Programming PICs with Canakit and PICkit 2

Greetings,

I am pretty new to programming PICs and have been using a Canakit to program them using PICkit 2 and MPLAB. The first few programs worked great in my simple circuits. Then the PIC 16F84a just stopped working in my circuits. I've tested the circuits in every way possible. The PICkit 2 says they are being successfully programmed. I'm having the same problem with the PIC 16F873a. The circuit was responding at first, although incorrectly, but now the chip won't work at all. Again, the PICkit 2 is saying it has been successfully programmed. I've checked the configuration bits and everything seems fine. I've also double checked my circuit and everything is at the proper voltages. I've checked the frequency of the crystal and it's fine. Is it possible that I'm somehow frying the oscillator inputs of the chips?

Anyway, any help at all would be much appreciated

Thank you,

Alan Kroenlein

does it power up when you are removing the pickit2 ?
you have an option to power up the board using the power from pickit.

Hi,

It could be one of several causes, your really need to post your circuit and program code so we can see whats happening.

Not quiet sure what you mean you are using when you say Canakit ?

I've never heard of Canakit but these are the usual suspects to check:

1. Is the reset pin high?
2. If you are using low voltage programming (LVP) have you ensured it is NOT still in programmng mode while in your board (check the LVP pin connection).
3. Do you have decoupling capacitors across the VSS and VDD pins, mounted as close to the PIC as possible?

Brian.