AVR-Chat

It's delivery day, and once again, my AVR tools have all decided to go nuts.
Anyone have any ideas for preventing this garbage?

I have two AVRISPs, an STK-500, an Atmel Jtag ice, and two Olimex Jtag Ices.

I have three M128 target systems in hand. Supposed to be identical.

One is running, the other two not.  The two that don't run are fresh 
builds, after getting to my goal with the first one.
I don't dare touch the one that's running until I can trust my tools again.

I've checked everything as best I can on the new systems,  The chips are 
the same date code, same 8.00 MHz crystals, same (proper value) caps, VCC 
is in tolerance (3.0V), /Reset is pulled up with 1k.  The oscillator is 
running a rail-to-rail sinewave of the right frequency, which at least 
confirms that the CKOPT fuse has been set.

All the programmers say that they can program and verify the chip 
successfully, and that all the fuses are set right. (including M103 fuse, 
CKOPT, WD, and BOD fuses)  Sometimes they fail to verify, or read wierd 
fuse values, but they are all in agreement at the moment that everything's 
fine.

All three Jtag ices agree that they can load the program, but cannot read 
the SRAM, registers, or anything else, and cannot run, or even single-step.

The programmed targets do not run, and apparently do not even run a little. 
The init code isn't even setting up the I/O ports, which is about the first 
thing that I do after qualifying the reset, and setting up the stack.

I've rebooted everything multiple times, no help

It happens on at least four different computers, running XP Pro, and '98, 
and with old and new studio, though USB serial ports and "legacy COM1" 
(note, these are high end industrial USB serial boxen, not the $20 junk)
These are real machines with other software installed, that I actually use.

Basically, anything studio drives will pack it up at random times, for some 
random duration.


I've had this happen any number of times, and it always "goes away" after a 
while, but I REALLY CAN"T AFFORD THIS SHIT ANYMORE. (anyone sensing a high 
level of frustration here?)

At this point, I feel like taking all my AVR tools out into the parking 
lot, making a pile of them, and pounding them into sand with a splitting maul.

I love the chips, but I really despise the tools.