Erasing firmware... 

This is a screen snapshot while the tool is running. Since this is only visilble in a window that closes suddenly I can't say if there is any final message (error or success). The tool was started with the argument "-u DOWN". Hence I tried to run it with "-u UP" argument with this result:

   Initialize: done
 MSP430_FET_GetFwVersion()
 Firmware Version: 0
 Status: Starting firmware update with built in image!

 Initializing bootloader... 

This results in the following

• The device manager shows a "MSP-FET430UIF - CDC (COM3)" entry.
• When I unplug the FET the green LED is switched on, nothing is blinking.
• When I connect with CCS I have a different error report:

MSP430: Error initializing emulator: A firmware update is required for the MSP430 Debug Interface (MSP-FET430UIF).
Click the "Update" button to update the firmware and launch your debug session.
DO NOT UNPLUG THE INTERFACE DURING THE UPDATE.
MSP430: Error initializing emulator: MSP-FET430UIF is already in use 

This "already in use" lasts until I reboot my PC. After that I have the same endless loop of non-operation.

Helge

Hi Helge,

we are bit stumped as we have not seen this behaviour.

Normally there are a couple scenarios

- CCSv5 automatically updates the FET, sometimes asking twice to push the update button and requiring a FET power cycling and CCS restart

- a manual update through the start menu tool does the trick

What target do you use?

I am not sure what to suggest at this point aside from the following.  Uninstall CCSv5.  Clean the directories and everything.

Try installing again, using the latest version just released last week.

http://processors.wiki.ti.com/index.php/Download_CCS

Please let us know how that goes.

Best Regards,
Lisa

Hi Helge,

just thought I would check whether you have been able to make any progress with a clean installation and the latest CCS release.

Best Regards,
Lisa

Hi Helge,

glad to here it is all finally sorted and working.   Thanks for the update and all the best with development.

Best Regards,
Lisa

Lisa, 

    I have essentially the same problem scenario as Helge above does - I have had very intermittent connection with my MSB FET430UIF  V1.4a pod  - If I try to let it do the update it prompts me from when i try to debug - it never finishes.   When i follow the above instructions, it gives me the warning, I click 'y' return - then it just says "error detected aborting.  Could not initialize device interface.  I have already tried all the permutations of power cycling, restarting, replugging  and with and without the target power connected.   Before it got to this point, it was kind of spotty.

Eric

Here is some added information in case anyone has a similar problem.  I have a Win 7 Dell which has had some USB trouble at times.  I am connected to a device where my laptop electrically floats and he USB ground is the only thing keeping my lap top at the target potential.  The USB debug connection problem manifests in different ways.  Lately, I have a work around that gets me part way.  I connect first with FET-Pro430 and download code with it.  I then go into the CCS eclipse debugger and get an error because something else has the port, I close FET-pro and hit retry.  From that point, it appears to download code ok and can jump into it. I can hit a single breakpoint and look at memory - but as soon as I try a single step or a "go" - the target resets and I have to restart the procedure. 

      I am also running into another problem I can't explain.  My CCS tool make gets and error where it says "Build project" has encountered a problem. I hit view details and it says a resource already exists on disks.  A work around is I delete all the make files in the debug directory and try again - it rebuilds everything but works if I first delete all the interim make files.  If I refresh the whole project directory from an earlier copy - the problem goes away for a few days.