[RESOLVED] L LED dims after TX LED flashes and cannot upload code, is it broken?

Development Tools IDE 1.x
1

Hello, forum.

I have an Arduino Uno and while it seemed to be working fine earlier, it is not now. When I plug it into serial it will appear to be alright, but maybe 5 seconds in the TX LED will flash as if it is sending a piece of data, and then immediately after the L LED (13) will dim to the point that it is almost unlit, as if there is something consuming all the power; the PWR LED does not dim and nothing is getting hot. There is no connected circuit to the board, but it does not seem to run code that is on it (cannot be sure about that) but I do know that it will not take data over serial, I got this error message trying to upload:

avrdude: ser_open(): can't open device "\\.\COM3": Access is denied.

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

I did read the URL in the error code and nothing did the trick. It is worth adding that the port does show up on the IDE when it is connected. Is it bricked because I assume if there is a critical error it is in the serial chip? I know that is is not the cable or the USB port because I did try uploading and working two other Arduino Unos and they both worked perfectly. Any help is, well, helpful.

2

avrdude: ser_open(): can't open device "\.\COM3": Access is denied.

...has nothing to do with the board. Everything related to that error is entirely contained within Windows.

I got this error message trying to upload:

Shutdown the computer. Disconnect the board. Start the IDE. Load an empty sketch. Connect the board. Try to upload. What is the first error?

3

Well I am going on a trip for business in maybe an hour, I will be back in a few days and I will try it out.

4

Ok, I got back and tried it and it worked great, thanks

5

Most common cause of that is some other program on the computer with the port "opened" and in use by that application. The IDE is normally smart enough to keep it's own serial monitor from getting in the way of uploads - most of the time.

6

That would make sense as I had two IDEs open, Visual Studio with Visual Micro and the Arduino IDE, I'm pretty sure that Visual Studio had its port open, causing problems.