Arduino Uno: Cannot Connect via USB

Development Tools IDE 1.x
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Hi, everyone. I just bought an Arduino Uno R3 last week and, straight out of the box, I haven't been able to connect to it. I'm going to explain the situation with the most detail that I can to make troubleshooting my problem is as painless as possible. I'm new to Arduino, so explaining things to me like I'm three years old would be preferable.

I purchased my Arduino from http://www.amazon.com/Arduino-UNO-board-DIP-ATmega328P/dp/B006H06TVG/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top. The seller at the time was "Mp3Car Store", which is listed as an Arduino distributor on the Arduino website. After opening the package, I verified that what I received was indeed the same item (Arduino Uno R3 ATmega328P-PU) listed on the site I bought it from. I downloaded and installed the Arduino 1.0.5 software onto my Windows 7 system, then connected the Uno to my computer with a USB cable.

Both the green "ON" and orange "L" LED's lit up and continued to stay lit as long as the board was plugged into the computer. Windows attempted to install the driver but failed, but, from what I read on the site (http://arduino.cc/en/Guide/Windows#toc4), that was to be expected. I followed the "Getting Started" instructions but noticed that, while the guide said I would see "Arduino UNO (COmxx)" in my device manager, I saw something different.

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I continued with the guide and attempted to manually install the driver by right-clicking the device, clicking "Update Driver Software...", selecting "Browse my computer for driver software", and pointing to the Arduino drivers folder.

Windows notified me that "Widows was unable to install your ATmega16u2 DFU". So I tried again, this time picking the option "Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer". I chose my device type as "Ports (COM & LPT)" and then selected the Arduino Uno option from the list of drivers.

...And got this message.

The Device Manager panel then looked like this.

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I tried a few different things to upload the Blink program from the Arduino software but nothing worked; "Arduino Uno" selected as board and Serial Port as COM1 (no other options) didn't work, and changing the properties of the Arduino Uno in the Device Manager to COM3 made the option to select a Serial Port in the software unavailable. To make sure it wasn't a fluke, I attempted the driver installation a couple more times, making sure to uninstall and delete the driver from the Device Manager each time, but I got the same result.

I did some research on Google and read about other similar problems people have had with their boards.Unfortunately, I could only find solutions that were either too far from my situation to help or involved physical changes to the board. I'd like to present my problem to the Arduino community to see if anything can be done before I attempt to do something I don't even understand or before I just return the board. Please help!

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This just look problem what I had with my arduino uno.

Problem might be with computer's front USB port. It gives too little power and arduino don't get connection up. Try other USB port (try them all), USB hub with power supply or other computer.

I got my arduino working when I used USB port in motherboard and it work also in other computer.My own PC front USB ports are lazy bastards. I used tree days to mess my Windows registry and drivers and also banging my head on Google.

Inform us, if this works, please.
Thanks advance.
Jafarin

PS Other similar problems with arduino and USB port/driver of arduino:
http://forum.arduino.cc/index.php?topic=218118.0
http://forum.arduino.cc/index.php?topic=218052.0
http://forum.arduino.cc/index.php?topic=217573.0

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i have the exact same problem described by chronofreak.
i also get no connection from either mac os x 10.9.1 or from a virtual_boxed win xp.
i can not confirm jafarin's hypothesis of underpowered usb ports (possibly because all my usb ports on all my computers are underpowered)

and i am confused by spycatcher's advice to reprogram the 16u2. the large long black beetle on my uno board is called an ATMEGA328P-PU, there is a small square black beetle with printing in 1pt font that my old eyes cannot make out, and nothing else on that board is called a 16u2.
in Arduino application's hardware subdirectory, there are

  • bootloaders for atmega_168
  • firmwares for atmegaxxu2 and wifishield
  • under the atmegaxx2usome hex files (where i cannot tell the difference from the filenames) and a readme file that says it is all ATmega8U. same readme also talks about two hex files but i find five.

i am a mere beginner with all this, and the apparent mismatch between documents and real life does nothing to inspire confidence. To make it all add up, i need to understand two things:

is there any confirmation from a second source that reprogramming the 16u2 (or some other numbered device) is the answer to my problem?
can someone please describe this reprogramming procedure in a style similar to chronofreak's original question?

many thanks,
mats

5

I have the same problem in a way. I am trying to connect from a macbook, it doesn't recognise that something is plugged into any usb drive. Trying on another computer hasn't worked. The board powers up & leds blink, but nothing happens. Trying to upload a sketch merely indicates the obvious. something to the effect of the board could not be found. Very frustrated, burnt 8 hours on this so far. Would greatly appreciate any help. Im that guy that when you follow the instructions, i quickly land up on screens that the instructions dont refer too, & get horribly lost. Am brand new to this, love the concept, but if you cannot actually swtich it on, then that is rather frustrating. Thanks in advance.