I'm having difficulty loading the blinking template to my Arduino uno

It think this is the main issue.
User configuration file does not exist or is not a regular file, skipping

I've tried a lot of solutions which I found through searching my issue and none of them have worked.

1. First I tried unplugging it and plugging it back in.
2. Then I tried updating my software from .22 to 1.0.1 then back down to 1.0
3. I tried a long complicated process of updating my arduino firmware two different ways.
4. I've tried pushing the reset button 20 different ways 20 different times.
5. I updated my USB drivers using FTDI's updates.
6. I've recreated this on 2 different macs.
7. I upgraded to lion, to see if that made a difference.
8. I purchased a new arduino uno and it still doesn't work

I was able to upload sketches a few months ago.
Now I have the parts I need and I'm ready do some fun projects.
Here's the error below

Binary sketch size: 1026 bytes (of a 32256 byte maximum)
/Users/neal/Downloads/Arduino-1.app/Contents/Resources/Java/hardware/tools/avr/bin/avrdude -C/Users/neal/Downloads/Arduino-1.app/Contents/Resources/Java/hardware/tools/avr/etc/avrdude.conf -v -v -v -v -patmega328p -carduino -P/dev/cu.usbmodem431 -b115200 -D -Uflash:w:/var/folders/7l/l7qms65j7lqgq95x9k6ndd9w0000gn/T/build3316293182111486247.tmp/basic_blink.cpp.hex:i

avrdude: Version 5.11, compiled on Sep 2 2011 at 18:52:52
Copyright (c) 2000-2005 Brian Dean, http://www.bdmicro.com/
Copyright (c) 2007-2009 Joerg Wunsch

System wide configuration file is "/Users/neal/Downloads/Arduino-1.app/Contents/Resources/Java/hardware/tools/avr/etc/avrdude.conf"
User configuration file is "/Users/neal/.avrduderc"
User configuration file does not exist or is not a regular file, skipping

Using Port : /dev/cu.usbmodem431
Using Programmer : arduino
Overriding Baud Rate : 115200
avrdude: Send: 0 [30] [20]
avrdude: Send: 0 [30] [20]
avrdude: Send: 0 [30] [20]
avrdude: ser_recv(): programmer is not responding
avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding

avrdude done. Thank you.

Try the "tty.usbmodem431" name in the serial port list. I'm not sure why two names show up for the same port but I use the 'tty' name.

Rename your Arduino app bundle from "Arduino-1" to just "Arduino" or "Arduino 1".

So I've taken your suggestions, but I haven't made any progress yet.
Here's the latest error.
Binary sketch size: 1,076 bytes (of a 32,256 byte maximum)
/Applications/Arduino.app/Contents/Resources/Java/hardware/tools/avr/bin/avrdude -C/Applications/Arduino.app/Contents/Resources/Java/hardware/tools/avr/etc/avrdude.conf -v -v -v -v -patmega328p -carduino -P/dev/tty.usbmodem431 -b115200 -D -Uflash:w:/var/folders/7l/l7qms65j7lqgq95x9k6ndd9w0000gn/T/build2288264899857103370.tmp/basic_blink.cpp.hex:i

avrdude: Version 5.11, compiled on Sep 2 2011 at 18:52:52
Copyright (c) 2000-2005 Brian Dean, http://www.bdmicro.com/
Copyright (c) 2007-2009 Joerg Wunsch

System wide configuration file is "/Applications/Arduino.app/Contents/Resources/Java/hardware/tools/avr/etc/avrdude.conf"
User configuration file is "/Users/neal/.avrduderc"
User configuration file does not exist or is not a regular file, skipping

Using Port : /dev/tty.usbmodem431
Using Programmer : arduino
Overriding Baud Rate : 115200
avrdude: Send: 0 [30] [20]
avrdude: Send: 0 [30] [20]
avrdude: Send: 0 [30] [20]
avrdude: ser_recv(): programmer is not responding
avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding

avrdude done. Thank you.

Open Terminal and delete the file it is complaining about:

"rm /Users/neal/.avrduderc"

Well it's saying the .avrduderc file is missing. I can create that file, but unless it's a blank file, it complains about formatting. There doesn't seem to be very much documentation about what the contents of that file should be.

Oh, I just re-read your entire output. That message has nothing to do with your problem. avrdude doesn't use it.

You are getting the common "out of sync" error.

What kind of Arduino do you have and where did you buy it?

Well I have two arduinos. THey're both unos. I forget where I bought the first one as it was almost a year ago. But that's the standard issue one.
The second Arduino is the R3 model and I bought that at radioshack. They're both giving me the same problem.

Don't mess with the FTDI drivers anymore. They don't hurt or help the Uno. (It doesn't have a FTDI chip.)

Don't connect through a hub.

Quit the IDE, disconnect the Arduino, restart the IDE. Does the same serial port still show up in the serial port list (it shouldn't).

Well it's interesting. The standard issue uno shows up as dev/tty.usbmodem431 every time
and the uno r3 just doesn't show up at all in the serial list.

So the original uno will show up as usbmodem641 if I plug it into a different physical port.

Plug in the R3.

Run "System Information" found inside of Applications -> Utilities

Click on USB. See if anything there is listed as Arduino or ATmega16u2. If you're comfortable, maybe screenshot it (CMD-SHIFT-4 then SPACE then click on the window, saved to desktop) to show what shows up.

Screen shot attached.

Screen Shot 2012-09-01 at 8.58.21 PM.png921×887 99.7 KB

Looks like the ATmega8u2 (or 16u2) on the other Uno stopped enumerating.

So what does that mean I should do?

This is what my original arduino displays in the mac diagnostics.

Screen Shot 2012-09-02 at 12.01.39 AM.png921×887 83.4 KB

You can refresh the firmware on the 8u2. Google for "Arduino DFU". DFU stands for Direct Firmware Update or something like that. That's how you write to the 8u2 flash memory via USB.

When I try to reset the 16u2 on the arduino R3 it sends a messages from the dfu-programmer that says device not present.
I even tried reinstalling the dfu-programmer with some patch to help it recognize the uno r3. As described on this post.

But nothing seems to work.

Seems like the Arduino uno is cursed issues. Is there different model I should look into buying or maybe move to a different micro controller?

boomrollkick:
Seems like the Arduino uno is cursed issues. Is there different model I should look into buying or maybe move to a different micro controller?

I have like ten arduinos working since 2-3 year ago, none shown any problem ever (besides a duemillanove I burned with too much voltage, but then fixed replacing the ftdi), my previous experience was only with PIC, and that one was a bad experience (haha so I will never trust microchip again, even when they sell that chipkit something compatible with arduino).

You say "dfu-programmer that says device not present.", so (I don't know how devices show up on mac) your arduino is not in dfu mode yet.