DEVELOPMENT SYSTEMS

Uninstalling Incorrect USB Device Drivers

RECOMMENDED UNINSTALL METHODS
When using Microchip development tools, trouble may be experienced as a result of
incorrect device drivers being installed. If the Windows® OS installs its default USB
device drivers for a Microchip development tool, the tool will not function properly, if at
all.
It is recommended that each uninstall method be attempted in order. If one does not
work, proceed to the next uninstall method.
1. Automatic Uninstall Method (Clean) – For Windows 2000/XP Systems
2. Simple Uninstall Method – Delete from Device Manager
3. Complex Uninstall Method – Edit Registry
Also, for Windows 2000 users:
• Windows 2000 Installation Issues – Solving problems when installing the drivers

Note: If you have installed the drivers and been able to communicate without
errors initially, but then have experienced communication problems,
reinstalling the drivers may not solve your problems. Please refer to the
MPLAB® ICD 2 on-line help for possible software solutions before
attempting to uninstall/reinstall the drivers.

AUTOMATIC UNINSTALL METHOD (CLEAN)

For Windows 2000/XP, please attempt to automatically “clean” your system using the
clean utility (MPUsbClean.exe) found, by default, in:
C:\Program Files\Microchip\MPLAB IDE\Utilities\MPUsbClean
For instructions on the use of this utility, see the Drivers subfolder of the tool for which
you need to remove the USB drivers, e.g., ICD2. The instructions will be named
clntool.htm, where tool is an abbreviated tool name, e.g., clnicd2.htm.
If this does not work, or if you have a different Windows OS, follow the other manual
uninstall instructions listed in this document.

SIMPLE UNINSTALL METHOD

If the automatic method did not work or was not applicable, try this simple method
before using the complex method of uninstall.
First remove the reference to the USB device from the Device Manager. Then install
the correct Microchip USB device drivers.

© 2006 Microchip Technology Inc. DS51417C-page 1

Development Systems

Removing the Incorrect USB Drivers

At this time, the PC system should be booted up and idle. Also, the development tool
should be plugged into a PC USB port.
1. Right click (right mouse button) on the “My Computer” icon on the PC desktop.
Select “Properties” to bring up the System Properties dialog.
2. Open the Device Manager.
• For Windows 98/ME: Click on the Device Manager tab.
• For Windows 2000/XP: Click on the Hardware tab and then click on the
Device Manager button to open the Device Manager window.
3. Click on the “+” to expand either “Other Devices” or “Universal Serial Bus con-
trollers” and find a “?” with a yellow “!” or red “X” through it. It should say “USB
Device” or something similar.

Note: If unsure which device listed is the tool being used, unplug the tool and
see which one disappears. Then plug the tool back in to see it
reappear.

4. Click once on this device to select it, and then right click on this device and select
“Uninstall” from the drop-down menu. Click OK on the warning.

Note: DO NOT unplug the tool from the USB port at this time. Leave it
plugged in.

Installing the Correct USB Drivers

1. Go to Start on the menu bar, select “Settings”, and then the “Control Panel”.
2. In the Control Panel, double click on “Add/Remove Hardware”.
3. On the “Welcome” screen, click Next. Then click on the Add button and again
click Next.
4. At this point (after the system does some searching), it should say that it found
new hardware, i.e., the Add New Hardware wizard should appear.
5. Click Next on the Add New Hardware wizard. Then select the “Search” option
and again click Next.
6. Uncheck all the boxes and then check only the one that says “Specify a location”.
Click Next.
7. The opportunity will then be given to Browse. For the standard MPLAB IDE
install, find the following directory and click OK:
C:\Program Files\Microchip\MPLAB IDE\Tool\Drivers
where Tool = development tool (e.g., ICD2.)
8. Click Open. The wizard should say that it found a driver. Click Next.
9. Click Finish on the next screen. The wizard should say that it found the Firmware
Loader or Firmware Client, depending on which was missing.
10. Once this is done, a prompt may ask for an indication where the appropriate
.SYS file (ToolNameWinVersion.Sys) is located. Browse to the directory in
step 7, which contains that file. Then click Next or OK and follow any other
instructions until “Finished”.
11. Now, look in the “Device Manager” under either “Microchip Tools” or “Universal
Serial Bus controllers” and the “Microchip Toolname Firmware Client” should be
listed.

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 Uninstalling Incorrect USB Device Drivers

COMPLEX UNINSTALL METHOD

If the simple uninstall method did not fix the communications problem, the PC register
will have to be edited.
First, the registry file needs to be backed up, then the Windows default USB drivers
need to be uninstalled so that the correct Microchip tool USB drivers may be installed.

Backing Up the Registry

To back up the registry, administrative login privileges are necessary
(Windows 2000/XP) so that REGEDT32 (or REGEDIT) can be run.
1. From the PC desktop, select Start>Run and enter REGEDT32.

2. In REGEDT32, select File>Export (or Registry>Export Registry File) to open the

Export Register File dialog.
3. Find a location for the registry file. Then enter a File name. Ensure that “All” is
selected in the export settings. Click Save.

