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Error initializing emulator: A firmware update is required for the USB debug interface.

Michael Conover
Prodigy 95 points
Other Parts Discussed in Thread: MSP430F5438

I am using Code Composer Essentials v3.1 and I am trying to program an MSP430F5438 on hte Experimenter board. I have not had any problems the past 2 months programming the experimenter board. Yesterday I programmed my board with a coworkers laptop and then came back to my desk and tried to program the board (Debug active project )and it wouldn't ever work. [:'(] It asked me to update the firmware and I click update and then it never updates and says that it wasn't able to update. Also, sometimes it just says that it can't find the MSP430 device and doesn't ask to update the firmware. When I plug the MSP-FETU430IF into the computer it finds it in the device manager for the computer. Does, anyone have any idea why it cannot find the MSP430 device when I try and program it? 

  • 0
    TI__Mastermind 24200 points

    It sounds like your FET might have corrupt firmware. Try downloading IAR and see if the FET updates correctly with that tool, and then switch back to CCE. If that doesn't work, submit a request at support@ti.com and we'll get you fixed up :)

  • 0 in reply to Brandon08
    Prodigy 95 points

    I downloaded the 30 day trial of IAR so I could try and use the User Experience demo. After making the project and trying to download and debug the project I get an error. It says: "Fatal error: Failed to initialize. Check if hardware connected. Check if drivers are installed."  Do you know what would cause this? 

     

    The hardware is connected because the power LED on the MSP FET is on. Also, in the device manager the MSP FET shows up whenever I plug it in. 

  • 0 in reply to Michael Conover
    Prodigy 60 points

    I just purchased the ez430-rf2500 and have exactly the same issue you posted...interested to see what your fix is so I can try it too. I've read various posts saying delete HID entries in Device Manager but wont go there yet.

    The out of the box demo works but I cant download new code.

  • 0 in reply to Jason Campion
    Guru 58965 points

    I have seen similar problems a lot. I concluded (*** grano salis) that:

    (1) Most, if not all, hardware JTAG tools have downloadable firmware embedded.

    (2) Most, if not all, software tool chains have the ability to determine the firmware version of the hardware JTAG tool being used, and may offer to download firmware update.

    (3) If the above is designed and executed correctly, everything should be fine. However…

    (3a) In the case of eZ430U, no one provides a valid firmware update yet. But for some reason, various tool chains occasionally offer to do so. If accepted by a trusting user, an incompatible firmware is downloaded. This always makes the eZ430U unusable thereafter.

    (3b) In the case of MSP-FET430UIF, the firmware updates offered (by software tool chains) are usually valid. But if the downloading gets started and not finished correctly, MSP-FET430UIF also goes to Limbo.

    (3c) Different software tool chains, or different versions of the same tool chain, may need different of firmware for the same hardware JTAG tool. Thus if you switch between different tool chains back-and-forth using the same hardware JTAG tool, you end up downloading the firmware back-and-forth too. Aside from being a nuisance, this increase the probability of mishaps in the middle of downloading which renders the hardware JTAG tool unusable thereafter.

    (3d) On top of this, some versions of firmware are like one-way streets. That is, you cannot download the previous versions any more. (I have not experienced this myself, but have heard about this from other usually reliable sources.)

    (4) In addition to the problems in (3a) to (3d) above, software tool chains and Windows have problems in loading and maintaining correct Drivers and DLLs. They also show useless or misleading error messages.

    I suspect that TI knew about all these but has not come up with a solution yet.

  • 0 in reply to old_cow_yellow
    Prodigy 60 points

    Thanks for the pointers but in my case I've only just received the ez450-rf2500 dev kit and installed everything from the CD (not from the web which are later versions).

    I'd at least expect out of the box they would work. The install is on a freshly installed Window XP laptop from HP.

    The sensor temperature demo works great..just can't program the chips with the Sensor Client and Access Point code supplied.

    I'll call TI tech support on Monday to see what they suggest, otherwise its all getting returned.

  • 0 in reply to Jason Campion
    Prodigy 60 points

    Ok I've sorted it.

    I uninstalled everything, reloaded IAR Workbench and it worked. I used the older version of the IAR that came on the CD as I said before rather than the latest from the web.

    There was a misunderstanding on some of the debugger and FET programming options which were wisely recommended on the MSP430 Introduction course which I took from the TI.COM site. All is working now.

     

    I take note of the toolchains and firmware JTAG versioning mentioned earlier though. I won't be swapping these chips between PC's as I need strict version control and QA.

     

    Happy chappy [:D]

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