Can't reprogram my pro mini

[LastSamurai]

Hi,

I have a strange problem with one of my arduino pro minis. Its build into a pcb which controls an RGBW strip and some weeks ago I programmed it using a small usb to serial programmer and the 6 pin header at the front of the mini.
So now I wanted to reprogram it with a new version of my software but somehow I can't.

I connected the external power source to the pcb and connected every pin of the 6 pin header aside from VCC to the matching headers of the the mini. When opening the serial console of the arduino IDE I see the normal output of the pro mini (115200 baud NL and CR). I can also control the mini from my domoticz controller. What I can't do is upload new code from the ide. I selected the right COM port, the pro mini 8Mhz 3.3V and clicked upload.
What I get is this:

Using Port                    : \\.\COM4
         Using Programmer              : arduino
         Overriding Baud Rate          : 57600
avrdude: Send: 0 [30]   [20] 
avrdude: Send: 0 [30]   [20] 
avrdude: Send: 0 [30]   [20] 
avrdude: Recv: - [2d] 
avrdude: stk500_getsync(): not in sync: resp=0x2d

where the response differs every time. I am not a 100% sure but I think last time I programmed it I did exactly the same thing. Why isn't it working? Must be some small detail.
Do you have any ideas?

[flopp]

@LastSamurai
I always use Arduino IDE.
What do you use?
Have you tried Arduino IDE, same result?

[LastSamurai]

@flopp Oh yes I am actually using the arduino IDE. I only enabled more debug infos for uploading and that is what I get.
I tried directly using avrdude too though and don't get any reaction either.

Strange! I guess I will have to try arduino as ISP now ;( Perhaps I somehow damaged the bootloader.

[flopp]

@LastSamurai
Try with 8mhz 5 volt, same result?

Try to burn new bootloader.

[LastSamurai]

@flopp Yeah I did try that one too.
I will retry some stuff tomorrow and if that doesn't work (again) I will have to reburn the bootloader. Thought there might be some easy solution I overlooked.

[LastSamurai]

Something must have been damaged on that board. I was able to reburn the bootloader using and arduino UNO with the ISP sketch but I still can't update the sketch via serial. I build another board and that's working now.

[mfalkvidd]

@LastSamurai when you connect the Pro Mini to FTDI, does it blink the led on 13? The standard boot loader should blink three times. If it doesn't blink, maybe it doesn't get power. I managed to damage the Vcc connection from the FTDI header on one of my Pro Minis, but if I power it through the Vcc pin on the side it works.

[Boots33]

FTDI are up to there old tricks again and trying to block counterfeit chips. I have a couple of nano's that I can no longer program on my windows 10 computer but will work on an old windows xp laptop.

see

http://hackaday.com/2016/02/01/ftdi-drivers-break-fake-chips-again/

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/01/31/ftdi_accused_of_bricking_counterfeits_again/

[tripy]

Shenanigans like that makes me happy to work with Linux. But if I had to buy it again, I'd use an ch340 based usb-ttl device just to avoid ftdi chips.
Something like this: http://www.aliexpress.com/item/CTS-DTR-USB-Adapter-Pro-Mini-Download-cable-USB-to-RS232-TTL-Serial-ports-CH340-Replace/32236136728.html?ws_ab_test=searchweb201556_6,searchweb201602_5_505_506_503_504_301_10032_10020_502_10001_10002_10017_10005_10006_10003_10021_10004_10022_10018_10019,searchweb201603_2&btsid=dbfef4d9-1a89-4f88-9906-180148e01e92

[LastSamurai]

Thanks for your help guys. I know the problem with the FTDI drivers and I already switched back to an older version from 2013 which is working fine (although windows 10 sometimes replaced these with "better" drivers ).
I'll try that power fix though.

[A Former User]

Did you solve the problem?

I have the same error when I trying to upload any sketch to my pro mini.

Tried two boards, and the first upload went well, but when I tried to upload a new sketch it wont work.

[TheoL]

I had the same problem. But I blew something on the board when I forgot that I shouldn't connect the VCC of the FTDI while I had an external power source connected to the arduino as well. Apparently some Arduino's can't handle that

[A Former User]

@LastSamurai
I made it!

Tried a lot of solutions that I found on google, and when I tried to sleep, then i found it.
I found this:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Uploading-sketch-to-Arduino-Pro-Mini-using-Arduino/?ALLSTEPS

It work from the beginning, so I think the serial adapter is the problem.

I hope this would help you all.

[mfalkvidd]

Great news! Thanks for reporting back.