18F14K50 programming in Microchip dev kit

[russk2txb]

Hi all. I bought a Microchip "Low pin count USB dev kit" because I wanted a quick start up for the18F14K50. I figured I could simply connect my ICD-U64 to the appropriate pins and program it. But it does not work.

All connections are tested and good, the voltages are correct. I am supplying external +5 volts to the board. Reading the data sheet I see that MCLR can be disabled in low power modes. I am suspicious that this is the problem. The board comes already programmed with a LED flasher and that works - all the time, even when MCLR is low. even applying power while MCLR is held low does not cause any change. The LED's just start flashing again. (I have verified that the actual MCLR processor pin goes low.) CCSLoad program diagnostics shows voltages ok but cannot read device ID.

So, either I have to figure out how to enable MCLR, or else I have a bad 18F14K50 with open MCLR connection. I don't have a spare so I'd like to have an idea of what the problem is while I am waiting for delivery of more chips.

Thanks much, Russ