An odd request

Forum 2005-2010 (read only) Hardware Troubleshooting
1

Ok, long post, bear with me, hopefully I'm clear.

I have an Arduino Diecimila (#1) which suddenly stopped accepting sketch uploads. Seriously. It running a sketch fine for quite some time. Two weeks later, I wanted to try something out, and then it would not accept a new sketch.

I have another Diecimila (#2) was "factory new". I also happen to have a blank Mega168.

I was trying to figure out why #1 stopped working, so I did the usual things, even going so far as re-program the bootloader, but it's just not accepting uploads. I took it to a different PC, and get with the same results on each machine: avrdude: stk500_disable(): protocol error, expect=0x14, resp=0x51

Now, I had the #2 Diecimila still in the wrapper and the blank Mega168 still on it's bed of antistat foam, both of them sitting around "just in case". So started to do the swap-a-roonie, starting by programming the Diecimila bootloader on that blank Mega168:

Step one: was just to verify that the #2 Diecimila was good. Which it is.

Step two: take the new Mega168 and place it into #2 Diecimila, make sure that the bootloader programmed fined. Which it is.

Step three: Take the processor out of the questionable #1 Diecimila and place it into the #2 known-good Diecimila. No good, and re-program the bootloader, just in case, but still no good.

Step four: Take one of the known-good processors (the fresh one and the one from the known-good #2 Diecimila) and place them both into the questionable #1 Diecimila. No good. I know that the bootloader is fine, because I just tested it in step one above.

So now I seem to be at the conclusion that both the processor and "something else" (probably the FTDI driver) on the questionable #1 Diecimila are hosed. It's driving me up the wall, and I'm skeptical that the two major components would decide to shit the bed at the same time (I'm pretty old-skool, always assume that the operator is at error). So I'd like to ask someone out there to help me test this thing. I'll send you the #1 Diecimila that just does not work, and you see what you can make of this.

2

What did you do with the now-broken (#1) Diecimila between the last time you uploaded a sketch to it and now?

3

I'm skeptical that the two major components would decide to nuts the bed at the same time

Unless you inadvertently did something like apply unregulated voltage to Vcc, thereby frying everything on the board that requires regulated +5V. DAMHIKT.

-j

4

What did you do with the now-broken (#1) Diecimila between the last time you uploaded a sketch to it and now?

I had a silly little random number generator running on it for quite some time (you can see it at Blog – Silent Q).

Some time later, I wanted to test something out, so I threw together a blank sketch (just empty setup and loop routines), but then it wouldn't upload. It was still connected to the USB port, where I had left it.

Yea, I know the standard answer is "I didn't do anything", but in this case, yea, I didn't. I had the amusing random number generator running, and it made me happy, so I left it there until I wanted to try something.

At this point, I tried a number of things, including bring it to another machine, reflashing the bootloader, verifying the fuses, finally ordering another Diecimila and Mega168 to see if it was me, my machine, or the Diecimila itself.

5

So no one is willing to be a second pair of eyes for me?

6

Last plea for help before I toss it out.

7

Last plea for help before I toss it out.

What country are you in mate?

I'm happy to plug it in for you, but I don't know much about Ardies, and I am in Oz. Other than that you can send it ot me if you want and I will plug it in and see if it works, but I think you probably need someone who is more knowledgeable than I.

8

Last plea for help before I toss it out.

What country are you in mate?

I'm happy to plug it in for you, but I don't know much about Ardies, and I am in Oz. Other than that you can send it ot me if you want and I will plug it in and see if it works, but I think you probably need someone who is more knowledgeable than I.

Thanks for the offer. I'm in the USA. I guess it would be better if someone had an STK500 or some other ISP device, can verify the fuses and programming, and see what if they're seeing the same thing when they plug it in. I've been up and down so long looking at this, and I've followed the hardware troubleshooting guide about 6 times. I'm sure we've all be at the point where we stare at the same thing so long, and within 5 seconds, someone else says "there's your problem".

9

Thanks for the offer. I'm in the USA. I guess it would be better if someone had an STK500 or some other ISP device, can verify the fuses and programming, and see what if they're seeing the same thing when they plug it in. I've been up and down so long looking at this, and I've followed the hardware troubleshooting guide about 6 times. I'm sure we've all be at the point where we stare at the same thing so long, and within 5 seconds, someone else says "there's your problem".

It would be a real shame to throw it out untested. Are there no electronicy type people in your area who might be able to test it for you? Maybe you could ask the vendor?

Sorry I can't be of more help.

10

It would be a real shame to throw it out untested. Are there no electronicy type people in your area who might be able to test it for you? Maybe you could ask the vendor?

Sorry I can't be of more help.

No need to apologize. I posted this about four weeks ago, but apparently there's not much interest. I'll just end up removing a few recyclable parts, like the USB connector (that's pretty useful) and tossing the rest.