© 2006 Microchip Technology Inc. DS51417C-page 3

Development Systems

Removing the Incorrect USB Drivers

1. Unplug the tool from the USB port.
2. In REGEDT32 (or REGEDIT), go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE>SYSTEM>
CONTORLSET001>ENUM>USB. Highlight the following key, depending on the
tool being used:
• VID_04D8&PID_8000 – MPLAB ICD 2
• VID_04D8&PID_9000 – MPLAB ICE 4000
• VID_04D8&PID_9002 – MPLAB ICE 2000
• VID_04D8&PID_9004 – MPLAB REAL ICE™ In-Circuit Emulator
• VID_04D8&PID_a001 – MPLAB PM3

3. For Windows 2000/XP, the permissions will need to be changed before the key
can be deleted.
a) Right click on the key and select “Permissions” (or select Security>Permissions.)

DS51417C-page 4 © 2006 Microchip Technology Inc.

 Uninstalling Incorrect USB Device Drivers
b) In Permissions for the key, ensure that “Everyone” is selected to Full Control.

c) Ensure that the checkbox to allow inheritable permissions from parent to propa-
gate to this object is checked. This check box may be on the Advanced Security
Settings dialog (click the Advanced button) or may be on the main Permissions
dialog.

d) Click OK to set the new permissions.

© 2006 Microchip Technology Inc. DS51417C-page 5

Development Systems
4. Delete the highlighted key.
5. For some tools, an additional key needs to be removed. Highlight the following
key, depending on the tool being used:
• VID_04D8&PID_8001 – MPLAB ICD 2
• VID_04D8&PID_9001 – MPLAB ICE 4000
6. For Windows 2000/XP, repeat step 3.
7. Delete the highlighted key.
8. Select the keys from step 2 and step 5 from directories Controlsetnnn and
CurrentControlset, i.e., repeat steps 2-7 for Controlsetnnn and CurrentControlset
(where nnn is a number).
Under Win98, these keys may be located under different folders. All instances
of these keys must be removed from the registry.

9. Exit REGEDT32 and open Windows Explorer.

DS51417C-page 6 © 2006 Microchip Technology Inc.

 Uninstalling Incorrect USB Device Drivers
10. Go to Windows\INF (or Winnt\INF.) Use the File Search to search this
directory, and all subsequent subdirectories, for all .INF files that contain
reference to the following:
• The keys specified in step 2 and step 5

Delete these files.

Note: Keep track of the INF file names that are deleted, because the
corresponding files with PNF extensions will have to be deleted as well. For
example, if OEM26.INF is deleted, OEM26.PNF will also need to be
deleted, if it exists. PNF files are not text files and cannot be searched like
INF files.

Go to Windows\system32\drivers (or Winnt\system32\drivers) and delete

the ToolNameWinVersion*.Sys files, where ToolName = abbreviated name of the tool
and WinVersion = abbreviated name of Windows version. Under Windows XP,
WinVersion = 2k.
Example: For MPLAB ICD 2 on a Windows 2000 system:
• icd2w2k.sys
• icd2w2kL.sys
11. Reboot the system.

© 2006 Microchip Technology Inc. DS51417C-page 7

Development Systems

Installing the Correct USB Drivers

Before plugging in the tool to a USB port, check/do the following:
1. Install the latest MPLAB IDE so that the latest device drivers and INF file are in
the MPLAB IDE drivers subdirectory.
2. Install the latest service packs for the OS.
3. Ensure that the administrator mode is active, with all rights and privileges turned
on for the system and registry (Windows 2000/XP).
4. Disconnect from any networks.
Plug the tool being used into a USB port. This port should be one of the following:
• The primary USB port on the system.
• An add-in card, which acts like a motherboard USB port
• A powered hub
The Add New Hardware wizard should come up, the INF file should be accessible and
the loader and client drivers should come up OK.

WINDOWS 2000 INSTALLATION ISSUES

A patch on the Microsoft windows update site may help if you are experiencing a
problem with loading the MPLAB ICD 2 USB drivers. The patch is applicable to those
who have updated to Windows 2000 SP4. Here is the comment from Microsoft:
"Some driver installation programs don’t work on Windows 2000 (W2K) after you install
either Critical Update QFE 813044 or W2K Server SP4. The installation does not
succeed and you receive an incorrect error that no drivers are available for the device."
The patch can be found at:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=
en&familyid=7C896E82-4B50-44C8-A634-3227C0E71293

DS51417C-page 8 © 2006 Microchip Technology Inc.

Note the following details of the code protection feature on Microchip devices:
• Microchip products meet the specification contained in their particular Microchip Data Sheet.

• Microchip believes that its family of products is one of the most secure families of its kind on the market today, when used in the
intended manner and under normal conditions.

• There are dishonest and possibly illegal methods used to breach the code protection feature. All of these methods, to our
knowledge, require using the Microchip products in a manner outside the operating specifications contained in Microchip’s Data
Sheets. Most likely, the person doing so is engaged in theft of intellectual property.

• Microchip is willing to work with the customer who is concerned about the integrity of their code.

• Neither Microchip nor any other semiconductor manufacturer can guarantee the security of their code. Code protection does not
mean that we are guaranteeing the product as “unbreakable.”

Code protection is constantly evolving. We at Microchip are committed to continuously improving the code protection features of our
products. Attempts to break Microchip’s code protection feature may be a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. If such acts
allow unauthorized access to your software or other copyrighted work, you may have a right to sue for relief under that Act.

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© 2006 Microchip Technology Inc. DS51417B1-page 9

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