The K150 hardware relies heavily on a USB-to-Serial converter chip.
However, the transition from Windows XP and Windows 7 to broke compatibility for thousands of users. The original software and drivers were written in the early 2000s, using unsigned drivers and legacy APIs that modern Windows 10 (and 11) blocks by default.
Click the button first to clear any old data on the target chip.
The K150 is a popular, low-cost PIC programmer that supports various Microchip PIC microcontrollers from the 10, 12, 16, and 18 series. While widely used, setting it up on Windows 10 requires specific attention to drivers and software configuration. The primary software for the K150 is Microbrn.exe . k150 pic programmer software windows 10
Reopen and navigate back to Ports (COM & LPT) .
The K150 is a low-cost, USB-based In-Circuit Serial Programming (ICSP) tool, commonly sold as a kit or a fully assembled unit. It is primarily designed to program a wide range of 8-bit PIC microcontrollers, including many popular baseline and mid-range devices, through a built-in ZIF (Zero Insertion Force) socket or its 6-pin ICSP header. However, due to its aging hardware and software, it is by its manufacturer. Most listings state compatibility with Windows 98 through Windows 7, making Windows 10 a challenge that requires some ingenuity to overcome.
Expand the section. You will likely see a yellow warning triangle next to "Prolific USB-to-Serial Comm Port". Right-click the entry and choose Update driver . Click Browse my computer for drivers . The K150 hardware relies heavily on a USB-to-Serial
Given the K150's limitations, many developers opt for more modern and well-supported programmers on Windows 10.
Depending on what PIC you are programming, other software might work better with your K150 on Windows 10.
Expand . If you see a Prolific USB-to-Serial entry with a yellow warning triangle, right-click it and choose Uninstall device . Click the button first to clear any old
Today, Alex successfully programs PICs using the K150 on a Dell XPS running Windows 10 22H2. The secret was ditching the original software, using Zadig with libusb-win32, and switching to WinPIC800.
Research from hobbyist developers like David Pilling highlights a major technical hurdle: the K150 uses the .
Select .
If you want to troubleshoot a specific issue with your setup, please let me know:
This guide will help you install the driver, set up the software, and program your first chip. Step 1: Download the Required Software You need two pieces of software to use the K150 programmer.