VCDS 17.1.3 Can Not Ready: Troubleshooting and Firmware Backup

The “Vcds 17.1.3 Can Not Ready” error can be frustrating when trying to diagnose your vehicle. This issue often stems from communication problems between the VCDS software and the vehicle’s control modules. Before attempting any fixes, backing up your existing firmware is crucial. This guide provides a step-by-step process for backing up and restoring your ATmega microcontroller’s firmware using a USBASP programmer, a critical precaution before experimenting with firmware modifications. This process can also be helpful when troubleshooting connectivity issues with VCDS 17.1.3.

Backing Up Your ATmega Firmware with USBASP

Creating a backup ensures you can revert to a working state if something goes wrong during firmware updates or experiments. You’ll need:

• USBASP Programmer: A hardware device to interface with the microcontroller.
• Avrdude: A command-line utility for programming AVR microcontrollers.
• LibUSB0.dll: A driver enabling communication between Avrdude and the USBASP programmer.
• Command Prompt (Windows): Used to execute Avrdude commands.

Follow these steps to back up your firmware:

1. Download and Extract Avrdude: Download the latest Avrdude zip archive for Windows from the official GNU Savannah website. Extract the contents to a convenient location.

2. Obtain LibUSB0.dll: Download the 32-bit version of libusb0.dll and place it in the same folder where you extracted Avrdude.

3. Open Command Prompt: Navigate to the Avrdude directory using the cd command in the Command Prompt. You can quickly paste the path by right-clicking in the Command Prompt window after typing cd.

4. Execute Backup Commands: Use the following Avrdude commands to create backup files for different memory sections of your ATmega microcontroller (replace com5 and m162 if necessary based on your USBASP programmer COM port and microcontroller model. Consult your programmer’s documentation for specific commands if you are unsure):

 avrdude -c usbasp -P com5 -p m162 -b 19200 -U flash:r:backup_flash.bin:r
 avrdude -c usbasp -P com5 -p m162 -b 19200 -U eeprom:r:backup_eeprom.bin:r
 avrdude -c usbasp -P com5 -p m162 -b 19200 -U hfuse:r:backup_hfuse.bin:r
 avrdude -c usbasp -P com5 -p m162 -b 19200 -U lfuse:r:backup_lfuse.bin:r
 avrdude -c usbasp -P com5 -p m162 -b 19200 -U efuse:r:backup_efuse.bin:r
 avrdude -c usbasp -P com5 -p m162 -b 19200 -U lock:r:backup_lockbits.bin:r

5. Verify Backup: Successful execution of each command will display output similar to “605156605156” indicating successful reading of memory location and successful write to the file on your PC. The backup files will be saved in the Avrdude directory.

Restoring Your ATmega Firmware

To restore your backup, use the same commands as above, but replace :r: (read) with :w: (write) before the filenames. For example, to restore the flash memory, use:

avrdude -c usbasp -P com5 -p m162 -b 19200 -U flash:w:backup_flash.bin:r

Enabling the Bootloader

To enable the bootloader, you need to flash it with the appropriate firmware for your specific ATmega chip. Refer to resources like “kolimer’s firmware” for suitable firmware files and flashing instructions. Ensure you select the correct firmware version (e.g., 0x44 or 0x46) that matches your hardware. Your ATmega chip should have proper power and ground connections before attempting to flash the bootloader. Double-check your wiring diagram for accuracy.

This backup and restore process is essential for anyone working with ATmega microcontrollers and VCDS. Always back up your firmware before making any changes to avoid potential issues. While this guide doesn’t directly solve the “VCDS 17.1.3 Can Not Ready” error, ensuring your firmware is correctly installed and backed up is a crucial first step in troubleshooting connectivity problems.