How to transfer data/program from one PIC to another?

[mattb94509]

-- afternoon to all,

I'm new here so please forgive my lack of knowledge or correct terminology. I need some advice. I have a microcontroller chip (PIC18F2525-I/SP and a PIC18F 2620-I/SP) that contains Data/Program that I would like to copy/transter over to a new PIC CHIP. Can this be done I understand that I may need a program such as WIN PIC800 and Pic Programer.

Is this possible for some one like me with very little knowledge to do. The Data/Program is from a company from the 80's that is no longer in business so findinf these products is very difficult.

If I can't do it, can some one refer me to a company that does?

Thank you for your time.

Matt

 

[rkodaira]

schematic pic800

Something in your message does not make sense:

PIC 18Fxxxx are very recent microcontrollers so how a company from the 80´s that does not exist anymore could make a product with these chips (unless the company was extinct not long ago - in this case what you wrote is a useless info).

Anyway, back to the problem: you can copy the program and data inside the microcontrollers IF THEY ARE NOT PROTECTED. There are some configuration fuses and some of them set the protection or not protection against contents reading of the microcontroller. You can check this with a PIC programmer and a related software (as you gave example). Probably, as they are part of a product, the contents are protected, so nothing to do in this case.

 

[mattb94509]

Re: pic transfer

Thank you for your reply,

As I said, I'm not very knowledgeable about these things. The toy company went out of business in the mid eighties and I believe someone used their data and with some extra DIY coding programed it into those chips.

So as far as I know it's not a commercial product but for DIY applications. Again what would be the cheapest way to see if I can transfer it to another chip.

If not, thank you for your time.

 

[rkodaira]

Re: pic transfer

Ok. It seems that someone has made a replacement in the original electronic circuit by using a microcontroller. There is a possibility that the PIC is not protected, as it is not part of a commercial product.

You already have the software to program PICs. You need a programmer circuit to use with this software. WINPIC800 is compatible with several DIY programmers that can be build. If you have electronics knowledge and easy access to parts and components, check inside the menus of WINPIC800 what are these circuits e search for the schematics in the internet. As I use the JDM style programmer with Winpic800 and I think it is the easiest to be built, but I am not sure if it can program the PICs you mentioned.

In case you decide to purchase a ready made programmer, I suggest you the PICKIT2 from Microchip. It is cheap and programs all models.

Having the programmer, just make a read of the program memory (FLASH) and check what the software shows in the screen. If all memory addresses return 0000h or any data equal in all addresses, the original PIC is protected. If it returns a lot of varied data, probably you had success and it can be programmed into a new equal PIC.