Hi, I have a arduino uno clone from sparkfun called REDBOARD. I tried uploading the blink sketch and it doesn't work. This is what the error message says:
Error downloading https://downloads.arduino.cc/packages/package_index.json
Sketch uses 924 bytes (2%) of program storage space. Maximum is 32256 bytes.
Global variables use 9 bytes (0%) of dynamic memory, leaving 2039 bytes for local variables. Maximum is 2048 bytes.
An error occurred while uploading the sketch
avrdude: ser_open(): can't open device "\.\COM6": The system cannot find the file specified.
Hi @robotmanie. Do you see COM6 listed in the Arduino IDE Tools > Port menu?
Are you using a Redboard or a Redboard QWIIC?
The Redboard uses a FTDI adapter for communication with the PC in which case it is advised to close the serial monitor; it is probably not the cause of the current problem but it will be once your board is properly recognised if you're using IDE 2.x.
The Redboard QWIIC uses a CH340.
Well, down at the bottom right corner it says "arduino uno on com 6, but on the ports menu there is only com3.
I am not sure which type this is. It does have a chip beside the usb plug that has (above the numbers and in bigger letters) FTDI. Does that mean something? A friend gave me this board so I don't have the datasheet.
This is the cause of the error. The message at the bottom right corner of the Arduino IDE window only tells you the name of the port you have selected in the IDE, which could be a port that doesn't exist on your computer any more. The Tools > Port menu lists the ports that are actually present on your computer.
Please perform this experiment to determine whether COM3 is the port of your Uno clone board:
- Unplug the USB cable of your Arduino board from the computer.
- Select Tools > Port from the Arduino IDE menus.
- Note the ports, if any, listed in the menu.
- Close the Tools menu.
The ports list is only updated when the Tools menu is re-opened, so this step is essential. - Plug the USB cable of your Arduino board into the computer.
- Select Tools > Port from the Arduino IDE menus. - If a new port is listed in the menu, that is the port of your Arduino board.
If you are able to identify a port for your board by performing that experiment, simply select that port from the Tools > Port menu and you should then be able to upload successfully.
If no new port appears after you plug the Arduino board into your computer, add a reply here to let us know and we'll help you to investigate the problem.
Thanks for your help. I followed your instructions carefully. In step 3, com3 appeared. In step 6 there was no difference. I have noticed that when I connect my arduino uno/genuino, the com6 does appear in the ports menu. Thanks
OK, so this tells us that COM3 is not the port of your REDBOARD. We need to find out why no port is being generated for your REDBOARD. Please try this procedure to troubleshoot the problem:
- Open the Windows Device Manager.
- Select View > Devices by type from the Device Manager menus.
- Open the "View" menu.
- If there is a ✓ to the left of the "Show hidden devices" menu item, click on "Show hidden devices" to disable it.
- Unplug the USB cable of your Arduino board from your computer if it is currently connected.
- Take note of the contents of the "Other devices" and "Ports (COM & LPT)" sections of the Device Manager tree.
- Plug the USB cable of your Arduino board into your computer.
- Select Action > Scan for hardware changes" from the Device Manager menus.
Did you see any new device appear in the Device Manager tree after doing this? If so, please tell us where it is located in the tree and what it is named.
You can repeat steps 5-8 multiple times if you are not sure.
NOTE: These instructions will not solve the problem. They are only intended to gather more information which might provide a clue that eventually leads to a solution.
Yes, it means that you have the older Redboard, not the Redboard QWIIC. And the FTDI is relevant for the troubleshooting.
Not sure if it's relevant, but I have a nano clone and I wasn't able to upload anything until I selected Old bootloader from the tools menu
Just so you understand the system a little more
- The "old bootloader" option does not exist for an Uno
- It's not relevant. If the port can't be opened, avrdude does not even get to "talking to the bootloader".
1 Like
Ok, I did what you said. As soon as I plugged in the REDBOARD, a "Other devices" appeared in between "Network adapters" and "processors".Under "Other devices there was" FT232R USB UART ". I'm not exactly sure what you meant by "where it is located in the tree", but I hope this info helps. Thank you very much.
This means you need to install the Windows driver for the FTDI FT232R USB chip on your REDBOARD.
You can do that by following these instructions:
- Open the "Virtual COM Port Drivers" page on the website of FTDI, the manufacturer of the FT232R chip:
https://ftdichip.com/drivers/vcp-drivers/ - Scroll down on the "Virtual COM Port Drivers" page to the table of driver download links.
