Getting very frequent avrdude timeout errors

[fusiondruid7529]

I get the same error every time I try to upload code to my Mega 2560 R3. I can fix it by following the troubleshooting link in the Help menu of the IDE, but that usually involves burning the bootloader. Besides, it's only fixed until I next sit down at the computer. The full error message (verbose output enabled) is as follows:

avrdude: Version 6.3-20190619
         Copyright (c) 2000-2005 Brian Dean, http://www.bdmicro.com/
         Copyright (c) 2007-2014 Joerg Wunsch

         System wide configuration file is "C:\Users\(my username)\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\arduino\tools\avrdude\6.3.0-arduino17/etc/avrdude.conf"

         Using Port                    : COM3
         Using Programmer              : wiring
         Overriding Baud Rate          : 115200
avrdude: ser_open(): can't open device "\\.\COM3": The system cannot find the file specified.


avrdude: ser_drain(): read error: The handle is invalid.


avrdude: ser_send(): write error: sorry no info avail
avrdude: stk500_send(): failed to send command to serial port
avrdude: ser_recv(): read error: The handle is invalid.

avrdude: stk500v2_ReceiveMessage(): timeout
avrdude: ser_send(): write error: sorry no info avail
avrdude: stk500_send(): failed to send command to serial port
avrdude: ser_recv(): read error: The handle is invalid.

(That last set of four lines is repeated five times.)

avrdude: stk500v2_ReceiveMessage(): timeout
avrdude: stk500v2_getsync(): timeout communicating with programmer

avrdude done.  Thank you.

Failed uploading: uploading error: exit status 1

Is there some way to get it to just work correctly without having to burn the bootloader every single time I want to use that Mega?

[ptillisch]

Hi @fusiondruid7529. This error might be caused by having the wrong port selected from the Tools > Port menu in Arduino IDE.

Please perform this experiment to verify that the port you have selected is your Arduino board:

With official boards, the port will be labeled with the board name in the menu (e.g., "COM42 (Arduino Uno)"). In this case, you can be fairly confident that you have identified the port. Select that port from the menu and try uploading again.

With some cheap derivative boards the port will not be labeled. You can positively identify the port using this procedure:

1. Disconnect the USB cable of the Arduino board from your computer.
2. Select Tools > Port from the Arduino IDE menus.
3. Take note of the ports, if any, listed in the menu.
4. Close the Tools menu.
   The ports list is only updated when the Tools menu is re-opened, so this step is essential.
5. Connect the Arduino board to your computer with a USB cable.
6. Select Tools > Port from the Arduino IDE menus. - If a new port is listed in the menu, that is the port of your Arduino board.

Select that port from the menu and try uploading again.

If the upload still fails, or if no new port appeared after you plugged the Arduino board into your computer, add a reply here to let us know and we'll investigate the problem further.