Hi Fellas, Lets begin with the last three lines at the cmd prmt (Windows v.6.1.7601):

avrdude -c avr109 -p m168 -b 115200 -P /dev/ttyCOM3 -u flash:w:initialload.hex:a

avrdude: ser_open(): can't open device "/dev/ttyCOM3": The system cannot find the path specified.

move: ***[initialload-upload] Error 1

This has been the only error, respectively, in spite of the following attempts: /dev/ttyCOM3, /dev/COM3, /dev/ttyUSB3, /dev/USB3; checked circuit wiring-that's good, new batteries, plug/unplug USB; checked status in Devices. Even ran troubleshoot; Problem discovered?, then corrected? No information given. "Properties" says this device (COM3) Prolific-USB-Serial is working properly. Can't load the first program (Step10C, page43). HELP.

How about just COM3 not /dev/com3, not /dev/ttycom3... just COM3 That is what was meant in the guide when they said: At the end you need to change “/dev/ttyUSB0” to “COM5” or whatever you saw in the previous steps.

That of course is assuming that is where your adapter is at. /dev/tty is used for Linux NOT Windows.

Rick

Rick, Thanx for the reply!! I did not understand the instructions. However, I tried what you had suggested: Re-edit Makefile with just, "COM3". It elicited a total different response, but finished with same canned error. At the Cmd prmt return was: avrdude -c avr109 -p m168 -b 115200 -P COM3 -U flash:w:initiaload.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 : safemode: Verify error - unable to read lfuse properly. Programmer may not be readable. avrdude : safemode: To protect your AVR the programming will be aborted. avrdude done: ThanK you. make: ***[initialload-upload] Error 1 C:UsersJane SavalickDownloadsCode ( 3)Codeinitialload>

I think your on to something! Can you think of anything more?

Ty

Tyron, use the "Indent Selection as Code Block" button to post text file (copy/paste) or code.

avrdude : safemode: Verify error - unable to read lfuse properly. Programmer may not be readable. avrdude : safemode: To protect your AVR the programming will be aborted. avrdude done

Now that's a strange one.

Sorry I know that doesn't help.

Ralph

Hi Tyron,

It looks like your programming cycle is failing right after the read, which usually points to a dead or dying battery. Try a fresh battery, or if you have a multimeter try testing the voltage at the 7805 output and at the battery terminals. If that was not the problem post a good close up picture of your setup so we can take a look.

Humberto

Hey Ralph and Humberto,

Thanx for your availability!!

Let me try my code, as suggested:

At the Cmd prmt return was:

C:\Users\Jane Savalick\Downloads\Code ( 3)\Code\initialload>make

avrdude -c avr109 -p m168 -b 115200 -P COM3 -U flash:w:initiaload.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 : safemode: Verify error - unable to read lfuse properly.

 Programmer may not be readable.

 avrdude : safemode: To protect your AVR the programming will be aborted.

 avrdude done:  Thank you.

 make: ***[initialload-upload] Error 1

C:\Users\Jane Savalick\Downloads\Code ( 3)Code\initialload>

Last, lets see about the pictures: http://imgur.com/RVc4M, http://imgur.com/ZRbN0, http://imgur.com/ljrmc

Hi Tyron,

You should also, double check also that your COM port is actually the one that was assigned to the Prolific 2303 USB-Ser cable. If you have other devices plugged in one of them might be COM3 (and not the cable), and that would confuse the programmer.

Humberto

Humberto,

What's the step-by-step in, "check also that your COM port is actually the one assigned to the Prolific 2303USB-Ser cable", with confidence?

Ty

Hi Ty,

I just meant check the Device Manager to make sure that COM is actually assigned to the Prolific 2303 Device, and not a different device. It might also be a good idea to just try a different USB Port (if this is a desktop computer you are on try one of the USB ports in the back).

Humberto

Hey Humberto,

Yes. In Device Manager, there is an icon that pops up upon ProlificUSB pluging in. Under the icon it reads "Prolific USB-to-Serial Comm Port (COM3)". For giggles, I tried COM4. Which included changing Makefile and re-loading Prolific USB driver, etc. Incidently, my voltage checks out from battery to +5vdc output pin on 7805.

Did you get the pics/pic links I sent??

Thax, Ty

Humberto/Ralph,

I was looking over my Downloads dir at the Cmd Prompt and noticed that I had downloaded Prolific2303 driver several times. Not only several times, but two different versions. So, I have 3-4 versions of 1.5.0 [(1)s & (2)s, zipped and unzipped], but also a couple versions of 1210 [(1)s &(2)s, zipped and unzipped]. Might this be confusing the Programmer? How does the execution know which file to draw from? I also noticed several windows-p12303 [(1)s & (2)s, zipped and unzipped]. Even if this is of no consequence, would some one out there be willing to explain how to delete unnecessary files at the Windows 7 Cmd Prmpt?

