New arduino uno board not responding to uploads

Using Arduino IDE 1.x
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I purchased an Arduino Uno starter kit directly from arduino. I installed the IDE on windows 7 selected the correct board (arduino uno) and port (COM arduino uno). I ran the Blink sketch from file/examples/basics/blink. The sketch compiles fine but when uploading to the uno board it becomes stuck in the uploading phase. The green power LED is on, the orange LED marked "L" which is supposed to be blinking is staying lit as well as the orange LED marked TX. If I press upload again the following error message is given:

[ Arduino: 1.8.1 (Windows 7), Board: "Arduino/Genuino Uno"

Sketch uses 928 bytes (2%) of program storage space. Maximum is 32256 bytes.
Global variables use 9 bytes (0%) of dynamic memory, leaving 2039 bytes for local variables. Maximum is 2048 bytes.
An error occurred while uploading the sketch

This report would have more information with
"Show verbose output during compilation"
option enabled in File -> Preferences. ]

I have another uno board on hand and when I plug that board in the sketch uploads fine and runs the blinking light as it should.

The board not working is brand new out of the starter kit box. I have tried updating the drivers, pressing the reset key, uninstalling and reinstalling the IDE and rebooting my desktop computer.

What should I do?
Thank you for your help

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There is nothing connected to pin 1 or 0. In fact on USB cable is connected. Here is full error message:

System wide configuration file is "C:\Users\mreinhart\Desktop\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr/etc/avrdude.conf"

Using Port : COM6
Using Programmer : arduino
Overriding Baud Rate : 115200
avrdude: ser_open(): can't open device "\.\COM6": Access is denied.

avrdude done. Thank you.

Problem uploading to board. See http://www.arduino.cc/en/Guide/Troubleshooting#upload for suggestions.