I soldered this thing together two days ago and haven't been able to upload using the bootloader on any of three Windows XP computers.
I get the error message:
avrdude: stk500_getsync(): not in sync: resp=0x00
avrdude: stk500_disable(): protocol error, expect=0x14, resp=0x51
I have the correct drivers installed, the correct COM port set, and have even built a parallel port programmer and programmed the blink program on the 168 without the bootloader, checked it, then reloaded the bootloader.
The 168 is fine, the bootloader is fine.
I removed the 168 and shorted pins 1 and 0, then attempted to send data using the serial monitor. I got no echo.
This indicates that the FTDI chip is busted (it shows up in device manager fine) or I have a configuration error.
I have v2. I recall reading that many people had trouble with the v1 boards as it uses transistors for the serial comm instead of the ic that v2 of the board uses. Does yours have an led on pin 13? What kind of blinking do you get from that? Mine flicks once on reset, and flicks maybe 8 times when I try to upload.
I actually have the USB version. Due to the fact that I can echo on the real com port, and not the emulated usb one, I am going to try working on building a transistor based TTL converter so I can upload using a standard serial port.
I'll be curious to see if that works. The problem you're having makes me think it's something with your PC. Is it possible some software is running that's messing with your USB?
Perhaps. However, I have had the same error on every PC I have tried, so it seems unlikely.
I have tried it on three desktops and a laptop (3x XP, 1x Vista64) to no avail. I have experimented with the latest drivers and older ones, but I would think that at least one computer would work if it were a PC problem.
I am seriously considering just adopting a no-bootloader environment and just using an ISP instead of buying another Arduino if I can't get this thing to work.
I would do that, if I could get the parallel programmer to work. If you have a linux environment around you might try that. I could never get it to work in XP, but I did have it working for a while in Linux. Then it mysteriously stopped working.
I suppose I'm going to order another chip and try to program it with the parallel programmer. I can't imagine what else would be wrong with the board.
I am seriously considering just adopting a no-bootloader environment and just using an ISP instead of buying another Arduino if I can't get this thing to work.
Well, if you have a working parallel programmer then there is certainly no harm in doing it that way. In fact, it saves you the flash space that the bootloader would have taken up.
If the TX/RX LEDs on the USB board blinks while trying to upload, then mostly the problem is in either the bootloader or the atmega168 chip itself.
On the serial board, there are no TX/RX LEDs, but the RS-232 driver circuit is very simple and most probably the problem also resides in the bootloader or the atmega168 chip.
You can send me an email to support@nkcelectronics.com and I will ship you a new atmega168 chip for you to try.
If you have an AVR programmer, you can try programming the bootloader again.
I got my Duemilanove today and had trouble getting it to connect. I finally figured out that I needed to set AVRDude com port to com5 (that's what choice I got after com1 and com2). Once I made that change, it worked. Hope this helps your problem.