MSP-GANG430

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The MSP-GANG430 Production Programmer

The GANG programmer (MSP-GANG430) is an in-system gang programmer tool can be used to program up to 8 MSP430 FLASH devices simultaneously. These devices can be programmed in-circuit or in stand-alone sockets and software is included to facilitate device programming. The programming can be done with a PC or standalone. Since the graphical user interface (GUI) is DLL-based the DLL can be used independently from the GUI. Several examples show how the DLL could be applied at various high level languages (C, C++, VisualBasic, LabView).

Power Supply Requirements

The connector on the GANG430 is a standard 2.1mm power supply connector. The voltage of the power supply must be between 9V and 15V dc and must be capable of providing a minimum current of 300 mA. The dimensions should be 5mm OD and 2.1 ID. It is referred to as a size “M”. It can be picked up at any Radio Shack or electronics store.

For voltage reference (pg. 11) of the GANG430 User's Guide

How to Troubleshoot the MSP-GANG430

Troubleshooting tips:

Disconnect the JTAG connection to the Target board from the GANG430.
Unplug the GANG power source for 10 seconds, then plug in the power source to the GANG.
Update the firmware to the latest version by choosing “update firmware” under the "maintenance" category then click execute and then select the latest firmware ".txt" file from the folder.
At this point run a GANG hardware self test to see if it passes.
Now connect your Target board to the GANG430 and then take a screenshot of the "About GANG programmer" again to see if the latest Firmware version shows up. If it continues to prompt for a firmware upgrade, please ensure you have the latest from the “Support Software" section here [1] The .DLL file is packaged in this executable.
If it does then try downloading the code to the Target device.

If this does not solve your issue, please consider these questions regarding your setup.

What is the sequence of LEDS that appear once the GANG430 is connected to its power source? All LEDs should flash once then the MODE light should remain on. If this does not occur, your programmer may be damaged.
What power source are you using with the GANG430?
What version of the software/firmware are you using? Please use only the latest, which is found here. Please see the "About GANG Programmer" screen with the GANG connected. To get to this screen, right-click on the MSP430 logo in the upper-left portion of the software window and choose "About GANG Programmer." Verify that the GANG430.EXE, GANG430.INI and firmware all match. If they do not, then you need to upgrade.
Does the programmer pass the H/W self-test? This test can be performed by choosing the “H/W Selftest” category under the Maintenance section of the GUI. If it fails, the hardware is likely damaged.
Which specific MSP430 device are you trying to program? Are you using a TI target board or your own custom design? Using a TI target can eliminate hardware considerations related to custom PCBs.
Are you using a valid file format and extension of the code you are attempting to upload?
Is your board Vcc being sourced internally from the GANG430 or externally? Please assure that your JTAG connections reflect this correctly. For more information please see page 29 of the GANG430 User's Guide. Try powering the target boards from the GANG430. This way, the GANG430 can apply power and guarantee a proper startup.
Does your target work with another programmer (USB, Parallel etc)? This will eliminate some hardware concerns.
Does your programmer work with a different target MSP430 and with a different PC?
Are you programming device via 2-wire or 4-wire JTAG protocol? Please ensure that the software settings reflect the JTAG protocol that is present in your hardware (4-wire JTAG or spy-bi-wire/2-wire JTAG).
If using your own board, does your JTAG schematic match the GANG430 user’s guide JTAG schematic on pg 60 or 61?
On the JTAG-connector, TMS (pin5) can be connected to VCC-sense (pin4) through a resistor in the range of 3k to 10kOhm. This pull-up resistor should avoid that TMS goes low while JTAG-signals are bouncing.

The steps above will establish the following: