Hardware problem that prevents programming twice

[JCSB]

Hi all,
I have a stand alone Atmega328p jig that lets me program smd atmega328pau chips before soldering them. I use the Atmel ICE to program

Lately, the jig started failing. When a chip is running a program, I cannot program it. What does that tell us? the ISP programmer cannot make the chip reset? Yet, the reset line is ok and the reset 10K pullup too.

avrdude: stk500v2_command(): command failed
avrdude: bad response to AVR sign-on command: 0xa0
avrdude: Target prepared for ISP, signed off.
avrdude: Now retrying without power-cycling the target.
avrdude: stk500v2_command(): command failed
avrdude: bad response to AVR sign-on command: 0xa0
avrdude: Target prepared for ISP, signed off.
avrdude: Now retrying without power-cycling the target.
avrdude: stk500v2_command(): command failed
avrdude: bad response to AVR sign-on command: 0xa0
avrdude: Target prepared for ISP, signed off.
avrdude: Now retrying without power-cycling the target.
avrdude: stk500v2_command(): command failed
avrdude: bad response to AVR sign-on command: 0xa0
avrdude: Target prepared for ISP, signed off.
avrdude: Now retrying without power-cycling the target.
avrdude: stk500v2_command(): command failed
avrdude: bad response to AVR sign-on command: 0xa0
avrdude: Failed to return from debugWIRE to ISP.
avrdude: initialization failed, rc=-1
         Double check connections and try again, or use -F to override
         this check.


avrdude done.  Thank you.

So I am confused, what else could be wrong? All my ISP lines are continuous and not shorted.

I know its a hardware issue with my jig because my setup works when I program atmega328pau's on manufactured PCBs

[missdrew]

@JCSB

I know its a hardware issue with my jig

Please post pictures of the jig, along wth close up pictures of the contacts for the chip.

How would we know what your hardware issue is? We can't see it!

[JCSB]

Yeah Im sorry, finally found a disconnected wire.
Takeaway:
use a plastic enclosure to protect your PCBs, especially when connections are hand made on perf boards
use monostrand wires for home made boards, I used like 28 gauge wire on perf board and it starts to break from everywhere after a while...