Using an arduino to burn a bootloader onto a atmega168

Using Arduino Microcontrollers
1

I'm following the instructions here http://arduino.cc/en/Tutorial/ArduinoToBreadboard to a tee but I'm getting the following error:
avrdude: stk500_getsync(): not in sync: resp=0x15
I see a lot of people have similar problems with this but I haven't run acrossed any solutions that don't involve a completely different method (like bitbang.) Does the method in the above tutorial work? Does this error look familiar?

Barring an easy solution to the above problem....While I ultimately will use this 168 on a breadboard, I do have two arduinos (a duemilanove and an uno) so I think I can burn the bootloader and program it initially using the two arduinos. However I see that there is a problem using an Uno for this- something to do with the optibootloader and a corresponding solution which I don't understand (optifix.) Ok so I have a duemilanove and an uno both fuctioning with 328s and bootloaders. I also have a fresh 168 without a bootloader. Presumably I want to take out one of the 328s, plug in my fresh 168, and use the other arduino to burn a bootloader. Is one way easier than the other (i.e. does one way-duemilanove to uno or uno to duemilanove avoid the problems with the optibootloader)? Big thanks for any help.

2

Have you disabled autoreset on your Arduino?

3

no I have not. I'll look into how to do that. Try it and see what happens.

4

Wait at what stage do I disable the autoreset? After I upload the arduinoisp sketch and before I hook up the target chip and burn the bootloader?

5

IT WORKED! Thanks! (So far) I unplugged the arduino, put a 120 ohm resistor between 5v and reset, and burned the bootloader and it seems to have competed the burn without problems. Now I need to test it out, but I definitely got further than I did before. Big thanks again.

6

I was having similar problems but disabling auto reset solved it. I snipped a pin of a DIL socket and put the 328 in that, then the socket in my Duemilanove, worked fine burning the bootloader onto a blank 328. I'll never need to buy a bootloaded chip again - they are much more expensive!