Error Burning bootloader (Yikes! Invalid device signature.)

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1

Hi there, I'm working on a project to automate my heating system. I have asked several questions here: Arduino Mega on PCB - General Electronics - Arduino Forum and here: Best system for heating automation - General Electronics - Arduino Forum

The situation is that I have assembled the PCB, I've made a basic checking consisting on making sure that all the VCC and GND pins on the Atmega2560 are corectly connected. I'm using an Arduino nano to burn the bootloader.
I've turned on verbose to see the full problem:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr/bin/avrdude -CC:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr/etc/avrdude.conf -v -patmega2560 -carduino -PCOM10 -b19200 -e -Ulock:w:0x3F:m -Uefuse:w:0xFD:m -Uhfuse:w:0xD8:m -Ulfuse:w:0xFF:m 

avrdude: Version 6.3-20171130
         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                    : COM10
         Using Programmer              : arduino
         Overriding Baud Rate          : 19200
         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 : Arduino
         Description     : Arduino
         Hardware Version: 2
         Firmware Version: 1.18
         Topcard         : Unknown
         Vtarget         : 0.0 V
         Varef           : 0.0 V
         Oscillator      : Off
         SCK period      : 0.1 us

avrdude: AVR device initialized and ready to accept instructions

Reading | ################################################## | 100% 0.00s

avrdude: Device signature = 0x000000 (retrying)

Reading | ################################################## | 100% 0.00s

avrdude: Device signature = 0x000000 (retrying)

Error quemando bootloader
Reading | ################################################## | 100% 0.00s

avrdude: Device signature = 0x000000
avrdude: Yikes!  Invalid device signature.
         Double check connections and try again, or use -F to override
         this check.


avrdude done.  Thank you.

Could it be something related to the crystal? I don't understand much from that info, but it seems to me that something is not correct.

I attach photos of the PCB and the connection with the Nano just in case.

1.jpg
1.jpg4640×3480 1.24 MB

1.jpg
1.jpg4640×3480 1.24 MB

2

2.jpg
2.jpg4640×3480 1.48 MB

2.jpg
2.jpg4640×3480 1.48 MB

3

4.jpg
4.jpg4640×3480 1.12 MB

PS: now that I'm seeing the images on the computer I've decided to start clening the board :slight_smile:

4.jpg
4.jpg4640×3480 1.12 MB

4 
C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr/bin/avrdude -CC:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr/etc/avrdude.conf -v -patmega2560 -carduino -PCOM10 -b19200 -e -Ulock:w:0x3F:m -Uefuse:w:0xFD:m -Uhfuse:w:0xD8:m -Ulfuse:w:0xFF:m 

avrdude: Version 6.3-20171130
         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                    : COM10
         Using Programmer              : arduino
         Overriding Baud Rate          : 19200
         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 : Arduino
         Description     : Arduino
         Hardware Version: 2
         Firmware Version: 1.18
         Topcard         : Unknown
         Vtarget         : 0.0 V
         Varef           : 0.0 V
         Oscillator      : Off
         SCK period      : 0.1 us

avrdude: AVR device initialized and ready to accept instructions

Reading | ################################################## | 100% 0.00s

avrdude: Device signature = 0xffffff (probably .avr8x_mega) (retrying)

Reading | ################################################## | 100% 0.00s

avrdude: Device signature = 0xffffff (probably .avr8x_mega) (retrying)

Error quemando bootloader
Reading | ################################################## | 100% 0.00s

avrdude: Device signature = 0xffffff (probably .avr8x_mega)
avrdude: Yikes!  Invalid device signature.
         Double check connections and try again, or use -F to override
         this check.


avrdude done.  Thank you.

I've retried and something has changes. Now on device signature it says:

avrdude: Device signature = 0xffffff (probably .avr8x_mega) (retrying)

How does he "probably" know it's this board?

5

Wow, by just changing the capacitor of reset pin (In arduino Nano there are two, I thought they did the same) we have made a small step:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr/bin/avrdude -CC:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr/etc/avrdude.conf -v -patmega2560 -carduino -PCOM10 -b19200 -e -Ulock:w:0x3F:m -Uefuse:w:0xFD:m -Uhfuse:w:0xD8:m -Ulfuse:w:0xFF:m 

avrdude: Version 6.3-20171130
         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                    : COM10
         Using Programmer              : arduino
         Overriding Baud Rate          : 19200
         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 : Arduino
         Description     : Arduino
         Hardware Version: 2
         Firmware Version: 1.18
         Topcard         : Unknown
         Vtarget         : 0.0 V
         Varef           : 0.0 V
         Oscillator      : Off
         SCK period      : 0.1 us

avrdude: AVR device initialized and ready to accept instructions

Error quemando bootloader
Reading | ################################################## | 100% 0.00s

avrdude: Device signature = 0x837fff
avrdude: Expected signature for ATmega2560 is 1E 98 01
         Double check chip, or use -F to override this check.

avrdude done.  Thank you.

It gets the device signature but it doesen't match with an Arduino Mega :o

6

Have you tested the Arduiono Nano as ISP, on another board, so you are sure its working ?

Give the board a clean.

7

srnet:
Have you tested the Arduiono Nano as ISP, on another board, so you are sure its working ?

Yes, on an Arduino Uno.
The results are inconsistent. Sometimes the signature is all 0's, sometimes all 1's and sometimes signature that seems right but doesen't mactch an arduino Mega.

srnet:
Give the board a clean.

Done :slight_smile:

IMG_20190309_002701-min.jpg
IMG_20190309_002701-min.jpg3480×4640 1.76 MB

IMG_20190309_002701-min.jpg
IMG_20190309_002701-min.jpg3480×4640 1.76 MB

8

I have seen similar behaviour, random IDs, when the wiring was a bit excesssive. One programmer that normally then works is the Pololu one, you can slow it right down.

Myself I would have attempted to program the Mega when it was the only component on the board, plus the decoupling capacitors. Even the crystal should not be needed (initially) if its a factory fresh Mega.

9

srnet:
I have seen similar behaviour, random IDs, when the wiring was a bit excesssive. One programmer that normally then works is the Pololu one, you can slow it right down.

Myself I would have attempted to program the Mega when it was the only component on the board, plus the decoupling capacitors. Even the crystal should not be needed (initially) if its a factory fresh Mega.

Thanks.
I've followed your advice and unsoldered all the compoenents that were directly connected top the chip except for the bypass capacitors and the reset circuit. I have also unsoldered the crystal with the same results. The board is not recognised.

One detail though:
I have a Nano and a Uno. The Nano has the old bootloader. So I've decided just to make sure I am trying to burn the bootloader properly to burn a bootloader from the Uno into the nano. The results are similar:

Error quemando bootloader
Reading | ################################################## | 100% 0.00s

avrdude: Device signature = 0x008080
avrdude: Expected signature for ATmega328P is 1E 95 0F
         Double check chip, or use -F to override this check.

avrdude done.  Thank you.
10

You can attach a programmer direct to the CPU, if you have the appropriate ZIF socket, yes there are not decoupling caps in this case, but it normally works.

I have used the crude setup below, it works if the Pololu programmer is slowed down to 144khz, but fails at a higher speed.