Vex Controller Issues

WE currently have two Vex controllers that have problems that we do not know how to fix.

Depending on their moods, we are able to download programs onto them sometimes. The programs never actually work/make the robots do what we have programmed them to do. They just sit there.
Othertimes we just have lights flashing and other random things.
Does anyone have any ideas as to what has happened to our Vex controllers!??
We would greatly appreciate the help.

Sincerely,
Team 1512

Are you able to download fresh Master code as well?

I will add an obvious comment to Mark’s: Is your battery fully charged?

are you sure your programming the brain right?

Are you making sure to put in a while loop?

After you download the programs (that don’t work), are you able to download the default code (that allows use of the remote control, like out-of-the-box factory condition)? Are those 2 controllers completely unusable now?

All the above questions/suggestions are valid ones. Since this is happening to two of your controllers I am more likely to ask the questions:

  1. Is your battery fully charged?
  2. Do you have a while loop in your program?
  3. If using EasyC, do are you using version 2.8.x.x?
  4. Are you using version 7 of the master code?
  5. Do you have some autonomous code written? If yes and us used EasyC, use a jumper in interrupt 7 to disable your autonomous code and see if the operator portion works properly.
  6. If all else fails, reload the default code or the online code and check the response of all the motor outputs.

You can also try the online window which will let you move motors without any programming.