Failure to upload from Arduino IDE ...

Development Tools IDE 1.x
1

Many others have requested help on similar topics, but having tried the relevant suggestions without success, I now mention my own issue and my solution, details as follows:

PC OS: Windows 10, x64
IDE Arduino v1.8.5
BOARD: Arduino Nano
ERROR: avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding
..........avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 10 of 10: not in sync: resp=0x1f (resp varies)

Please note that uploading was functioning perfectly until I loaded an offered update - unfortunately I cannot recall which module was updated, and can find no record of it. There seems to be no way of rolling back an update either.

SYMPTOMS:
First, the Sketch was recompiled, and that included all components, as option changes were reported.
On Upload, I noted no activity on the LEDs for Rx/Tx on the board.
I checked the Board Selection, and COM port, which were correct and unchanged.
I rebooted the PC, and re-plugged the board with no effect.

At this stage I could not work out what was going on.

Then I started looking through all the options, systematically. Under the options "Tools > Processor" I happened to see "ATMega328P (Old bootloader)" and tried that. Surprisingly that resolved the issue!

DISCUSSION
I am certain that I didn't change the Bootloader option. I suspect that the update may have done that, or it may have had an associated Bootloader update, which was selected, with the old Bootloader left in situ but with a changed name.

Anyway, all is well now, and maybe this post will help anyone else with a similar issue.

Best wishes,

KAS

2

kaspencer:
I cannot recall which module was updated, and can find no record of it.

It was Arduino AVR Boards 1.6.21.

kaspencer:
There seems to be no way of rolling back an update either.

  • Tools > Board > Boards Manager
  • Wait for downloads to finish.
  • Click on "Arduino AVR Boards".
  • Select any version from the dropdown menu.
  • Click "Install"
  • Wait for installation to finish.
  • Click "Close".

kaspencer:
I am certain that I didn't change the Bootloader option. I suspect that the update may have done that

The update did it. This is a well known problem that many people have had before you. Arduino updated the bootloaders on their official Nano boards to one that communicates at a different baud rate. They changed the default setting for the Nano to the new baud rate and added the ATmega328P (Old Bootloader) option for compatibility with boards using the old bootloader.