China Mega 2560

board with an Atmel 8U FTDI Chip... Which driver to use?. I own a "Legal" Genuine Arduino Uno, Not A Clone and the board works well. An Acquaintance in Shenzhen sent me the Mega "Free" it seems to be ok, running the 'Blink' sketch, already loaded and I would REALLY like to move up to the Mega. Can You Help? I really hate to write the guy and tell him that "It doesn't Work". When I first plugged it in my computer (X86 w/ Win 7) the board/computer wanted to install CP2102 Drivers. The strange thing is that I have 2102 drivers installed already, I think. Which driver is used? or did I miss it in looking at the guide?

Doc

Your message is loaded with confusing information.

An "Atmel 8U FTDI Chip" doesn't exist. So in your post(s), you said your board has three different serial-to-usb chips:

  1. ATmega (Atmel) 8U2
  2. FTDI (assuming you are referring to the FT232)
  3. CP2102 (from Silicon Labs)

All three of these work different, are from different manufacturers, and have different driver requirements. A suggestion for which driver can't be given until you clearly identify which Serial-to-USB chip is being used in the clone board.

At least I thought you were asking about a clone board...

I own a "Legal" Genuine Arduino Uno, Not A Clone and the board works well. An Acquaintance in Shenzhen sent me the Mega "Free" it seems to be ok, running the 'Blink' sketch, already loaded and I would REALLY like to move up to the Mega.

Again you are mixing things. The topic of the post is "China Mega 2560". Here you mention a legal(?) Uno. And then something called a Mega "Free". Which board are you asking about? If it isn't the Genuine Uno (it uses an ATmega 8U2), then how would anyone here know? If your Uno works but the clone doesn't, that implies the clone does not have a ATmega 8U2.

Please excuse me I am a 66 year old man with some handicaps one is my apparent lack of intelligence. Forgive me, I will ask somewhere else as it isn't a real Mega... although I thought at the time that a "Running Description" of what happened and what I observed was all I needed. I did mention a Uno but only to point out that I had a few clues... and after reading the response I am not so sure of it... as I understand it the ATMEL 8U chip is "Programmed" to be an FTDI CHIP so in my very poor understanding the 8U chip is for all purposes the FTDI (read usb interface chip) and as to 8U yes I did look at the chip before I posted my totally incorrect question and if you have moderator privileges then by ALL MEANS PULL MY MOST incorrect question... Please. I am so sorry I asked for help here this is not the place for idiots like my who can't speak the language well enough to be understood.

Never mind how old you are, we are just asking for clarification. You can edit your own posts by the way.

Can you post a picture of this Mega board? It is a bit unclear what the board is, and the exact problem you are having.

Are there error messages? Can you post them?

I guess I have another clone Uno board because IT DOES HAVE A 16U??? chip on it. I must be really confused.

Nick What I have is an Arduino Mega clone. With some minor differences in the silk screen it looks exactly like a Mega. When I plugged it in the LED on pin 13 started blinking so I said cool, then all went downhill. I had a sketch that would execute on the mega to try out. It was then that I noticed that my computer was trying to load a driver for a CP2102 interface chip and after trying to point the computer to the windows Arduino USB driver installation and having no success I decided to ask the forum. I got upset with the Master Engineer who proceeded to take from 3 different sentences, information with a common thread and ask me if I understood what I was doing (or at least that was what I took out of it). I am very sorry that I made the mistake of asking for help and if you could please pull the topic, I can't or I would have done so when I read the response to my poor post. I mentioned handicaps because it is hard for me to type and I thought that was the reason that I got that uniquely helpful response. IMO

Doc

You are taking my comments completely out of context. It's perfectly okay (maybe even desired?) to respond with: "I don't know what that means" or "that confuses me more."

Can you do as Nick suggests? Take a clear picture of the board. Either with a camera's macro setting or by placing it on a flat bed scanner. Once you have an image file, click on "additional options" and attach it.

Docedison:
I guess I have another clone Uno board because IT DOES HAVE A 16U??? chip on it. I must be really confused.

You have better eyes than mine if you can see the writing on the chip ... I'm old too. :wink:

I can see it with the camera:

This is a genuine Uno, so if you have something like that, it may not be a clone.

The genuine Unos have started using the Atmega16U2 (the Rev 3 boards).

I am very sorry that I made the mistake of asking for help and if you could please pull the topic ...

Let's all try to stay calm and solve it, huh?

My eyes are as bad as yours, I use my Swiss Army kinfe's magnifier to read the chip. I could see the Atmel logo before I powered the device up, so I looked at the chip closely before I put power to the board as I like my Uno and I like my computer... I am careful and conservative to a fault at times. I was so hoping it would work. I read another post about 8U ver 01 firmware and the DFU reference you posted... might that be the issue?. Perhaps mentioning the Uno was out of place but I did it to illustrate that I did have my software installed and configured properly... I did change the board type in the IDE (Ver 1.0) before I powered up the chip. Should I scrap the board and buy a real one?. I can't afford one and hoped I could use the "Gift". If I had ever addressed any of the engineers that I worked for or those that worked for me I would have been terminated for cause.

Doc

Again... IF I could have captured a meaningful image I would have done so at the start. My camera is a fixed focus (read pinhole shutter) camera in my cell phone. I have no wish to waste others time and I really have no time for those who do. If I sound angry well nobody said I had to be sane to post here. IMO

Doc

Since you have more than one board, how about using the sketch I describe here? ...

