Why do I get "Target device was not found ..." ?

Why do I get "Target device was not found (could not detect target voltage VDD). You must connect to a target device to use ICD3."?

The most common reasons are that the MCU is not powered, properly selected by the IDE, or physically connected to ICSP. The following are steps you may find useful:

  • Open "Flash MCU Programming Specification" and check the necessary pins to connect then verify the pin connections.
  • Ensure you have a 4.7 KΩ pull-up on MCLR.
  • If you wish to power the MCU from the HW tool make sure your Project configuration is set to power the target.
  • Check the configuration bits (internal OSC, MCLR on, etc.).
  • Verify the physical condition of the connector on your programmer.
  • Make sure that the MPLAB® X IDE project is configured to use the same MCU that is in the circuit.
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