avrdude: "Can't open device..."

Other Hardware 3rd Party Boards
1

Greetings. This is my first post on any forum, necessitated by my first foray in to microcontrollers. I made a number of prerequisite searches for "can't open device," without finding a solution to my problem. Here is my situation:

--HP Mini 1104 netbook,
--Windows 7,
--Arduino 1.0.5, with the ATtiny add on dropped in the hardware folder,
--'Tiny AVR Programmer' plugged in USB port, and selecting Arduino's "Tools<Programmer<Arduino as ISP",
--installed adafruit usbtinyisp_w32_driver_v1.12,
--inserted an ATtiny85 20MHz, and selected it in Arduino's "Tools<Boards<ATtiny (ext 20MHz clock)",
--chose Arduino's "File<Examples<01.Basics<Blink,
--and within the code, changed pin 13 to 0

// Pin 13 has an LED connected on most Arduino boards.
// give it a name:
int led = 0;

When I attempted to upload [Ctrl + U], I was given this:

Binary sketch size: 846 bytes (of a 8,192 byte maximum)
avrdude: ser_open(): can't open device "\\.\COM1": The system cannot find the file specified.

Now I'm stuck... :~

Any answers?

2

The arduino ISP device will enumerate as a virtual USB port... Never com1. Check the tools drop down to see if a higher number port is available... Com3 or Com4, etc. You can also use Device Manager to determine the virtual serial port.

3

'Tiny AVR Programmer' plugged in USB port, and selecting Arduino's "Tools<Programmer<Arduino as ISP",

I think that if you have a USBTiny programmer, you should select "USBTinyISP" from the "Programmers" menu, rather than "Arduino as ISP."

4

--inserted an ATtiny85 20MHz, and selected it in Arduino's "Tools<Boards<ATtiny (ext 20MHz clock)",

The factory default is 1MHz, so unless you have a x-tal connected you should choose
Tools->Board-> Attiny85@1MHz (internal oscilayor)

5

Per Erni's counsel, I changed the "board" to 1MHz, and per westfw's instruction, I changed the "Programmer" to USBTinyISP. The LED is happily blinking away!!!

Thank you for the knowledgeable instruction 8)
Hope to run into you again on this forum.

6

Sketch uses 3,608 bytes (11%) of program storage space. Maximum is 32,256 bytes.
Global variables use 71 bytes (3%) of dynamic memory, leaving 1,977 bytes for local variables. Maximum is 2,048 bytes.
avrdude: ser_open(): can't open device "\.\COM1": The system cannot find the file specified.

Problem uploading to board. See http://www.arduino.cc/en/Guide/Troubleshooting#upload for suggestions.
THE ABOVE WRITTEN SCRIPT APPEARS AS I TRY TO COMPILE CODE.HELP NEEDED URGENTLY!!!

7

I had to physically reset my MEGA board before it would take the compile. My error was...

avrdude: ser_open(): can't open device

and after I reset the code, it took it.