For Windows 2000 and XP

MPLAB PM3 should be plugged into a USB port and powered (but do not have a device plugged into any socket module on the unit) at this time.

• You will first attempt to update your drivers to the correct drivers.
• If this does not work, you will then remove the drivers and reinstall the correct ones.

Go to C:\Program Files\Microchip\MPLAB IDE\Utilities\MPUsbIRU and launch the preinstaller/updater "MPUsbIRU.exe", or click below:

• Launch Preinstaller/Updater

Carefully read the instructions displayed in the top portion of the dialog before proceding, in particular the Updating Device Drivers section.

Select the tool(s) for which you wish to install device drivers under "Tool Device Drivers to Pre-Install or Update".

Select the radio button "Update" under "Action".

Click the Update button.

Note: The status log will show you the status of the install. If you have problems, you may want to save this information to a file so you may refer to it when you contact customer support. Click the Save Log button at the end of the update.

During the install, a dialog may pop up stating, "The software you are installing for this hardware: Microchip Development Tool has not passed Windows Logo testing..." In this case, Microchip Development Tool will be "Microchip MPLAB PM3 Firmware Client". Click "Continue Anyway".

Click the Close button on the preinstaller/updater utility when done. Then, unplug the programmer, wait 30 seconds and again plug it into the USB in order for the drivers to load properly.
 

Verify that the drivers installed by viewing the Device Manager*, USB Controllers section. 

If the drivers appear as in the screen shot, you are done.

If the drivers do not appear, or if the preinstaller/updater utility reported that it could not successfully update the drivers, you will need to "clean out" the old drivers from you PC and then install the correct drivers. Continue to the next step.

*To open the Device Manager window, click Start>Settings>Control Panel. In Contorl Panel, double click System. In System Properties, Hardware tab, click Device Manager. 

Unplug the MPLAB PM3 from the USB connection.

Go to C:\Program Files\Microchip\MPLAB IDE\Utilities\MPUsbClean and launch the gather utility "MPGather.exe", or click below:

• Launch Gather

Click Gather MPLAB Driver Info to collect current driver information from the registery. This information is stored in a file named mpgthnnn.log, where nnn is a number from 000 to 099. This information will be useful if you still have communications problems after following these instructions and need to contact technical support.

Click Close when done.
 

Note: For Windows 2000 and XP machines, you must have "REGINI.EXE" available in the C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32 subdirectory to run the cleaner.

Go to C:\Program Files\Microchip\MPLAB IDE\Utilities\MPUsbClean and launch the cleaner utility "MPUsbClean.exe", or click below:

• Launch Cleaner

After reading the disclaimer, click "I Accept" and then Continue.

The main cleaner dialog will display.

Carefully read the instructions displayed in the top portion of the dialog before proceding.

To proceed:

• Check "PM3" in the "Tool Device Drivers to Remove".
• Make sure "Deletion Preview Only" is checked. 
• Click Preview.

A preview of what the cleaner will delete is generated in the status log. Click Save Log to copy this information to a file.

Review the status log content. If you wish to proceed with the clean, uncheck the "Deletion Preview Only" check box. Then click Remove.

When the clean is done, click Close.

Reboot your PC.

Finally, install the proper drivers by following the instructions specified in C:\Program Files\Microchip\MPLAB IDE\MPLAB PM3\Drivers\ezpm3.htm.