With your "good" Uno you can work out the signature of your Mega, the fuses, the MD5 sum of the bootloader (if any) and so on.

Thank You Nick I will.

Doc

The Uno (the board used for testing) reports ATMega chip detector. and nothing else except the pin 13 light on the board being tested blinks rapidly. When I press the reset on the test board, the message repeats. I don't have a cable like yours or the connectors to make one, so I used the jumper wires like in the drawing test board 10 to reset(DUT) 11 to 11(DUT) 12 to 12(DUT) and 13 to 13(DUT)...
Do I have a pretty piece of junk of is it possible to re-flash the target board (Mega)???.

If you have a Mega those are the wrong pins. You have to read the page carefully.

Arduino Uno      Target Mega2560

D10 (SS)            Reset
D11 (MOSI)          D51
D12 (MISO)          D50
D13 (SCK)           D52

Gnd                 Gnd
+5V                 +5V

Nick after I did it right... this was the result...

Atmega chip detector.
Entered programming mode OK.
Signature = 1E 98 01
Processor = ATmega2560
Flash memory size = 262144
LFuse = FF
HFuse = D8
EFuse = FD
Lock byte = FF
Clock calibration = 83
Bootloader in use: Yes
EEPROM preserved through erase: No
Watchdog timer always on: No
Bootloader is 8192 bytes starting at 3E000

Bootloader:

3E000: 0D 94 F6 F2 0D 94 1F F3 0D 94 1F F3 0D 94 1F F3
3E010: 0D 94 1F F3 0D 94 1F F3 0D 94 1F F3 0D 94 1F F3
3E020: 0D 94 1F F3 0D 94 1F F3 0D 94 1F F3 0D 94 1F F3
3E030: 0D 94 1F F3 0D 94 1F F3 0D 94 1F F3 0D 94 1F F3
3E040: 0D 94 1F F3 0D 94 1F F3 0D 94 1F F3 0D 94 1F F3
3E050: 0D 94 1F F3 0D 94 1F F3 0D 94 1F F3 0D 94 1F F3
3E060: 0D 94 1F F3 0D 94 1F F3 0D 94 1F F3 0D 94 1F F3
3E070: 0D 94 1F F3 0D 94 1F F3 0D 94 1F F3 0D 94 1F F3
3E080: 0D 94 1F F3 0D 94 1F F3 0D 94 1F F3 0D 94 1F F3
3E090: 0D 94 1F F3 0D 94 1F F3 0D 94 1F F3 0D 94 1F F3
3E0A0: 0D 94 1F F3 0D 94 1F F3 0D 94 1F F3 0D 94 1F F3
3E0B0: 0D 94 1F F3 0D 94 1F F3 0D 94 1F F3 0D 94 1F F3
3E0C0: 0D 94 1F F3 0D 94 1F F3 0D 94 1F F3 0D 94 1F F3
3E0D0: 0D 94 1F F3 0D 94 1F F3 0D 94 1F F3 0D 94 1F F3
3E0E0: 0D 94 1F F3 41 54 6D 65 67 61 32 35 36 30 00 41
3E0F0: 72 64 75 69 6E 6F 20 65 78 70 6C 6F 72 65 72 20
3E100: 73 74 6B 35 30 30 56 32 20 62 79 20 4D 4C 53 00
3E110: 42 6F 6F 74 6C 6F 61 64 65 72 3E 00 48 75 68 3F

What was the MD5 sum of the bootloader?

I have to say at this stage that things look promising. After all, the board reports a signature.

Nick please accept my apologies for my earlier behavior. The bootloader checksum is as follows <MD5 sum of bootloader = B9 49 93 09 49 1A 64 6E CD 58 47 89 C2 D8 A4 6C > there is aa sketch running and If I can get around the input, directly to the chip, that,s no real issue as I have the FTDI232 chip in s semi usable (SMT) format and wiring past the 8U is no issue. How difficult is it to re program the 8U? I bought one of those cheep avr programmers but it will be a week more in getting here. At this point I feel that I have a small issue with the USB comm link. It is about15 mins after 4 AM and I have to go to sleep for a while, Us Geezers don't need that much sleep so I'll be back in probably 4 or 5 hours. and, Nick Thank You a lot, really.

Doc

Docedison:
It is about15 mins after 4 AM and I have to go to sleep for a while, Us Geezers don't need that much sleep so I'll be back in probably 4 or 5 hours.

Yes, well I'll be asleep too, more or less. :slight_smile:

Docedison:
The bootloader checksum is as follows <MD5 sum of bootloader = B9 49 93 09 49 1A 64 6E CD 58 47 89 C2 D8 A4 6C >

Which happens to exactly agree with mine:

Atmega chip detector.
Entered programming mode OK.
Signature = 1E 98 01 
Processor = ATmega2560
Flash memory size = 262144
LFuse = FF 
HFuse = D8 
EFuse = FD 
Lock byte = FF 
Bootloader in use: Yes
EEPROM preserved through erase: No
Watchdog timer always on: No
Bootloader is 8192 bytes starting at 3E000

Bootloader:

3E000: 0D 94 89 F1 0D 94 B2 F1 0D 94 B2 F1 0D 94 B2 F1 
3E010: 0D 94 B2 F1 0D 94 B2 F1 0D 94 B2 F1 0D 94 B2 F1 
...
3FFD0: FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 
3FFE0: FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 
3FFF0: FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 

MD5 sum of bootloader = B9 49 93 09 49 1A 64 6E CD 58 47 89 C2 D8 A4 6C