Uploading to custom board with FTDT232

Development Tools Uploading
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Hi Guys, I have build a custom board with a ATMEGA328 processor. On the board I have connected at 74HC595 shift register with a couple of relays to control input sources which I am controlling with BC547 transistors, a rotary encoder to for input, an IR receiver to receive wireless input and a LED ring to display the status of the selected mode. I want to program the ATMEGA processor with a FTDI232 programmer. To avoid blowing up the USB of my Macbook I have installed a jumper on the board to disconnect the 5V power source from the FTDI controller. I can replace the jumper again when I disconnect the external power source. I have left the ground connected. This all used to work, but somehow I cannot program the board anymore. I am getting the following error when I try to upload a new updated code to the ATMEGA:
"avrdude: Version 6.3-20190619
Copyright (c) 2000-2005 Brian Dean, http://www.bdmicro.com/
Copyright (c) 2007-2014 Joerg Wunsch

     System wide configuration file is "/Users/xxxxxxx/Library/Arduino15/packages/arduino/tools/avrdude/6.3.0-arduino17/etc/avrdude.conf"
     User configuration file is "/Users/xxxxxxx/.avrduderc"
     User configuration file does not exist or is not a regular file, skipping

     Using Port                    : /dev/cu.usbserial-A90HG7WR
     Using Programmer              : arduino
     Overriding Baud Rate          : 115200

avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 1 of 10: not in sync: resp=0x00"

I have tried different cables, two different FTDI programmers, the processor can be programmed with a UNO board, so the processor is OK. I can read the serial port with the FTDI when I have connected it. I am out of options, I do not know how to trouble shoot this one. Any thoughts? What can I do/try to localize this issue?

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What settings do you have under Tools -> Board?

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I use the Arduino Uno driver, further there are not much settings I can use....

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Hi @citrofiel.

Did you use the UNO as an "Arduino as ISP" programmer when you did that?

If so, you erased the bootloader on the target ATmega328 microcontroller on your custom board. It is expected that attempting to upload to a microcontroller without a bootloader via the FTDI FT232R will fail with this "stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding" error.

To restore the ability to upload via the FTDI FT232R, connect the "Arduino as ISP" programmer to the board and then select Tools > Burn Bootloader from the Arduino IDE menus. After that, try uploading via the FTDI FT232R again. Hopefully this time it will be successful.