What the heck is this error message on IAR?!!!

The error message is clear: the software cannot initialize because it cannot access the hardware. And it also gives suggestions to check what's wrong.

Sometimes a bad (or too long) USB cable is the problem.

Oh maybe too long! But it is the original one that TI sent to us!LOL

Especially with the ultra-cheap LaunchPads, the included cable is a very cheap one (has to be) - and not the best quality. I've read some complaints where the cable turned out to be broken (too thin/badly soldered).
Well, a high-quality USB cable is more expensive than the whole LaunchPad.
(I often had to replace the video cables that came with a monitor by better ones, even though the monitors were not cheap at all).

IAR is bad in the way that it attach itselt to the MCU in a marriage
if by removing the SBW wire temporary and IAR gets all confused and locks up
many time you have to force Windows to shut it down.

Unplug the USB cable at the computer and plug it back in, helps sometimes.

Tony Philipsson said:

Unplug the USB cable at the computer and plug it back in, helps sometimes.

Yes, unplug and plug the USB many times sucks!

It does suck and sometimes it's not enough, sometimes a reboot is required to bring it back.

blb said:

It does suck and sometimes it's not enough, sometimes a reboot is required to bring it back.

Totally agreed!

It is like you are innocent and not guilty of anything but it keeps bugging you like a dog!

CaEngineer said:

Unplug the USB cable at the computer and plug it back in, helps sometimes.

Yes, unplug and plug the USB many times sucks![/quote]

 I am no more using native windows (it don't run on my platform) so I moved XP to a VBOX, I am experiencing plug unplug from vbox necessary but virtual usb detach don't wear USB socket and start again to work just after "virtual plugging" or on reboot of VBOX than full pc.