Can unplugging Atmel ICE brick chip?

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The High Septon
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Posted by The High Septon: Sun. Nov 26, 2017 - 11:29 PM
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Is it possible to unplug an active Atmel ICE (connected to an AVR via ISP6) at the wrong time and render the avr chip in an unusable state?

 

Some background; I plugged my Atmel ICE into my custom PCB's ISP6 header and opened the device programming menu in Atmel Studio 7. The ICE read my board's voltage and signature correctly. I then unplugged my Atmel ICE and set my board aside for a few days. Since then, i've tried connecting my custom PCB to my computer (via USB) but the microcontroller is no longer recognized by windows device manager. After toggling the RESET button on my PCB, which wipes the programmable memory and resets the chip to its stock settings, the PCB is still undetectable by both Windows Device Manager and Atmel FLIP.

 

Is it possible that unplugging the ICE at a bad time can cause this issue? My theory is that maybe a BOOT fuse was flipped by the ICE, as is normal, but was locked in an unreadable state due to the timing of the ICE being unplugged from my PCB. 

 

As soon as I get my PCB back from one of my colleagues I'll plug the Atmel ICE in again and try to bring the chip back to life in Atmel Studio. Hopefully that fixes the issue.

 

Tags:

Tools, In-System Debuggers and Programmers, #debug #debugWire #DW #ISP #SPI #Atmel-ICE #ICE, #ATmega32U2 #ATmega16U2
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JohanEkdahl
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Posted by JohanEkdahl: Mon. Nov 27, 2017 - 06:53 AM
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Side question:

 

The High Septon wrote:
After toggling the RESET button on my PCB, which wipes the programmable memory and resets the chip to its stock settings

 

Really? That means there is programming hardware on that board. Then why would you need an Atmel-ICE to program it?

 

Methinks the Reset button does "the normal thing" and just "wiggles" the RESET line of the AVR (i.e. restarts the existing firmware, using existing fuses etc).

As of January 15, 2018, Site fix-up work has begun! Now do your part and report any bugs or deficiencies here. 

No guarantees, but if we don't report problems they won't get much of  a chance to be fixed! Details/discussions at link given just above.

 

"Some questions have no answers."[C Baird] "There comes a point where the spoon-feeding has to stop and the independent thinking has to start." [C Lawson] "There are always ways to disagree, without being disagreeable."[E Weddington] "Words represent concepts. Use the wrong words, communicate the wrong concept." [J Morin] "Persistence only goes so far if you set yourself up for failure." [Kartman]

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The High Septon
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Posted by The High Septon: Mon. Nov 27, 2017 - 03:35 PM (Reply to #2)
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There is programming hardware on the board, I don't need the ICE to program it (and I haven't used it for that either). I was using the ICE to debug the code via debugWire.

 

JohanEkdahl wrote:

Side question:

 

 

The High Septon wrote:

After toggling the RESET button on my PCB, which wipes the programmable memory and resets the chip to its stock settings

 

 

Really? That means there is programming hardware on that board. Then why would you need an Atmel-ICE to program it?

 

Methinks the Reset button does "the normal thing" and just "wiggles" the RESET line of the AVR (i.e. restarts the existing firmware, using existing fuses etc).

 

Whenever I press the RESET button it wipes the existing firmware and my PCB would (normally) go back to being an Atmel USB Device in Windows Device Manager. I think this isn't worth focusing on though for the sake of the real problem I detailed above.

Last Edited: Mon. Nov 27, 2017 - 04:27 PM
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JohanEkdahl
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Posted by JohanEkdahl: Mon. Nov 27, 2017 - 08:27 PM
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The High Septon wrote:
I think this isn't worth focusing on though for the sake of the real problem I detailed above.

Substantial detail still lacking. I was asking my question(s) to try to get a clearer picture of what  the setup is. E.g. your reset button is "exotic" but there also was a possibility that you misunderstood something.

 

Since you know what is important to try to resolve your problem I won't waste your time. I'm out.

As of January 15, 2018, Site fix-up work has begun! Now do your part and report any bugs or deficiencies here. 

No guarantees, but if we don't report problems they won't get much of  a chance to be fixed! Details/discussions at link given just above.

 

"Some questions have no answers."[C Baird] "There comes a point where the spoon-feeding has to stop and the independent thinking has to start." [C Lawson] "There are always ways to disagree, without being disagreeable."[E Weddington] "Words represent concepts. Use the wrong words, communicate the wrong concept." [J Morin] "Persistence only goes so far if you set yourself up for failure." [Kartman]

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frog_jr
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Posted by frog_jr: Mon. Nov 27, 2017 - 08:58 PM
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Which AVR are you using?

The High Septon wrote:
toggling the RESET button on my PCB ... wipes the programmable memory and resets the chip to its stock settings

Reset does/should not affect the Flash, EEPROM or Fuses.

David (aka frog_jr)

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The High Septon
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Posted by The High Septon: Mon. Nov 27, 2017 - 09:41 PM (Reply to #5)
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Atmega16u2.

Whenever I press my reset button my chip's program is wiped. Fuses definitely aren't reset, so I misspoke by saying "stock settings".

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The High Septon
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Posted by The High Septon: Mon. Nov 27, 2017 - 09:42 PM (Reply to #4)
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Huh? What are you upset about?

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ki0bk
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Posted by ki0bk: Mon. Nov 27, 2017 - 10:03 PM
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The High Septon wrote:
Whenever I press my reset button my chip's program is wiped.

 

That would be a first!  Perhaps reset causes a bootloader to run, but flash to change????

 

 

Jim

 

Mission: Improving the readiness of hams world wide : flinthillsradioinc.com

Interests: Ham Radio, Solar power, futures & currency trading - whats yours?

 

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frog_jr
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Posted by frog_jr: Mon. Nov 27, 2017 - 10:27 PM
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Since you have provided few details on your custom PCB, I have lots of questions.

Most would be irrelevant if you provided a schematic or at least more details on how the device is connected and the current program state of the fuses.

 

David (aka frog_jr)

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