External reset pin on MC9S08PA16 wont reset initially.

[Circlotron]

A board I make has a MC9S08PA16. The datasheet says paragraph 2.2.4 say "A low on the RESET pin forces the MCU to an known startup state." The thing is, the RESET pin has multiple functions - PORTA5, IRQ, TCLK0 and RESET and I'm not sure RESET is the default. If I power it up then do a reset from the programmer it tells me the MCU is not responding so I cycle the power, press ok and it is reset. From that point onward the programmer can reset it. What am I doing wrong. I'm using a P&E USB multilink thing. Not sure what version the programming software is, I'll have to wait till I get home. It does seem pretty buggy.

[m k]

Maybe your other reset is too fast and it's not a real reset but something like low power.
Or maybe your USB port is hibernating and waking up takes time.
Or maybe the controller needs a falling edge.