Pro-Mini upload problem

Development Tools IDE 1.x
1

I am unable to get a new Pro Mini working. My Uno works fine, but when I try to upload a sketch to a new Pro Mini I get the message 'avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding'. This is the first time that I have tried using a Pro Mini and all I have done to it is solder on a header for the FDTI board.

Details of system and results from following the 'Troubleshooting Guide' are below.

Linux Mint 14
Arduino IDE 1.0.1
Pro Mini 328 3.3V/8MHz
FDTI board (FTDI FT232 Breakout Board, USB to serial, 3V, and 5V Selectable) with jumper set to 3.3V
USB is the only connection to the board (via the FDTI board)
(Photo attached)

In IDE, board selected is 'Arduino Pro or Pro Mini (3.3V, 8MHz) w/ ATmega328'
In IDE, Serial Port is dev/ttyUSB0
When I plug in the USB, red and green LEDs flash momentarily on the FDTI board and a red LED on the Pro Mini comes on. If there is a green LED on the Pro Mini, it does not come on.
Pressing the reset on the board does not cause any LED to flash.
Attempting to upload a sketch gives the message 'avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding'.

Suggestions are most welcome.

Pro-Mini.jpg

2

After reading around I decided that the Pro Mini did not have a bootloader. It seems that SparkFun sometimes omit to burn a bootloader! Clearly their quality system needs improving.

I have a Uno, so I used the ArduinoISP sketch and followed the instructions at http://www.arduino.cc/en/Tutorial/ArduinoISP to burn a bootloader on to the Pro Mini. I could then upload sketches through the FDTI interface board (without needing to worry about resetting the Pro Mini) and so far all seems well.