Avr Usb Driver

The Pololu USB AVR Programmer v2.x has drivers and configuration software for Windows. The drivers tell Windows how to recognize the programmer and set it up correctly. The drivers are needed for Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8. For Windows 10 and later, the drivers are optional but recommended. - USB AVRISP XPII supports all AVR devices with ISP and PDI Interface. Support for new devices will be added with new versions of AVR Studio. Supports all the different voltages and speed grade versions of the devices listed in the table above. The USB AVRISP XPII connects to the target board through 3 optional cables. Method 2: Un-installing and Re-installing USB driver. Open Device Manager by typing “Device Manager” on the search bar. Locate Universal Bus Controller and follow the steps mentioned below: Click on the Start button, and type “Device Manager” on the search bar. Open Device Manager, expand “UniversalBus Controllers”.

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Introduction

Do you need more control over your AVRs? Whether it's an ATmega328, ATmega32U4, ATtiny85, if it's an AVR there's a good chance the AVR Pocket Programmer can program it.

Pocket AVR Programmer

PGM-09825
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There are many reasons for programming your AVR via an in-system programmer (ISP). If your AVR doesn't have a bootloader on it, it's probably the only way to load code. Or maybe you want to overwrite the bootloader to squeeze out some extra flash space. Or maybe you want to poke at the fuse bits, to change the brown-out voltage. Or maybe you just want a faster and more reliable code upload.

Covered In This Tutorial

In this tutorial we will introduce you to all of the important aspects of the AVR Pocket Programmer. It's split into a series of sections, which cover:

  • Board Overview -- A look at the hardware components that make up the AVR Pocket Programmer.
  • Installing Drivers -- How to install the AVR Pocket Programmers on a Windows machine (Mac and Linux users can skip this page).
  • Programming via Arduino -- How to use the ubiquitous 'easy-mode' AVR IDE to upload sketches via the AVR Pocket Programmer.
  • Using AVRDUDE via Command Line -- A more advanced, command-line-based approach to using the AVR Pocket Programmer.
  • Troubleshooting -- A few troubleshooting tips for resolving some of the AVRDUDE errors that you may run into.

Required Materials

Most importantly, to follow along with this tutorial, you will need an AVR Pocket Programmer and an AVR to program. On top of that, a mini-B USB cable is required to connect the Programmer to your computer.

That microcontroller-to-be-programmed can be any AVR with 64K or less of flash. The ATmega328 on an Arduino Uno or RedBoard works perfectly, but the ATmega2560 of an Arduino Mega does not.

Beyond that, you may need something to interface the Programmer to your AVR. Here are some useful accessories, which might make the job easier:

  • Straight Male Headers -- If you have an AVR on a development board -- like an Arduino Pro -- the 2x3 (or 2x5) ISP header may not be populated. You can use straight male headers (also available in a long-pinned version) to make a temporary contact between ISP cable and your dev board. There is also a 2x3 pin version.
  • ISP Pogo Adapter -- Like the headers, this ISP adapter is designed to provide a temporary electrical connection between adapter and AVR. This is a great, more reliable alternative to the headers.
  • AVR Programming Adapter -- If you AVR is living on a breadboard, you probably don't have an interface to the standard 2x3 ISP pinout. This simple breakout board makes interfacing the programmer with your breadboarded circuit possible.

Suggested Reading

Avr Usb Driver

Whether you're a beginner or experienced electronics enthusiast, the Pocket Programmer should be easy to get up-and-running. If you've programmed an Arduino before, you'll be well-prepared for the next step. Here are some tutorials we'd recommend reading before continuing on with this one:

  • What is an Arduino? -- If you're unfamiliar with AVRs, check out this tutorial to learn about the most popular one of the lot.
  • Installing Arduino -- Arduino isn't required to use the Programmer, but it can make things easier, especially if you still want to program your AVR using the Arduino libraries.
  • Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) -- The Pocket Programmer uses an SPI interface to send data to and from the AVR. Click this tutorial to learn the meanings behind 'MOSI', 'MISO', and 'SCK'.

Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI)

SPI is commonly used to connect microcontrollers to peripherals such as sensors, shift registers, and SD cards.

What is an Arduino?

What is this 'Arduino' thing anyway?

Installing Arduino IDE

A step-by-step guide to installing and testing the Arduino software on Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Board Overview

Before we get to using the AVR Pocket Programmer, let's quickly overview what components fill the board out:

  • USB Connector -- This is your data and power input to the Programmer. A mini-B USB cable plugs in here and connects your computer to the Programmer.
  • 2x5 ISP Header -- This shrouded header mates with the included Programming Cable, and allows you to send the programming signals out to your AVR. It's polarized to make sure you can't plug anything in backwards.
  • Power Target Switch -- Unlike a lot of ISP's out there, the AVR Pocket Programmer can deliver power to the AVR-to-be-programmed. Flick this switch to the 'Power Target' side, to send 5V to the AVR. More on this below.
  • ATtiny2313 -- This is the chip that works the programming magic. It converts between USB and SPI to turn commands from your computer into words and instructions to load into your AVR-to-be-programmed. Unless you want to customize the Tiny ISP firmware, you can leave this chip alone.
    • The unpopulated ISP header, above the ATtiny2313, is broken out in case that chip needs to be programmed. It's mostly used in production by those who program the programmers.
  • 74AC125 Buffer -- This chip helps to add some protection to the programmer by buffering the>97
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Installing Drivers

Driver installation is required on Windows machines only. If you're using a Mac or Linux machine, you don't need to install drivers. Just plug the board in, and skip to the next section. Otherwise, follow along below as we overview the installation process.

