pic lock bit removing

I have a pic controller 16F72......it is locked so that the code cannot be read....can any one help me removing its lock bit

The only legal way to remove code-lock is to erase the whole PIC using a programmer, such as PICKIT3.

The whole idea of the code-lock bit is to prevent reading of code, in order to protect against code theft.

Hope this helps.

Is the firmware written by you? If so what happened to the source and hex file?

Its a very old code.......more than a year old.....I wrote it in a past project and now the only copy available to me is this controller........

Search edaboard threads for this thematic, you will find information about this.

The only way that I know to defeat the copy protection on a PIC micro is to reprogram the configuration bit ONLY but with a increased programming voltage so as to blow the configuration bits, which will cause them to float to a logic one. This is a high risk operation and the PIC will be no longer useable. A friend of mine did this successfully to get the code of a pirate satellite decoder.

If someone lose its firmware :

www.break-ic.com

www.mcu-reverse.com


They have slogan : "Everything they make, we can break!"

What to say after this.... ;-)

---------- Post added at 03:54 ---------- Previous post was at 03:45 ----------

I just ask of curiosity is protected firmware for UPS device ?

EeHassan, can you explain why you need to read the code from a locked micro. Is there a legitimate reason or do you want to copy someone's firmware?


The obsolete ST6 SGS-Thomson micros had copy protection but these were just bits which the programmer would read and then allow reprogramming if cleared otherwise display a message that the code is protected. So, if you wrote your own program, you could still reprogram locked micros.

Hack a day have an interesting blog where bunnies? decapped a chip and erased the configuration register with a UV lamp but this is only for the very desperate ( and be prepared for this not to work).

There is always a method and we recently had an issue where we needed to read a code-protected PIC. There is a company in Lithuania which charges $1k and another in Russia which charges $500 but I am sure that even if these companies could perform this service, there would be some sort of extortion.

Probably the best method of retrieving code from code- protected PICs is to discuss a deal with the original firmware author if possible. From all the posts here and elsewhere, it seems it is not possible to unlock Microchip PICs excet for the obsolete one-time programmed C series. The obsolete ST6 SGS-Thomson micros had copy protection but these were just bits which the programmer would read and then allow reprogramming if cleared otherwise display a message that the code is protected. So, if you wrote your own program, you could still reprogram locked micros.

Hack a day have an interesting blog where bunnies? decapped a chip and erased the configuration register with a UV lamp but this is only for the very desperate ( and be prepared for this not to work).

There may be a method and we recently had the same issue where we needed to read a code-protected PIC. There is a company in Lithuania which charges $1k and another in Russia which charges $500 but I am sure that even if these companies could perform this service, there would be some sort of extortion.

Probably the best method of retrieving code from code- protected PICs is to discuss a deal with the original firmware author if possible. From all the posts here and elsewhere, it seems it is not possible to unlock Microchip PICs except for the obsolete one-time programmed C series.