When the Launchpad was quite new, TI published an Launchpad update program that would make it work with new (at the time) microcontrollers.
But sometimes, the update failed, leaving me and others with a useless launchpad.
http://processors.wiki.ti.com/index.php/MSP430_LaunchPad_Firmware_Update (BEWARE!)
This has been discussed here (43oh.com) and elsewhere http://e2e.ti.com/support/microcontrollers/msp43016-bit_ultra-low_power_mcus/f/166/p/97931/346074.aspx#346074
and someone in that thread was kind enough to backup his/her Launchpad's firmware:
Today I stumbled across my defunct launchpad and looked into MSP430 parallel port JTAG adapters (it seems, only the level conversion is required) and others (Versaloon may be portable to STM32_F4_Discovery), bit banging with FT2xxx, etc., but ended up looking for the effort required using the integrated serial bootloader (BSL):
http://www.mike-stirling.com/2013/06/turn-a-ti-launchpad-into-a-goodfet-with-just-a-serial-cable/
This is really quite simple (you'll have to decide if your time is worth it, if you haven't thrown it away already..): the process only requires a 3.3 V serial interface, soldering of 5 wires, pushing a few buttons..
Since he's actually replacing the F1612's firmware with another one, I'll just qoute the BSL info for posterity:
Launchpad FTDI pin TP3 (GND) 1 MSP430F1612 pin 22 (from PC) 4 MSP430F1612 pin 13 (to PC) 5This is almost all that’s required, except for the secret handshake needed to actually enter the BSL in the first place. Most BSL software expects to do this for you by driving RTS and DTR, but the serial lead doesn’t have DTR in this case. Instead, the two buttons on the board can be used to invoke the BSL manually. One side of each button is grounded, the other is connected to the target socket. Connect one wire from the ungrounded side of one button to TP2 (/RESET), and the other button to TP4 (TCK). To invoke the BSL the following procedure is used (it may take a few attempts):
- Press and hold the button connected to /RESET
- Press and release the TCK button
- Press and hold the TCK button
- Release the /RESET button
- Release the TCK button
Pin 13 is fourth from bottom on the left side of the IC (Launchpad USB pointing up), pin 22 is the sixth from the left on the bottom.
Since my Launchpad did not have headers installed, I simply soldered "(S1)RST" to TP2 and "P1.3(S2)" to TP4
Make sure your serial signal level is 3.3 V and then power both boards.
Then he's using the linux packages from http://mspgcc.sourceforge.net/tools.html but since I'm running Windows I had a look around:
http://processors.wiki.ti.com/index.php/BSL_%28MSP430%29 (msp430-usbbsl does NOT support serial programming as stated!)
I went with the demo tool from http://www.ti.com/lit/zip/slau319 (20 MB ZIP) and found out that the current software does not support the F1612, so look into the Deprecated dir (remember to enable the BSL mode first).
I:\Users\none\EXE>BSLDEMO2.exe -cCOM4 LP100901938.txt MSP430 Bootstrap Loader Communication Program (Version 2.01) Mass Erase... ERROR: Synchronization failed! Device with boot loader connected? I:\Users\none\EXE>BSLDEMO2.exe -cCOM4 LP100901938.txt MSP430 Bootstrap Loader Communication Program (Version 2.01) Mass Erase... Additional mass erase cycles... Transmit standard password... BSL version: 1.61 - Family member: F16C - Process: 2040 Erase Check by file "LP100901938.txt"... Check starting at 1000, 240 bytes... Error: 0 00 KByte ▐▌Check starting at 10f0, 16 bytes... Error: 0 Check starting at 2500, 240 bytes... Error: 0 Check starting at 25f0, 16 bytes... Error: 0 Check starting at 2600, 240 bytes... Error: 0 01 KByte ▐▓▌Check starting at 26f0, 16 bytes... Error: 0 Check starting at 2700, 240 bytes... Error: 0 Check starting at 27f0, 16 bytes... Error: 0 ...... 54 KByte ▐▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▌Program starting at faf0, 16 bytes... Error: 0 Program starting at fb00, 240 bytes... Error: 0 Program starting at fbf0, 16 bytes... Error: 0 Program starting at fc00, 240 bytes... Error: 0 Program starting at fcf0, 16 bytes... Error: 0 Program starting at fd00, 240 bytes... Error: 0 Program starting at fdf0, 16 bytes... Error: 0 Program starting at fe00, 240 bytes... Error: 0 55 KByte ▐▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▌Program starting at fef0, 16 bytes... Error: 0 Program starting at ff00, 240 bytes... Error: 0 Program starting at fff0, 16 bytes... Error: 0 56320 bytes programmed. Verify... already done during programming. Programming completed.Prog/Verify: 151.6 sec - Over all: 156.7 sec
Make sure to disconnect the #RESET wire when trying to connect to the target. I dared to run the update tool, and it reported that an update is not necessary. I have not compared the firmware to a more recent Launchpad.
Done with a Rev.1.4 Launchpad.