Attiny85 Invalid device signature...

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1

I've tried google to help solve my problems but as I am completely new to arduino I've tried some stuff and nothing seems to work. I'm trying to program an Attiny85 using an UNO.
I've followd this guide to the T: http://hlt.media.mit.edu/?p=1695
Once I try to upload a sketch to the Attiny85 I get the invalid signature error

avrdude: Device signature = 0xffffff
avrdude: Yikes!  Invalid device signature.
         Double check connections and try again, or use -F to override
         this check.

My wiring (ignore the other part of the breadboard): http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a84/rptw/IMG_20130125_041529_zpsf24b0b84.jpg

I have since tried to the 2 different ArduinoISP from GitHub - adafruit/ArduinoISP: A fork of the ArduinoISP that has 8mhz output clock and GitHub - wbphelps/ArduinoISP: A fork of the ArduinoISP that works with Arduino IDE 1.0

Please let me know if more information is required, thanks.

2

As far as I can see you are you connecting pin 9 on Arduino to PB3 on attiny85, why is that.

Which version of the Arduino IDE are you using

You could try this core
http://code.google.com/p/arduino-tiny/

using this ISP

Reply #39

http://www.ernstc.dk/arduino/attiny85.html

3

In my recent endeavours with ATtiny45 I experienced that error when the capacitor was not connected.
I also noticed that it did not always achieve proper contact when put in the connectors on the Uno. so I moved it to the breadboard.

4

Erni:
As far as I can see you are you connecting pin 9 on Arduino to PB3 on attiny85, why is that.

Through google, I had come to the conclusion that I have a fuse problem so I was trying to use the ISP that provides a clock on pin9 of the arduino to fix it. I have since removed the connection in all my attempts with your suggestions.

Erni:
Which version of the Arduino IDE are you using

1.0.3

Erni:
using this ISP
Arduino translated to AVR? - #40 by Coding_Badly - Programming Questions - Arduino Forum
Reply #39

I had tried that ISP previously as well with no luck.

Erni:
You could try this core
Google Code Archive - Long-term storage for Google Code Project Hosting.
Programming ATtiny85 with ArduinoISP

I followed this guide just not and still no luck. I even tried to burn the 8Mhz bootloader and I get the exact same error.

Shpaget:
In my recent endeavours with ATtiny45 I experienced that error when the capacitor was not connected.
I also noticed that it did not always achieve proper contact when put in the connectors on the Uno. so I moved it to the breadboard.

When the capacitor was not plugged in properly or completely absent I would get the getsync error instead.

5

What you could try:

Test if it is a connection problem with your breadboard: move your attiny to another spot on the breadboard or another breadboard.

Output the verbose output and post it here, and hope one of the experts can tell what is wrong

6

I had a similar error message a little while ago and, with the help of this forum, managed to solve the problem. Have a look at this thread and see if that gives you any ideas:

7

I've tried many of the bootloader suggestions but nothing seems to work. I don't have access to a crystal so I haven't done it that way, only the way through ArduinoISP on pin 9 that I listed in the OP. Thanks for trying guys!

8

I presume you have just the one ATTiny85 so can't swap in a 2nd to see if the problem is common to both.

Nick Gammon has a sketch for detecting the signatures of all manner of Atmel processors, available for download here. It needs the same connections as the ISP (explained in full on this page using an ATMega).

Does it find your ATTiny?

Geoff

9

Unfortunately I get a similar result as before with the following from the serial monitor

Atmega chip detector.
Entered programming mode OK.
Signature = FF FF FF 
Unrecogized signature.
LFuse = 62 
HFuse = DF 
EFuse = FF 
Lock byte = FF 
Clock calibration = FF 

First 256 bytes of program memory:

0: FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 
10: FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF
10

Looks to me like a wiring problem...

Check all connections/wires for continuity. Move it to a different place on the breadboard, etc.

11

I've already changed breadboards and wires completely, unfortunately I have no way to test continuity though :frowning:

12

Do you have any status LEDs on pins 9, 8, 7? IMHO the first step is to actually ensure you have ISP running.

13

I don't have any LEDs to use to try. I uploaded the Blink example and it worked, would there be any reason ISP wouldn't?

14

The question is whether or not you're resetting your Uno and unloading ArduinoISP when you're trying to program the ATTiny. The capacitor you placed between reset and GND (you did that part, right?) should prevent that reset, but y'know ... it's a good idea to be certain.

15

Appreciate all helps you guys tried to provide. Unfortunately my time has run out and I don't have the resources to continue to try to fix this. It was fun while it lasted, maybe I will revisit this in the future. Thanks again!

16

Sorry to read this mate - as a bonus though I think with fresh eyes you'll probably identify where you went off the rails pretty quickly though.