Getting Started - Downloading a Program

source:MicrocontrollerGettingStarted/BoardLayoutSmall.png

The following instructions demonstrate how to download the first program to your Microcontroller, and start it running.

Instructions

1. Save a program binary (.bin) to the mbed Microcontroller

HelloWorld_LPC1768.bin
For the older board used in the beta trials, use HelloWorld_LPC2368.bin

Save the program binary file to your mbed Microcontroller Disk, just like you would with a normal USB Disk. The Status LED will flicker as the PC writes the file to the Microcontroller Disk.

2. Press the Reset Button

When the Reset Button in pressed, the newest program on the mbed Microcontroller Disk will be loaded in to the Microcontroller FLASH memory. The Status LED will flash as this happens.

When the program is has been loaded onto the microcontroller, it will then start it running.

3. Hello World!

The Microcontroller is now running the program; flashing LED1 forever! If you reset the Microcontroller, or disconnect and reconnect the power, the program will simply restart.

4. To download an alternate program

It is the newest program on the mbed Microcontroller that is run after reset. We can therefore download a new program or overwrite an existing one to update the program that will run.

Where Next

Back to Handbook

Troubleshooting

Make sure you save the file to the mbed Microcontroller!

You can use your computer's file explorer to to check what is on the Microcontroller, as you would for a normal USB Disk
If the Status LED did not flash when saving to the Microcontroller, or after resetting the first time, you probably saved it elsewhere!
Some browsers default to saving files to your "Desktop", so this should be changed; see FAQ0004
Some Linux or old Mac PCs don't write data until you "Eject" the drive; see FAQ0006

Don't try and "Open" or "Run" the program files. Always "Save" them to the Microcontroller.

Some applications (e.g. VLC Media Player) recognise the .bin extension; ignore them!

Make sure you set it running!

Remember to reset the Microcontroller to start it running after you download a new program
If the binary downloads to the micro, but nothing happens, make sure you chose the correct board binary

When you unplug the Microcontroller, you may get a "Device Removal" error message; don't worry!

You can ignore this, but you can also use "Eject" (Mac) or "Safely Remove Hardware" (Windows) to avoid this if you want

If you have any problems, or think this tutorial could be improved, please tell us in the Forum!