avr_fred:
If you go all the way back to the point where you first powered this board up and the on-board led blinked continuously, did it not occur to you that the processor already had a program loaded into its memory? Knowing there is a program loaded, it’s also likely there is a bootloader present?
it may be a bad assumption, but given the price, i didn't think the board came with a bootloader, let alone a sketch.
i also don't know that the LED is anything like the UNO LED at pin-13, i said it was a pulse - NOT a "blink" (to indicate that it was a Blink sketch running) - a very brief pulse of maybe less than 100 mSec, and at a period of maybe 2 Hz.
so; NO - it did NOT occur to me that the board HAD a bootloader.
avr_fred:
After thirteen posts, you state you could not serially upload to this as a Lilypad board. Why should it?
i had run out of options and suggestions - it was worth the effort to definitively cross out that option, also because i had NOT tried using the CH340G on the Lilypad since the solving the CH340G adapter issue.
avr_fred:
Trying to upload to a 16MHz board with a 8MHz definition isn’t going work, period.
i did NOT know, nor have i confirmed that the Lilypad board has IN FACT a 16 MHz crystal.
avr_fred:
Now you’re off mucking about with something or the other when all you had to do was to try the Duemilanove board type.
dealing with a LILYPAD - that never came into mind, i do NOT know that the Duemilanove is a 'goto' (?) board type to try.
avr_fred:
At another point, you thought it was fuses.
i ASKED if it was possible - i do NOT know better.
all i got was "device signature" mismatch - and given my experience with the 328P and 328 debacle being a case of different signatures due to the different fuses - i obviously went there.
avr_fred:
If board is running a sketch, why would you consider, even for a second, the fuses are wrong?
WHEN did i ever give the indication that i thought a SKETCH was running ?
avr_fred:
How do you know the board tester works? Did you test it on a known good board?
YES
how many times do i have to say that it IS MY ONE RELIABLE METHOD (that i know how to use) ?
avr_fred:
It sounds like you have only a few boards and reflashing a board and lashing wires together every time you want to do something is not a good way to get things done. Buy a $3 usbasp and you’ve got a device to burn bootloaders with no fuss.
what exactly is a "USBasp" and how is it different from a UNO board running "Arduino asISP" with ICSP connections ?
avr_fred:
Delicate a clone to your board tester function and use the same setup and cable every time. Doing it any other way just introduces unknowns every time you do something.
that is a good idea - but like you said, i don't have many boards, so i will have to decide which one to be a "standard known factor" - although, it seems to me my original UNO board with a (my)standard 11-12-13plus10 dedicated jumper cable is already a "standard known factor" - cmiiw.
avr_fred:
It seems to me your troubleshooting modus operandi is to ignore the obvious and start making assumptions. This quickly leads to loosing sight of the original problem you set out to solve.I think you should consider yourself lucky you were unable to upload a bootloader. You need to ensure you’re solving the real problem with the appropriate solution. Anything else is just playing a guessing game.
the original problem is - I CANNOT UPLOAD A SKETCH.
was there a bootloader - VERY LIKELY NO - and as it stands now, there is NOT -cmiiw-.
SO : i need to
a) provide a bootloader or;
b) upload via ICSP programming.
BOTH require KNOWING what chip and setup is on that board - since no one answered HOW to check what the crystal is - i had to just GUESS - either 8 MHz OR 16 MHz (OR who knows what other alternative there is ?!)
i failed on the 8 MHz standard Lilypad bootloader.
and NOW i have failed on the 16 Mhz version as well.
as a n00b, i can accept being told my modus operandi is all over the place, but tell me where i have lost sight ?