I switched the TX/RX connections, but it still doesn't install Arduino drivers.
There's also some flukey nonsense with Minis about having to do a reset before downloading a sketch and getting the timing exactly right.
Got these errors on attempting to download "Blink":
Arduino: 1.8.5 (Windows 7), Board: "Arduino Mini, ATmega328P"
C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\arduino-builder -dump-prefs -logger=machine -hardware C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware -tools C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\tools-builder -tools C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr -built-in-libraries C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\libraries -libraries C:\Users\ANONYMOUS\Documents\Arduino\libraries -fqbn=arduino:avr:mini:cpu=atmega328 -ide-version=10805 -build-path C:\Users\ANONYM~1\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_422975 -warnings=none -build-cache C:\Users\ANONYM~1\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_cache_632832 -prefs=build.warn_data_percentage=75 -prefs=runtime.tools.arduinoOTA.path=C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr -prefs=runtime.tools.avrdude.path=C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr -prefs=runtime.tools.avr-gcc.path=C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr -verbose C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\examples\01.Basics\Blink\Blink.ino
C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\arduino-builder -compile -logger=machine -hardware C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware -tools C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\tools-builder -tools C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr -built-in-libraries C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\libraries -libraries C:\Users\ANONYMOUS\Documents\Arduino\libraries -fqbn=arduino:avr:mini:cpu=atmega328 -ide-version=10805 -build-path C:\Users\ANONYM~1\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_422975 -warnings=none -build-cache C:\Users\ANONYM~1\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_cache_632832 -prefs=build.warn_data_percentage=75 -prefs=runtime.tools.arduinoOTA.path=C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr -prefs=runtime.tools.avrdude.path=C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr -prefs=runtime.tools.avr-gcc.path=C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr -verbose C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\examples\01.Basics\Blink\Blink.ino
Using board 'mini' from platform in folder: C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\arduino\avr
Using core 'arduino' from platform in folder: C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\arduino\avr
Detecting libraries used...
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr/bin/avr-g++" -c -g -Os -w -std=gnu++11 -fpermissive -fno-exceptions -ffunction-sections -fdata-sections -fno-threadsafe-statics -flto -w -x c++ -E -CC -mmcu=atmega328p -DF_CPU=16000000L -DARDUINO=10805 -DARDUINO_AVR_MINI -DARDUINO_ARCH_AVR "-IC:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\arduino\avr\cores\arduino" "-IC:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\arduino\avr\variants\eightanaloginputs" "C:\Users\ANONYM~1\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_422975\sketch\Blink.ino.cpp" -o "nul"
Generating function prototypes...
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr/bin/avr-g++" -c -g -Os -w -std=gnu++11 -fpermissive -fno-exceptions -ffunction-sections -fdata-sections -fno-threadsafe-statics -flto -w -x c++ -E -CC -mmcu=atmega328p -DF_CPU=16000000L -DARDUINO=10805 -DARDUINO_AVR_MINI -DARDUINO_ARCH_AVR "-IC:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\arduino\avr\cores\arduino" "-IC:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\arduino\avr\variants\eightanaloginputs" "C:\Users\ANONYM~1\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_422975\sketch\Blink.ino.cpp" -o "C:\Users\ANONYM~1\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_422975\preproc\ctags_target_for_gcc_minus_e.cpp"
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\tools-builder\ctags\5.8-arduino11/ctags" -u --language-force=c++ -f - --c++-kinds=svpf --fields=KSTtzns --line-directives "C:\Users\ANONYM~1\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_422975\preproc\ctags_target_for_gcc_minus_e.cpp"
Compiling sketch...
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr/bin/avr-g++" -c -g -Os -w -std=gnu++11 -fpermissive -fno-exceptions -ffunction-sections -fdata-sections -fno-threadsafe-statics -MMD -flto -mmcu=atmega328p -DF_CPU=16000000L -DARDUINO=10805 -DARDUINO_AVR_MINI -DARDUINO_ARCH_AVR "-IC:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\arduino\avr\cores\arduino" "-IC:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\arduino\avr\variants\eightanaloginputs" "C:\Users\ANONYM~1\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_422975\sketch\Blink.ino.cpp" -o "C:\Users\ANONYM~1\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_422975\sketch\Blink.ino.cpp.o"
Compiling libraries...
Compiling core...
Using precompiled core
Linking everything together...
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr/bin/avr-gcc" -w -Os -g -flto -fuse-linker-plugin -Wl,--gc-sections -mmcu=atmega328p -o "C:\Users\ANONYM~1\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_422975/Blink.ino.elf" "C:\Users\ANONYM~1\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_422975\sketch\Blink.ino.cpp.o" "C:\Users\ANONYM~1\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_422975/..\arduino_cache_632832\core\core_arduino_avr_mini_cpu_atmega328_0c812875ac70eb4a9b385d8fb077f54c.a" "-LC:\Users\ANONYM~1\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_422975" -lm
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr/bin/avr-objcopy" -O ihex -j .eeprom --set-section-flags=.eeprom=alloc,load --no-change-warnings --change-section-lma .eeprom=0 "C:\Users\ANONYM~1\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_422975/Blink.ino.elf" "C:\Users\ANONYM~1\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_422975/Blink.ino.eep"
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr/bin/avr-objcopy" -O ihex -R .eeprom "C:\Users\ANONYM~1\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_422975/Blink.ino.elf" "C:\Users\ANONYM~1\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_422975/Blink.ino.hex"
Sketch uses 928 bytes (3%) of program storage space. Maximum is 28672 bytes.
Global variables use 9 bytes (0%) of dynamic memory, leaving 2039 bytes for local variables. Maximum is 2048 bytes.
avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 1 of 10: not in sync: resp=0x36
avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 2 of 10: not in sync: resp=0x36
avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 3 of 10: not in sync: resp=0x36
avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 4 of 10: not in sync: resp=0x36
avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 5 of 10: not in sync: resp=0x36
avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 6 of 10: not in sync: resp=0x36
avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 7 of 10: not in sync: resp=0x36
avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 8 of 10: not in sync: resp=0x36
avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 9 of 10: not in sync: resp=0x36
avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 10 of 10: not in sync: resp=0x36
Problem uploading to board. See http://www.arduino.cc/en/Guide/Troubleshooting#upload for suggestions.