[Solved] Can't upload to Pro Mini and ATTiny85

Development Tools IDE 1.x
1

I bought an Arduino Pro mini clone (3'3V, 8Mhz, Atmega328) and a CH340G TTL-USB programmer.

And an ATTiny85-20-pu.

After testing the Blink example and a few more months ago I decided to try the ATTiny.

So I configure everything, program it as ArduinoISP and try to upload Blink to the ATTiny85: I get signature errors, each time a different one. Other times I get out of sync errors.

When I reset the pro mini, pin13 LED blinks, as it should do.

Next thing I know is that I can't upload different sketches to my arduino, not even blink! (Now I'm thinking on Doctor Who haha)

I flip the arduino, and under it a writting says "Deek Robot". So I Google and if I understood, they all work at 5V and 16MHz. So I change settings on the 1.6 IDE, upload Blink and success. Upload Arduino ISP and success.

OK. Lets try to program Blink on the ATTiny85... FAIL!

Again out of sync and signature errors.

Try to upload Blink to the pro mini instead: out of sync errors. 0x20 and 0x30.

At this point I'm pretty much desperate. What can I do to fix it all?

2

I just recently aquired a similar problem. I have a bunch of Arduino boards, different models, and I can upload to some and not to others. I CAN upload to Uno, Leonardo, and Mega2560, all of which use the Arduino 1.2.3.0 comm driver dated 11/24/2015.

I CANNOT upload to Mini, Nano, and Lilypad. I have several USB to serial adapters for programming, including FTDI, Prolific, and CH340 chips. Drivers for all of them are installed, and according to Device Manager at least, working correctly.

Further evidence that the drivers are OK is that using the Serial Monitor, I can receive serial data from the boards and their existing sketches (My Serial.print("debug info...") type code is all reporting correctly) and if I change the baud rate they reset.

I've been able to upload to them all in the past. I've been working just on the Mega for the last 5 or 6 months or so, and a few days ago was the first time in a while I've tried to upload to something other than it, so not sure when the problem started.

I'm getting errors:
avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 1 of 10: not in sync: resp=0x63
(etc. up to 10 attempts) The resp code varies and appears to be random.

I've tried different programmers, different cables, different USB ports, and different sketches. Have rebooted multiple times.
The problem is specific to just my main machine, a desktop with Intel i960 and Windows 10, 12GB ram, SSD... Which has Arduino IDE 1.6.8 installed.

I can upload to all boards on my old laptop, a Toshiba, with a Core 2 Duo, Windows 10, 4GB ram, SSD... which has Arduino 1.6.0 installed.

I'm debating if I should install 1.6.8 on the laptop to see if it breaks it. Worried I may have trouble rolling back and then not be able to upload on either machine.

I'm not an expert, but hardly a newb either. Any troubleshooting advice?

3

Well, I tried in W7 1.6.8, W7 1.6.0 and W10 1.6.8, none of them worked. Tried the loopback thing, but I'm not sure I'm doing it propperly 'cause I don't get an answer (or maybe the USB-TTL is f-up).

4

FT232RL USB to Serial adapter module USB TO RS232 Max232 for Arduino download | eBay is reported to work by a long-time Arduino developer

http://www.ebay.com/itm/400565980256 worked for me today when uploading to my Pro Mini clone

5

Loopback test works with all my female-female cables. So it's not the TTL.

6

So, I was able to reupload both Blink and ISP sketches. Simply pressed reset button on the pro mini while compiling. But comunication with the Tiny85 is still out of sync. I can't ven get to the "wrong signature" anymore.

Update: Afterall, I think that my Pro Mini might actually be a 3'3V 8MHz one. Selecting that board and uploading the ISP sketch, i can get to this point.

avrdude: Device signature = 0x000000
avrdude: Yikes! Invalid device signature.
Double check connections and try again, or use -F to override
this check.

7

Now the signature changes eveytime I upload.

8

Post an in focus, close up picture(s) of your setup - a fresh pair of eyes can spot issues not seen by the builder.

9

I've solved it finally. What I did this time was supply power from USB-TTL VC and GND pins both to Pro Mini and ATTiny. Instead of USB->Mini->ATTiny or USB->Mini & External supply->ATTiny. Weird, but it worked.