Error Message: avrdude: stk500_getsync(): not in sync: resp=0x00

I have been happily programming my Arduino Duemilanove boards for about a year now. Last week I started getting the following error message: "avrdude: stk500_getsync(): not in sync: resp=0x00" Figuring I had toasted the MCU I burned the bootloader into a new ATMega328 and popped it into the board. Same error. I bought new pre-burned chip from Adafruit Industries, a new board, tried those. Same error. Had been using the 022 release of the Arduino software, so I upgraded to the 1.0.3 version. Tried numerous cables, different known good usb ports on my computer, all to no avail. I am running Windows XP media edition on a gateway laptop with an AMD Athlon 64 cpu. Any suggestions?

http://arduino.cc/forum/index.php/topic,73748.0.html

...pass or fail?

Fail. I know the cords are good, and the usb ports work for other devices. What's up?? And thanks for the prompt reply!

peter

Do I need to re-install the FTDI drivers? Windows shut my machine down for a series of patches last week just before I began having this problem.

Certainly worth a try.

Didn't help. I will get a new USB2 cable tomorrow...or the next day. I have seen a few posts about this problem recently. Is it common?

Does the cable you have work with other USB devices?

Unknown. Don't use many type B connectors. Have some more in my lab-will try those tomorrow, and failing that, I will just purchase a new cable and check it out on my home laptop, and my programming computer at work. Thanks for all the suggestions. We often forget the fine art of troubleshooting right when we need it most!

I have now tried 3 Arduino Duemilanove boards on 3 different computers, 4 different USB cables (3 known good, one brand new), and 2 different versions of the software (022 and 1.0.3). WTF?? everything was working fine last week, now NOTHING works. Same errors each time, with each board. Help...please...

cyberbiota:
I have now tried 3 Arduino Duemilanove boards on 3 different computers, 4 different USB cables (3 known good, one brand new), and 2 different versions of the software (022 and 1.0.3). WTF?? everything was working fine last week, now NOTHING works. Same errors each time, with each board. Help...please...

Ok, you need to proceed in steps. First is to see if your USB drivers for the arduino boards is OK. So perform the "loop back test".

install a jumper wire from ground to reset on the board
install a jumper wire a from pin 0 to pin 1
Plug the board into the PC
does the PC acknowledge the USB connections?
If so open the arduino IDE, select the proper com port, open the serial monitor, then anything you type into the send window and press send should be echoed back in the receive window.
If that works check out each board using the same jumpers and rechecking for the proper com port number selection, and checking for proper loop back characters.

Report back your findings.

Lefty

Lefty-

Loopback test failed for all boards, on all computers.

cyberbiota:
Lefty-

Loopback test failed for all boards, on all computers.

Did the PC acknowledge the boards being plugged into the PC USB port?

Does the arduino IDE show a added com port number after plugging in any board then it listed before plugging in the boards?

Lefty

cyberbiota:
Lefty-

Loopback test failed for all boards, on all computers.

Cyberbiota,

Be sure you are doing it correctly.

I have vested interest in what happens.

I am having VERY SIMILAR problems to you.

Though my boards pass the loopback test.

Just to be sure:
With the board unplugged jumper 0 to 1 and jumper RESET to ground. (Sorry can't give pin numbers on the last two)
On the PC, load your IDE (or terminal program).
Plug the board into the USB and then set the com port and start typing.
You should see what you type come back to you and you should also see the LEDs on the Arduino flash.

Cyberbiota,
You say you have duemilenova and you bought a burned AVR.
Have you tried those with UNO as board in the IDE?
I upgraded my boatloaders on my duemilenova's and now I need to select UNO for it to work.

Best regards
Jantje

First- many thanks to all for your help. The problem was that my computer was putting the Arduino on virtual port 15, but the software saw it on port 6. I'm still not sure why this happened, but manually setting the software to port 15 solved the problem. I blame Windows.