bootloader refuses to burn

Development Tools IDE 1.x
1

i got a arduino uno a couple years ago back when version 1.0.6

and i decided to upgrade to 1.6.8 thinking it would handle the 9 bit serial without errors

so i tried to upgrade the bootloader ( witch i think is pre installed when you get the board)

i get

Arduino: 1.6.8 (Mac OS X), Board: "Arduino/Genuino Uno"

/Users/username/Downloads/Arduino 2.app/Contents/Java/hardware/tools/avr/bin/avrdude -C/Users/username/Downloads/Arduino 2.app/Contents/Java/hardware/tools/avr/etc/avrdude.conf -v -patmega328p -cstk500v2 -Pusb -e -Ulock:w:0x3F:m -Uefuse:w:0x05:m -Uhfuse:w:0xDE:m -Ulfuse:w:0xFF:m

avrdude: Version 6.0.1, compiled on Apr 14 2015 at 16:30:25
Copyright (c) 2000-2005 Brian Dean, http://www.bdmicro.com/
Copyright (c) 2007-2009 Joerg Wunsch

System wide configuration file is "/Users/username/Downloads/Arduino 2.app/Contents/Java/hardware/tools/avr/etc/avrdude.conf"
User configuration file is "/Users/username/.avrduderc"
User configuration file does not exist or is not a regular file, skipping

Using Port : usb
Using Programmer : stk500v2
avrdude: usbdev_open(): did not find any USB device "usb"
Error while burning bootloader.

the device is connected as i can compile and upload the sample codes .

is this one of the fake boards (yes there was a time when fake arduinos came out)?

how do i check for genuineness ?

i also tried burning bootloader from 1.0.6 and got the same error

2

(deleted)

3

avrisp mkll it is the second item on the programmer menu. via usb port

it is the same programmer used for uploading code to isnt it?

or does it use a different programmer method for the user code than what is used by the bootloader burning?

also the board seems to be genuine because while i did not get a box for the board (someone bought it for me and tried it out to make sure it worked) i did get some piece of cardboard not a simple shrinkwrap or ziplock bag and all the printing on the board seems to be genuine.

do you know if there are any electrical differences between the fakes and genuines like voltage tolerances and such?

4

Yes, avr isp mkii can be used for both bootloading and flash programming. In both cases it accesses memory locations directly using the SPI pins.

Don't know if the bootloader was changed between IDE versions.

5

where do i get new bootloader versions and how do i install them in the arduino software so i can burn them?

also are bootloaders re burnable? so you can change bootloaders without buying new chip? (some chips are burn once).

also is it the bootloader that prevents code from burning so if a feature isnt allowed by the version then it is the bootloader's job to stop the compiling and uploading?

i am trying to do 9bit serial and it refuses to compile so that is why i think it is in the bootloader