Can't upload to Diecimila anymore - pin 13 flashes

Forum 2005-2010 (read only) Hardware Troubleshooting
1

Hi,

I uploaded a large program to my Arduino (13K), maybe too large? Now I can't get it to accept a new program. The LED on pin 13 just keeps flashing rapidly.

I've tried two different machines, both Linux and Windows XP. This is what I get on Windows (Arduino 0017):

avrdude: stk500_getsync(): not in sync: resp=0x00
avrdude: stk500_disable(): protocol error, expect=0x14, resp=0x51

I can see the RX light flashing on the board a couple times when avrdude tries to talk to it. It seems like sometimes the software is able to get the thing to reset, but the board just starts flashing right away and isn't waiting for an upload. I've tried pushing the reset button manually, and it does reset, but never accepts a program.

Any more suggestions? I don't understand how I could have broken it just by uploading something large... there must be something else going on?

2

Here's the verbose output from avrdude. The board was working fine before I uploaded the larger sketch...

Binary sketch size: 896 bytes (of a 14336 byte maximum)
C:\Program Files\arduino-0017\hardware/tools/avr/bin/avrdude -CC:\Program Files\arduino-0017\hardware/tools/avr/etc/avrdude.conf -v -v -v -v -pm168 -cstk500v1 -P\.\COM4 -b19200 -D -Uflash:w:C:\Program Files\arduino-0017\examples\Digital\Blink\applet\Blink.cpp.hex:i

avrdude: Version 5.4-arduino, compiled on Oct 11 2007 at 19:12:32
Copyright (c) 2000-2005 Brian Dean, http://www.bdmicro.com/

System wide configuration file is "C:\Program Files\arduino-0017\hardware/tools/avr/etc/avrdude.conf"

Using Port : \.\COM4
Using Programmer : stk500v1
Overriding Baud Rate : 19200
avrdude: ser_open(): setting dtr
avrdude: Send: 0 [30] [20]
avrdude: Send: 0 [30] [20]
avrdude: Send: 0 [30] [20]
avrdude: Recv:
avrdude: stk500_getsync(): not in sync: resp=0x00
avrdude: Send: Q [51] [20]
avrdude: Recv:
avrdude: stk500_disable(): protocol error, expect=0x14, resp=0x51

avrdude done. Thank you.

3

Do you have the right board selected? That is, do you have a board with an ATmega168 or an ATmega328?

4

Yeah, I have Diecimila selected under boards. It's got an Atmega168. Thanks!

5

i don't think you could have hurt the arduino with a large sketch.

That error message is a classic communications failure message. Make SURE you've got the right serial port and board selected and that everything is securely connected.

when you plug/unplug the arduino from the PC do you get a windows notification and see the serial port appear and disappear on the PC?

6

Yeah, I managed to borrow another Diecimila and it's working. So it's something particular to my board.

7

Sounds most likely that the bootloader got corrupted somehow. Not sure how that happens, but too many have seemed to have had that happen to them.

So either reburn the bootloader with a hardware programmer or buy a new processor chip that already has a bootloader burned into it, such as SparkFun. If you do get a new chip you might as well upgrade to the 328 chip, as it's plug and play and only 55 cents more then the 168.

Lefty