alparent:
The problem with the "Uploading Using an Arduino Board" example, is that they don't tell you that you need a wire connecting the 2 reset pins.
Wow, I didn't even notice that. I didn't find those instructions until after I had it working so I assumed they had the reset lines conected. I would have mentioned it earlier if I had known, sorry. (This is still all pretty new to me.) I wonder why they show the reset lines when burning bootloaders, but don't show them for either of the uploadingsketch examples?
So it works without even using the crystal on the breadboard? Does it still run the sketch if you disconnect the UNO board entirely (with another power source)?