[SOLVED] HI-TECH C and PIC 16F628A returns error: No valid installed HI-TECH compiler drivers

I'm having trouble integrating HTC with MPLAB. I've installed HTC with the executable provided with the MPLAB install, and selected the location of picc.exe when selecting the toolset location. But, when I go to compile, or do anything else that requires communication between MPLAB and HTC, I get that warning or, in some cases, MPLAB crashes.

I can provide more info if needed.

Thanks,
Tyler

UPDATE (now I am at a computer) - when you go to "Project" "Select Language Tool Locations" there should be a section for "HI-TECH Universal Toolsuite". The correct C compiler (if you installed it) should be there - most likely under a sub directory of C:\Program Files\HI-TECH Software\...

Are you sure you have installed the PIC16 version?

Keith

Tyler H said:

But, when I go to compile, or do anything else that requires communication between MPLAB and HTC, I get that warning or, in some cases, MPLAB crashes.

Click to expand...

What is the warning/error message to which you are referring?

BigDog

keith1200rs said:

UPDATE (now I am at a computer) - when you go to "Project" "Select Language Tool Locations" there should be a section for "HI-TECH Universal Toolsuite". The correct C compiler (if you installed it) should be there - most likely under a sub directory of C:\Program Files\HI-TECH Software\...

Are you sure you have installed the PIC16 version?

Click to expand...

Yes, I'm sure. The picc.exe I'm referring to is "C:\Program Files\HI-TECH Software\PICC\9.82\bin\picc.exe."

bigdogguru said:

What is the warning/error message to which you are referring?

Click to expand...

The warning [I should say error.] that is in the title: "No valid installed HI-TECH compiler drivers." Also, I should have been more specific than "in some cases, MPLAB crashes." Specifically, when I go to Project->Build Options->Project and click either the compiler, linker, or global tab, I get a warning, saying "Catastrophic Error," then, if I click any other of those 3 tabs, it crashes.

I have not encountered that particular error, I also have not upgraded to 9.82 as yet, I'm still using 9.81.

A few questions:

Have you tried using MPLAB IDE to compile or assemble any program not using the Hi-Tech C compiler? For example an assembly program?

Have you tried installing the Hi-Tech compiler update below?

**broken link removed**

What version of MPLAB are you running?

BigDog

bigdogguru said:

I have not encountered that particular error, I also have not upgraded to 9.82 as yet, I'm still using 9.81.

A few questions:

Have you tried using MPLAB IDE to compile or assemble any program not using the Hi-Tech C compiler? For example an assembly program?

Have you tried installing the Hi-Tech compiler update below?

**broken link removed**

What version of MPLAB are you running?

BigDog

Click to expand...

I'm working on writing my project in assembly.

I actually have that page open in a tab right now. I've tried uninstalling the HTC installed by the installer shipped with MPLAB.

I'm running MPLAB 8.76.

What MPLAB are you using? I'll try uninstalling mine and see if the older version you use works.

Thanks for the insanely quick reply.

I'm using MPLAB v8.70.

The reason I asked whether you had assembled a program rather than compiled it with the Hi-Tech C compiler, was to determine if the MPLAB installation could be an issue.

I suspect the issue is related to the Hi-Tech installation, not MPLAB.

I been using the Hi-Tech compilers for so long, I've never attempted to install it using Microchip's combined installation package.

I've just been upgrading them independently of each other using the upgrade packages from Hi-Tech.

Uninstall only the Hi-Tech C Compiler and then reinstall using the update package I posted previously.

BigDog

---------- Post added at 22:47 ---------- Previous post was at 22:46 ----------

Also what OS are you currently running?

bigdogguru said:

I'm using MPLAB v8.70.

The reason I asked whether you had assembled a program rather than compiled it with the Hi-Tech C compiler, was to determine if the MPLAB installation could be an issue.

I suspect the issue is related to the Hi-Tech installation, not MPLAB.

I been using the Hi-Tech compilers for so long, I've never attempted to install it using Microchip's combined installation package.

I've just been upgrading them independently of each other using the upgrade packages from Hi-Tech.

Uninstall only the Hi-Tech C Compiler and then reinstall using the update package I posted previously.

BigDog

---------- Post added at 22:47 ---------- Previous post was at 22:46 ----------

Also what OS are you currently running?

Click to expand...

I've already tried uninstalling HTC and installing it with the installer from that page. (That's why I have it open in another tab.)

I'm using Windows 7 x86.

Tyler H said:

I'm using Windows 7 x86.

Click to expand...

Are you running the compiler in LITE mode, no license. If so, I believe Windows 7 maybe the issue.

What version of the Compilers work with Vista/Windows 7?

Vista/Windows 7 support was introduced with the below mentioned versions of the compiler. Compilers released as an upgrade to these versions also support these operating systems.

PICC STD 9.60PL2

PICC PRO 9.60PL1

PICC18 STD 9.51PL2

PICC18 PRO 9.61PL1

dsPICC STD 9.60PL2

PICC32 PRO 9.60

As examples:

PICC PRO v9.61 & any version above it will work with vista/Windows 7

PICC18 PRO v9.62 & any version above it will work with vista/Windows 7

PICC PRO v9.60 & any version below it will won't work with vista/Windows 7

PICC18 PRO v9.61 & any version below it will won't work with vista/Windows 7

Click to expand...

Only the compiler running STD or PRO modes are mentioned, the LITE mode is conspicuously absent.

BigDog

That's really frustrating. I've been planning on putting XP on my old desktop. This seems like a good reason to stop putting it off. I'll try it, and see if LITE works on it.

The issue with Windows 7 x86 did not initially occur to me, due to the fact I'm using licensed PRO versions of the Hi-Tech Compilers. Therefore the incompatibility of Windows 7 x86 or 32-bit Vista with Hi-Tech Compilers running in LITE mode is surprising news to me as well.

You might also try using Microsoft's VirtualPC to create a virtual machine with the XP PRO OS. I believe Microsoft includes or offers a free version VirtualPC with Windows XP PRO preinstalled.

I'm currently using a Dual 3.6GHz Xeon box running Windows XP PRO loaded with most of my development software as my development platform.

However, I have tested the use of a virtual machine running Windows XP PRO on 64-bit Vista System with MPLAB and it seem to run without issues.

My problem is I have numerous development tools which require 32-bit XP PRO and it would take several weeks to install them all in a virtual machine.

BigDog

It was the OS that was causing the problem. I tried it on XP and it worked with no problems.