Cannot upload code to Arduino Mega2560

Hello there,

I am working with an Arduino Mega 2560 for the first time for a university project. I don't know if this Arduino is new or old or if anyone has used it because my professor lent it to me. I haven't been able upload any code, including Blick, to the Arduino at all. I'm using Windows 8.1.

I have tried:
-Using the installed Arduino IDE AND the web editor
-Using another laptop with Windows 10
-Plugging the USB cable to different ports on my laptop
-Using a different USB cable
-Reinstalling the Arduino IDE
-Uploading different codes
-Choosing the correct Board, Processor and Port (COM 3) under Tools.
-Pressing the reset button on the Arduino before trying to upload the code.

Nothing worked for me so far.

The "L" LED blinks and so does the "TX" LED after trying to upload the Blink. When I go to Tools > Ports > Serial Ports, Serial Ports is greyed out. I'm not sure if that is a problem.

I have read numerous forum posts mentioning burning the bootloader but I can't find detailed instructions on how to do so. Someone mentioned flashing the firmware. I have no idea what that means or how to do it. Googling did not help.

I would prefer a solution that does not involve another piece of hardware as this is the only arduino I have..

Any help ASAP would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much. Have a great day.

I got this error message:

Arduino: 1.8.5 (Windows 8.1), Board: "Arduino/Genuino Mega or Mega 2560, ATmega2560 (Mega 2560)"

Archiving built core (caching) in: C:\Users\Kristie\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_cache_37946\core\core_arduino_avr_mega_cpu_atmega2560_0c812875ac70eb4a9b385d8fb077f54c.a
Sketch uses 1462 bytes (0%) of program storage space. Maximum is 253952 bytes.
Global variables use 9 bytes (0%) of dynamic memory, leaving 8183 bytes for local variables. Maximum is 8192 bytes.
C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr/bin/avrdude -CC:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr/etc/avrdude.conf -v -patmega2560 -cwiring -PCOM3 -b115200 -D -Uflash:w:C:\Users\Kristie\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_317364/Blink.ino.hex:i 

avrdude: Version 6.3, compiled on Jan 17 2017 at 12:00:53
         Copyright (c) 2000-2005 Brian Dean, http://www.bdmicro.com/
         Copyright (c) 2007-2014 Joerg Wunsch

         System wide configuration file is "C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr/etc/avrdude.conf"

         Using Port                    : COM3
         Using Programmer              : wiring
         Overriding Baud Rate          : 115200
         AVR Part                      : ATmega2560
         Chip Erase delay              : 9000 us
         PAGEL                         : PD7
         BS2                           : PA0
         RESET disposition             : dedicated
         RETRY pulse                   : SCK
         serial program mode           : yes
         parallel program mode         : yes
         Timeout                       : 200
         StabDelay                     : 100
         CmdexeDelay                   : 25
         SyncLoops                     : 32
         ByteDelay                     : 0
         PollIndex                     : 3
         PollValue                     : 0x53
         Memory Detail                 :

                                  Block Poll               Page                       Polled
           Memory Type Mode Delay Size  Indx Paged  Size   Size #Pages MinW  MaxW   ReadBack
           ----------- ---- ----- ----- ---- ------ ------ ---- ------ ----- ----- ---------
           eeprom        65    10     8    0 no       4096    8      0  9000  9000 0x00 0x00
           flash         65    10   256    0 yes    262144  256   1024  4500  4500 0x00 0x00
           lfuse          0     0     0    0 no          1    0      0  9000  9000 0x00 0x00
           hfuse          0     0     0    0 no          1    0      0  9000  9000 0x00 0x00
           efuse          0     0     0    0 no          1    0      0  9000  9000 0x00 0x00
           lock           0     0     0    0 no          1    0      0  9000  9000 0x00 0x00
           calibration    0     0     0    0 no          1    0      0     0     0 0x00 0x00
           signature      0     0     0    0 no          3    0      0     0     0 0x00 0x00

         Programmer Type : Wiring
         Description     : Wiring
         Programmer Model: AVRISP
         Hardware Version: 15
         Firmware Version Master : 2.10
         Vtarget         : 0.0 V
         SCK period      : 0.1 us

avrdude: AVR device initialized and ready to accept instructions

Reading | ################################################## | 100% 0.01s

avrdude: Device signature = 0x1e9801 (probably m2560)
avrdude: reading input file "C:\Users\Kristie\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_317364/Blink.ino.hex"
avrdude: writing flash (1462 bytes):

Writing | ################################################## | 100% 0.20s

avrdude: 1462 bytes of flash written
avrdude: verifying flash memory against C:\Users\Kristie\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_317364/Blink.ino.hex:
avrdude: load data flash data from input file C:\Users\Kristie\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_317364/Blink.ino.hex:
avrdude: input file C:\Users\Kristie\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_317364/Blink.ino.hex contains 1462 bytes
avrdude: reading on-chip flash data:

Reading | #################################An error occurred while uploading the sketch
################# | 100% 0.20s

avrdude: verifying ...
avrdude: verification error, first mismatch at byte 0x0000
         0x14 != 0x06
avrdude: verification error; content mismatch

avrdude done.  Thank you.

This report would have more information with
"Show verbose output during compilation"
option enabled in File -> Preferences.

There are a few answers but the clue is how to find them.

However here is a good selection of those answers (some different)

Teu change the Baudrate tô 9600 and try again.

He's not getting a serial port. Drivers are missing, cable is bad (there s a bad batch going around) or board is damaged.

What serial chip does it have? Black chip near usb port- 16u2 uses official drivers, for clones with other serial chips (ch340g, cp2102) Google part number on that chip, operating system and the word "drivers"