I was trying to load the Temp Sensor program, received and error and now I can't write anything to my chip. The error occurred just after erasing the chip, so my guess is that maybe the boot loader has been screwed up. I know NOTHING about programming other than what I have learned with the initial_load nerdkit activity. I've tried to load this initial_load program again, as I know it has worked before, but it fails as well. The error I am getting is this:

avrdude: Device signature = 0x1e9406 avrdude: NOTE: FLASH memory has been specified, an erase cycle will be preformed

     To disable this feature, specify the -D option.

avrdude: erasing chip avrdude: error: programmer did not respond to command: chip erase make: *** [initialload-upload] Error 1

Hi Harpster,

When I see this error the first thing I suspect is a dying battery. It should be relatively difficult to corrupt the bootloader (although it is possible) so lets check the easy things first. First make sure all your connections are nice and snug, maybe rewire the power connections and the connections to your programming cable. If you have a multimeter check the voltage at the battery, it should be very close to 9V, and and the voltage at your power rails should be exactly 5V. If you feel up to it follow the instructions in Appendix B to use USB as your power supply, this will at least eliminate the battery as an issue.

Humberto

Got it, thanks. The battery was bad. I had some errors in my code that were not allowing it to work. While I was trouble shooting I ended up with that error and was convinced I messed something up. The Battery never even occurred to me. Thanks again for your help, you guys are great.

Hey guy!! got into this thread, because I am getting the same message:

avrdude -c avr109 -p m168 -b 115200 -P /dev/cu.PL2303-00004006 -U flash:w:initialload.hex:a

Connecting to programmer: .
Found programmer: Id = "FDL v02"; type = S
    Software Version = 0.2; No Hardware Version given.
Programmer supports auto addr increment.
Programmer supports buffered memory access with buffersize=128 bytes.

Programmer supports the following devices:
    Device code: 0x35

avrdude: AVR device initialized and ready to accept instructions

Reading | ################################################## | 100% 0.00s

avrdude: Device signature = 0x1e9406
avrdude: NOTE: FLASH memory has been specified, an erase cycle will be performed
         To disable this feature, specify the -D option.
avrdude: erasing chip
avrdude: error: programmer did not respond to command: chip erase
make: *** [initialload-upload] Error 1

I checked my battery and voltage is 8.78, what else can be causing this error? BTW my lcd seems to be stuck in programing mode, rows 1 and 2 stay on even when programing switch is off.

"Generally" the two black bars, for me is caused by a wiring problem.

The 22ga wires might be in place but they do not have a good purchase in the bread board so they have to be reset, sometimes stripping the breadboard and starting over is required.

This will happen to working setups, it just seems to start happening, probable because the breadboard gets jostled.

You can also try a new battery or powering from the USB red wire to your + rail.

Probable do the battery or USB before stripping the breadboard.

I will say you will be amazed how fast you get at rebuilding the breadboard, especially since all of your wires are cut and stripped for you.

Ralph

The black bars indicate the display has not been initialized by software. Since the programmer (bootloader or spi type) doesn't/can't initialize the display, a program like initialload has to be programmed onto the chip and started before the black bars will go away.

Ok, so I did what Noter said about re-wiring the whole thing again, and after doing that the LCD screen still showed the 1st and 3rd row as if it was in programming mode even though it was not, I checked the battery and its ok, tried to load initialload and still get the same message:

avrdude -c avr109 -p m168 -b 115200 -P /dev/cu.PL2303-00004006 -U flash:w:initialload.hex:a

Connecting to programmer: .
Found programmer: Id = "FDL v02"; type = S
    Software Version = 0.2; No Hardware Version given.
Programmer supports auto addr increment.
Programmer supports buffered memory access with buffersize=128 bytes.

Programmer supports the following devices:
    Device code: 0x35

avrdude: AVR device initialized and ready to accept instructions

Reading | ################################################## | 100% 0.00s

avrdude: Device signature = 0x1e9406
avrdude: NOTE: FLASH memory has been specified, an erase cycle will be performed
         To disable this feature, specify the -D option.
avrdude: erasing chip
avrdude: error: programmer did not respond to command: chip erase
make: *** [initialload-upload] Error 1

I also checked all connections with a very sophisticated volt meter (FLUKE 16) that I own from working in air conditioning units and all wires are connected correctly. I also checked the code, now that I was able to get my hands on XCode and everything looked fine. Please Help! I hate feeling stuck.

I didn't suggest you rewire anything, Ralph is your rewire man.

Clearly avrdude is communicating with the bootloader up to the point of erasing the chip so probably your wiring was ok else it wouldn't get that far in the first place. If you still have black bars on your display after a successful load then maybe some display wires are crossed but you're not that far along yet.

The strange thing here is that it gives up on the chip erase. I've never seen it get to that point and then fail when using the bootloader but then I don't run on batteries either. I would go along with Humberto's recommendation for you to set up the USB power instead of the battery just to eliminate that as a possibility.

If that doesn't work, post back and we'll try to figure out what else is going on.

Also, the display does not show "programming mode". It has black bars showing until it is initialized by a program that has been successfully loaded on to the chip.

The only thing that puts the ATmega168 in programming mode is to close the switch followed by a reset so the bootloader will run. It has nothing to do with the display showing bars or not.

Noter, you were right, all I had to do was to set up the USB power to my kit and that solved the problem. Happy again. sorry for getting you mixed up with Ralph and thank you both.

Thanks for these posts guys. I had the same problem and tried all remedies suggested, the last being the switch to USB power. I did this last cause I was still getting 4.95V out of my voltage regulator but I guess you need exactly 5V for it to work.

steely600, no "exactly 5V" is not required.

My regulator runs at 4.8V.

Possible in switching power supplies around you made good contact with your wiring and then the Nerdkit works. Or you were not supplying enough current from your power supplies.

Actually you can check the specsheet and see the voltage range the mcu will/should work at or the lcd. "Most" electronic devices do not require exact voltages most will work within a range. Current is usually more critical than voltage.

Ralph

Hey Ralhxyz, Yeah you're probably right. After trying new regulators I was getting a full 5V everywhere on my board but still not being able to upload code into the MPU. After a bit more searching of the forums here I found that the batt clips can get a bit faulty and sure enough that was my problem, not enought current coming through. Cheers mate, Jamie

After a bit more searching of the forums here I found that the batt clips can get a bit faulty and sure enough that was my problem, not enought current coming through.

Yeah that happens often using the battery.

Of course it can also happen using a wall wart or USB generally if you are seeing ~5v but cannot program you have a current problem.

Ralph