Weird: Pro Mini sometimes won't start after uploading with an USBasp programmer

Failure... :frowning:

With the same configuration as above (Bootloader = No) I tried to burn the bootloader via USBasp.
As output, I see the "burner" program setting the fuse bits without problems (three or four bits, if I remember right), but it end with an error message:

avrdude: auto set sck period (because given equals null)
avrdude: warning: cannot set sck period. please check for usbasp firmware update.
avrdude: error: program enable: target doesn't answer. 1 
avrdude: initialization failed, rc=-1
         Double check connections and try again, or use -F to override
         this check.


avrdude done.  Thank you.

the selected serial port 
 does not exist or your board is not connected

After this, I tried the same to upload my sketch but the operation ends immediately: "avrdude: error: program enable: target doesn't answer. 1 "
I tried to burn again the bootloader but, again, the operation is aborted as above.

Arduino fried... :cry:
I throwed it in the trash bin...

Any thought?