Microprocessor?

[bostonflunkie]

How do you trouble shoot a microprocessor? As far as I can tell, you
can not, if there is really something wrong with it. I mean you can
rule out if all the devices that are talking with uP are working, or
you can reprogram it if the codes are messed up
Please answer. Thanks.

 

[eddumokweer]

You can check the basic's, so are all voltages around the microprocessor ok
(5 Volt), is the resetline ok (high or low active), does the oscillator
works.
If the microprocessor send for example i2c signals, is the clocksignal
working and the data.
You can also check if outputs are at logic level and look at inputs if the
reach the microprocessor

Greetings Peter

 

[Pieter Hoeben]

How do you trouble shoot a microprocessor?
I have a logic analyser. I can check and log all digital data. Just
compare it with the datasheet, and you can easily find the problem.

I mean you can
rule out if all the devices that are talking with uP are working, or
you can reprogram it if the codes are messed up

There can be anything wrong around the analyser, but the older parts
are easy to measure with an analyser. When programmable parts like
PLD's are used, it gets more difficult as you do not know what they
should do.

Kind regards,

Pieter Hoeben