- Click the link that is on the "Windows (Desktop)" row of the table, under the "X64 (64-Bit)" column.
- Wait for the download to finish.
- Unzip the downloaded file.
- Open the Windows "Device Manager".
- Connect your Arduino board to your computer with a USB cable.
- You should see a new device appear under the "Other devices" section of the device tree. Right click on it.
The context menu will open. - Select "Update driver from the context menu.
An "Update Drivers" dialog will open. - Click "Browse my computer for drivers" in the "Update Drivers" dialog.
The dialog will progress to the "Browse for drivers on your computer" step. - Click the "Browse..." button to the right of the location field in the dialog.
The "Browse For Folder" dialog will open. - Select the folder you unzipped in the previous step of these instructions in the "Browse For Folder" dialog.
- Click the "OK" button.
The "Browse For Folder" dialog will close. - Click the "Next" button in the "Update Drivers" dialog.
- The dialog should now show the message "Windows has successfully updated your drivers". Click the "Close" button.
- Click the X icon in the Device Manager window to close it.
You should now see a port for your Arduino board under the Tools > Port menu in Arduino IDE. Select that port and try uploading again. Please let us know if you still encounter an error when uploading.
HI, I tried to follow your instructions. I didn't understand exactly how unzipping is done. The unzipping link there said to right click on the file, but there were like 8 of them so I clicked a button at the top that said "Extract all files". I hope I did it right. The problem I hit was that instead of "Windows has successfully updated..." it said something like "Windows discovered a problem installing this driver" Next, in the "USB Serial converter properties" , there was a message: Windows cannot verify the digital signature for the drivers required for this device. A recent hardware or software change might have installed a file that is signed incorrectly or damaged, or that might be malicious software from an unknown source. (Code 52) Could this problem be because my computer is windows 7 (only 32 bit)?
I'm sure you did. The driver installation process would have failed with a different error if you hadn't. Windows allows you to open a ZIP file as if it were a folder in Windows Explorer. That is probably where you saw the 8 files.
I'm sorry it didn't work. The driver downloaded from the FTDI website I linked above is definitely trustworthy. I performed the instructions from my previous reply on my own computer as I was writing them yesterday.
It specifically says that Windows 7 is supported on the FTDI driver download page, so you should still be able to use them even with that older version of Windows.
I think this is the problem. I assumed you were using a 64-bit version of Windows.
Please try the instructions I provided in my previous reply, except this time when you get to step 3:
click the link under the "X86 (32-Bit) column instead of the link under the "X64 (64-Bit)" column.
Ok, I downloaded the 32 bit, but when I connected the redboard, a list appeared under Serial bus controller, and Other devices is not on the list.
I also tried right clicking "USB Serial Converter" (under "Universal Serial Bus Converter"(it actually wasn't "Serial bus controller")). Then I clicked "Update driver", and went on with the instructions from there. The computer said the driver was already updated. It still does't work.
Are you saying that the behavior of Windows Device Manager has changed from what you described previously?:
Yes. Now it shows all the list under "Universal serial bus converter. In that list are:
Generic USB hub.
Intel (R) ICH9 Family USB Universal Host Controller - 2934.
(Many more lines)...
At the end of the list is the "USB Serial Converter" that has the error message that I sent on post 14. I hope you understand me.
OK, hmmm. You can try uninstalling the device:
- Connect the Arduino board to your computer with a USB cable.
- Open the Windows Device Manager.
- Right click on the "USB Serial Converter" item on the list under "Universal serial bus converter".
A context menu will open. - Select "Uninstall device" from the context menu.
An "Uninstall Device" dialog will open. - Check the box next to "☐ Attempt to remove the driver for this device" in the "Uninstall Device" dialog.
- Click the "Uninstall" button.
- Wait for the uninstall process to finish.
- Unplug the USB cable of the Arduino board from your computer.
- Wait for the Device Manager tree to reload.
- Connect the USB cable of the Arduino board to your computer.
- Wait for the device to reappear in the Device Manager window.
If it is now shown under the "Ports (COM & LPT)" section of Device Manager, then all is well and you should be able to use your REDBOARD in Arduino IDE. If it is shown under a different section of Device Manager you can proceed to install the "X86 (32-Bit)" driver by following the instructions from post #15