Hi,
Your code looks ok, though PortA may not work properly as you have not turned off the comparators by adding these lines as shown in your second example.
Code:
movlw 0x07
movwf CMCON ;turn comparators off
Your Example has Mclre ON whereas the second code has Mclre OFF.
Because your first example is Mclre ON you must have a pull up resistor to VDD of around 10k on Mclre Pin1 or the chip will not run.
If the second example does not work then I think you may have another problem.
Would suggest you put your chip back in the programmer, lets say you have already programmed it with your first code.
Now just READ the chip and see if the screen buffer is filled with hex code - yes or no ?
If no then the chip did not program properly.
If yes, then load your compiled program code into the buffer and select VERIFY to see if the buffer and chip agree yes or no ?
IF no , then you seem to have a burning problem
If yes, then it seems you might have a problem on your hardware circuit.,so attach at diagram if you can so we can see what you have built.
Edit - have just simulated both those code examples and they work fine, so it must be your hardware circuit or programmer.