I have connected everything correctly. The connections allowed for the initial message from nerdKits saying everything is good. I hooked up the usb, and downloaded the initialload program and it worked. I did it a second time, and it did not work, and still fails to work.

Here is what it says now:

avrdude -c avr109 -p m16 -b 115200 -P COM1 -U flash:w:initialload.hex:a

Connecting to programmer: Found programmer: Id = "z <"; type = Software Version = J. ; Hardware Version = ~. avrdude.exe: error: buffered memory access not supported. Maybe it isn't a butterfly/AVR109 but a AVR910 device? make: *** [initialload-upload] Error 1

Seems like the uP died, and I need a replacement. Seems like it responds to connect, but responds with junk, and the downloaded errors out.

How do I get a replacement?

Thanks

Hi Wally,

Its certainly possible that your chip is bonked, and if it is I will gladly send you out a new one. However, these little chips are quite resilient and there are a few other things that could be the cause here. I'd like to explore those possibilities first so we actually narrow the problem down to a single component.

If you take the chip out of programming mode and reset power to the chip, what do you get on your LCD?

Do you have a multimeter around? If so check the voltage across the power rails as you are programming the chip, and also check the voltage across the terminals of the battery.

If you can include a good close up picture of your setup, that might help us spot something strange.

Humberto

Hi Wally,

Its certainly possible that your chip is bonked, and if it is I will gladly send you >out a new one. However, these little chips are quite resilient and there are a few >other things that could be the cause here. I'd like to explore those possibilities >first so we actually narrow the problem down to a single component.

If you take the chip out of programming mode and reset power to the chip, what do you >get on your LCD?

With the chip out of programming mode, I get two lines of squares. Not sure what you mean when you say 'reset power to the chip'. Does that mean 'ground to uP pin 1, the reset pin'? or 'power to uP pin1'? I tried it with both, and it is the same, squares on the lcd.

Do you have a multimeter around? If so check the voltage across the power rails as you >are programming the chip, and also check the voltage across the terminals of the >battery. The voltage across the rails is 4.95v. The voltage across the battery is 9v.

If you can include a good close up picture of your setup, that might help us spot >something strange. I took pics, but did not know how to attach the pics here without a web address. Humberto

Hi Wally,

By reset power to the chip I mean unplug the battery and plug it back in. This will make sure that the chip reboots completely into the state that we want it to.

We recommend you use a free image hosting site to post your images on the forums we have posted instructions on how to do that in this form post http://www.nerdkits.com/forum/thread/572/.

Humberto

Yep, tried that. (unplugging the battery and plugging it back in) Tried it with both settings. Still no go. Anything else to try?

It is very very strange that you don't get the original program on your LCD when you boot into non-programming mode. What was the last thing you managed to flash onto the chip before it stopped working? Are you using the 9V battery? I still suspect something strange in the wiring, could you get those pictures posted up so we can take a look.

Humberto

Did you get a resolution to this post ? I have the same and I have checked everything twice (I am an elec eng, and I know that means not a lot, but I am sure the wiring is correct).

Same display... "Blank Line, then Line of squares then Blank line then squares"

Make says

avrdude avr - c etc Then Connecting to programmer .

Then nothing happens

I will replace the uP and see what happens

OK so replaced the ATmega168 with an ATmega 8 ( same pin out)

SAME problem

Replaced Xtal with difft xtal

SAME problem

Reloaded software from Nerd replaced original Atmega168 AND replaced original xtal ran software (with correct comport) COM5 (corrected makefile)

WORKS

So SOLUTION =

Check and re-check Wiring RELOAD original software

AND it should work

J

foxegg