Crashing on program download

[Ryan M.]

Yesterday I was downloading code to the RC with my laptop. My program (as in hte one I was modifying) downloaded no problem. Granted, it didn't work and turned on the "Code error" light on the OI, but it downloaded. Eventually, after doing some more work on my program, I got suspicious of the USB to Serial converter and I tried the default code... After a few seconds of output after a successful download, I hit the BSD (blue screen of death. Memory dump junk) and it restarted. Annoyed by the inpudence of the software to quit working, I waited for it to boot up again, logged in, opened IFI loader, and started the download again. And... it crashed. Repeat 3 times.

In summary, I was downloading the default code with a USB to serial converter and a few seconds after a successful download, my Win XP Home laptop crashes. It doesn't, however, do this with my current work, which basically is just with added interrupts. For my program, the OI "code error" light just turns on... Any ideas on what might be causing this? And while you're at it, what exactly are the possible causes of that error light again? Initialization error I know is one, but I checked that...

[Alan Anderson]

Before engaging in much speculation about what might be wrong, I suggest you try to eliminate one possible cause: remove and reinstall the IFI loader program. It should not be crashing your computer, and the fact that it is doing so makes your downloaded code suspect.

[Astronouth7303]

Originally Posted by Alan Anderson

Before engaging in much speculation about what might be wrong, I suggest you try to eliminate one possible cause: remove and reinstall the IFI loader program. It should not be crashing your computer, and the fact that it is doing so makes your downloaded code suspect.

Indeed. It is very difficult to crash a VB program to a BSOD (usually the VB run time catches it first). I wonder is PICBOOT.DLL is at fault...

[Greg Marra]

I wonder if it is the drivers for your USB->serial link.

We had a problem where if we didn't do things in exactly the right order reguarding the serial connection, closing the connection would crash the computer to a BSOD.