To cut a long story short I am trying to read the contents of a Mini Pro, using an Uno to connect to my PC. I dont want to decifer the code just want to back it up in case anything untoward happens.
I realize there are already numerous threads on here about programming other boards with the Uno but I am at my wits end (or probably just a numbtee)
Anyway
I have removed the chip from the Uno and have the Mini on a breadboard. I have the following connections
UNO MINI
5V-------------VCC
RESET---------RESET
GND----------GRN
TX------------TX
RX------------RX
I have also tried connecting through pins 11, 12 and 13, without luck.
I am using the AVRDUDE GUI (AVRDUDESS). This part I have down pat as i can read just the Uno on its own every time without fail, and I am confident I can do the same with the mini. But i just cant get it to connect. I just the usual 'not in sync: resp=0x00'.
Even a simple loop back test doesnt work either.
OK changed that but still getting the same response. Would the baud rate settings be causing problems? If so how do i find out what the Mini is running at?
If you were wanting to extract the flash and eeprom from a mini to backup on your PC how would you go about it?. I am very new to these things and I am getting that horrible feeling i have bitten off more than i can chew.
The reason I ask this is your last reply has confused the heck outta me. Can i read the chip through the IDE?
Have never done that. I have seen solutions posted here about using avrdude commands to read them back out. I've not had luck running avrude commands that way, think I'm missing some simple step.
You cannot read the chip back thru the IDE.
I just keep a copy of the original sketch. Failing that, search the temp folder that the IDE creates on the date you created the sketch, see if you can find the .hex file that was loaded into the promini.
If you select File:Preferencese, and enable verbose outputs, then compile any sketch, you can browse thru the commands that are run and find out where the .hex files are being stored.
You could probably use an Atmel AVR ISP MKii (AVR programmer) and Atmel Studio to read the data back easier via the programming interface (Reset, SCK, MOSI, MISO).