Ty

Hi Tyron,

I'm beginning to suspect there might be something amiss with your USB-Ser cable. Lets try something called the Echo test to test out your cable:

Go to the Servo Squireter tutorial http://www.nerdkits.com/videos/servosquirter/, and go down to the Serial Communications section. Follow the directions to communicate with the NerdKit using Putty, but instead of connecting the yellow and green wires of the serial cable to the MCU connect them to the same empty row of the breadboard. Since the yellow and green, send and receive wires are hooked up together, everything you type on Putty should be echoed back to you on the screen. Try it with and without the yellow and green wires connected to each other so you can see the difference. Let me know what you find.

Humberto

Humberto,

Sorry it took so long; I had to figure out the what, where, and hows of PuTTY. I think I performed the test you suggested; an Echo test. The results were as follows:

WWeellll,, tthhiiss sseeeemmss ccoorrrreecctt.. AAss ssoooonn aass aa lleetttteerr iiss ttyyppeedd,, iitt iiss

iimmmmeeddiiaatteellllyy sseenntt bbaacckk,, nnoo?? II aassuummee tthhee ""EECCHHOO"" tteesstt iiss wwoorrkkiinngg..

In this next line of text I have disconnected the green wire from the breadboard , breaking the "loop". And this next line of text demonstrates the green

wire RE-ATTACHED with the yellow disconnected. Finally, this last line of text shows both green and yellow disconnected from the breadboard. FFoorr ggiigggglleess,, tthhiiss lliinnee ooff tteexxtt sshhoowwss bbootthh ggrreeeenn && yyeellllooww

RREE--CCOONNNNEECCTTEEDD ttoo tthhee ssaammee ""eemmppttyy"" bbrreeaaddbbooaarrdd rrooww..

How did I do??

TY

Jefe Humberto,

Forgive my pansyness. However, there is a certain desperation that I must admit to. I am totally out of things to do because of my lack of experience. I have not been able to load my first program yet. Please, throw me a bone or some 'hoop to jump through'--even if it's just to keep me preoccupied until we figure out the solution.

Pathetically frantic,

Ty

Hi Tyron,

This one is just confusing. Your cable certainly appears to be working correctly.

So lets take step back. When you switch back to run-mode and reset power to the chip do you see the original congratulations message on the LCD? What do you see on the LCD when you boot into programming mode?

Humberto

Humberto,

Yes! When I switch to run, with battery already hooked up or following run with battery hook up, the original program runs just fine. However, there are several conditions that randomly follow switching to program mode. If battery is connected: 1) indefinite time until black-out, 2) sometimes random cell black-out with remaining rows with/without letters, 3) more often,only row 1 and 3 are totally blacked-out with remaining rows blank, 4) some of these conditions will remain after battery is disconnected--And USB is still plugged in, 5) Occasionally, ALL cells go black. In the machine tool service business, I've learned just to disconnect everything for a re-boot, so I was kinda tolerant to the inconsistency. Ultimately, it seems to me that only the SPST should be sufficient..? So, my process has been to, first switch to program mode, then disconnect battery and USB. Wait. Then, I will reconnect battery and USB. After making sure the LCD is totally blacked-out,I type "make" at the cmd prompt and enter. That's it.

THAX,

TY

Hi Tyron -

My usual experience when I'm in programming mode is similar and I usually don't worry about it. Sometimes the LCD displays it's last message, sometimes two rows are "black", sometimes just random things get displayed. The steps I usually follow are to turn off all power, switch to program mode, turn power on, upload program, turn everything off, switch to run mode, turn power on. (I've yet to implement a "reset" button on pin 1 which is very good advice). One question, do you have both the USB power and battery power on at the same time? It should not be a problem but if the voltage regulator isn't quite at 5v you may be draining some power that the USB does not like. I usually keep the USB red wire connected to an open row on the board and run everything off the voltage regulator.

Humberto,

Sorry for the time lag.

I needed, what I thought would be a better meter. I found one in my stash, a Simpson 1000 Ohm/V, 0-10VDC panel meter--still new. I re-checked my circuitry and found everything okay. The only thing I question is the 0.5VDC at pin 14 when the SPDT switch is in run-mode. Now, it most appropriately goes to Zero when the SPDT is in program mode. However, I was under the impression that "we" should avoid open pins (like 14, in run-mode); not being either pulled to ground or +5VDC on ICs. I checked the datasheet without finding specificity either way. Maybe, I missed it.

As to your question, is my USB providing power, I don't know? I'm a fumbler, so detail for me the process to get confident results; if power is there,and/or if it should be there, at a given time. One more thing, my USB red wire is safely tucked in row 8, all by its lonesome, on the breadboard.

Gracious Jefe,

Ty

Tyron -

Did you ever get this to work? From the error message posted on Mar 05, it looks similar to a problem posted Here. Maybe that solution will work for you.

Hey pcbolt,

There were two things I did. First, I went back thru my directories and eliminated the surplus of files I had downloaded when I first got the kit. I was questioning whether or not the paths were straight. I don't know enough about that, but at least I cleaned things up. The other thing I did was wire in a reset button on pin 1. For added measure, I performed one reset with SPDT set to program and one reset with SPDT set to run. Each was followed with full power-down and USB disconnect. THE FIRST "make" I ran, it took; It was wonderful. You should have been there!

THAX,

TY