avrdude: stk500_getsync(): not in sync: resp=0x00

Yes i have read through the other posts concerning this error message, they all say reset the board, unplug the board restart the software blah blah blah; these solutions have no effect. This is really frustrating me the board works fine and i can upload sketches from my laptop, but not from my desktop PC; could moving between the two computers do this? if so why? how can i fix it?