There are two sets of instruction for driver installation on this page. The first is the easiest, quickest method, and should work for most everyone. The second installation process is only required if the first one fails -- it takes a more manual approach to the driver installation.

To begin, plug the AVR Pocket Programmer into your computer. Upon initially connecting the board, Windows will try to automatically install the drivers. Some computers may be lucky, but most will turn up with a message notifying you that the driver install failed.

Click the link below to download the Zadig software and drivers:

Use your favorite unzipper to extract the ZIP file. Don't forget where you put the extracted folder!

After you've plugged the Pocket AVR Programmer into your computer and your machine has run through the process of checking for and failing to install drivers, proceed to the 'zadig_v2.0.1.160' folder you just unzipped. Then Run zadig.exe software.

Zadig is a wonderful tool that can install the drivers on just about any Windows platform out there. Upon opening the program, you should be greeted with a window like this:

There are a few options to verify before installing the driver:

  • Select the device -- The top dropbox controls which device you want to install the driver for. Hopefully you only have one option here, something like 'Unknown Device #1'. If you have more than one option, check your device manager to see if you can make sense of which is which (plugging and unplugging a device usually helps).
  • Select the driver -- Click the arrows in this box until you happen upon libusb-win32 (vx.x.x.x), that's the driver we want to install.

After verifying those two selections, click 'Install Driver'. The installation process can take a few minutes, but after you've watched the scroll bar zoom by countless times, you should be greeted with a 'The driver was installed successfully' message.

Zadig Driver Installation Issues

After installing the drivers, your computer may respond by indicating that the device was not installed correctly. Here are two methods of troubleshooting driver issues when installing with Zadig.
📌 Troubleshooting Tip: In this case, the WinUSB drivers were selected instead of the libusb-win32 drivers. To remedy the issue, simply go through the guide again to reinstall the correct libusb-win32 drivers.
📌 Troubleshooting Tip: In other cases, it may also initialize somewhere in your device manager as an Unknown USB Device (Device Descriptor Request Failed) even if you installed the correct drivers:
Try unplugging and replugging the Pocket AVR Programmer back into your USB port. Or switch out your mini-B USB cable for a known good. In some cases, your Pocket AVR Programmer may shows up under the libusb-win32 devices as an Unknown Device #1. As long as it shows up under libusb-win32 devices tree, you should be good to go!
Well done! You've successfully installed the drivers on your computer. However, the driver still shows up as an Unknown Device #1. But you know what it is! You can use the Zadig software to rename the USB port if you desire. With your programmer connected to your comptuer and the software open, navigate to the programmer's port. Select the checkbox next to Edit.
Type in the name for your port. It can be 'USBtiny' or in this case, 'SparkFun Pocket AVR Programmer'. Make sure that the correct driver is selected.
Click Reinstall Driver. The driver will reinstall and you should see the same message that indicates that the drivers were successfully installed. You may need to unplug and replug the programmer to your computer to give it a second to refresh again.
Open up your device manager and you should see the device renamed!

If you were successful, close out of the Zadig program and proceed to the next section!

If Zadig didn't work for you, check out the instructions below for help manually installing the drivers.

If, for some reason, Zadig didn't work for you. Read the instructions below to manually install the drivers. Click the link below to download the drivers:

Use your favorite unzipper to extract the ZIP file. Don't forget where you put the extracted folder!

After you've plugged in the Programmer, and Windows has failed to install the driver. Follow these steps to install the driver:

  1. Open the Device Manager -- There are a few routes to open up the device manager.
    • You can go to the Control Panel, then click Hardware and Sound, then click Device Manager.
    • Or, simply open the run tool (press Windows Key + R), and run devmgmt.msc.
  2. In the Device Manager, you should see 'Other devices >Unknown device'. Right click 'Unkown Device' and select Update Driver Software...
  3. Click Browse my computer for driver software in the 'Update Diver Software - Unknown Device' window that pops up.
  4. Click 'Browse..' and navigate to the './usbtinyisp_libusb-win32_1.2.1.0' folder you just downloaded. Then click Next.
  5. Windows will begin installing the driver, and then immediately notify you that the driver isn't signed. Click Install this driver software anyway option, to proceed with the installation.
  6. After a few moments, the driver should successfully install. You'll be prompted with a 'Windows has successfully updated your driver software' window. Close that, and you'll see a 'USBtiny' entry populated in the Device Manager, under the 'LibUSB-Win32 Devices' tree.

Congratulations! Proceed over to the next section, and we'll start using the Programmer!

📌 Drivers Still Not Installing? If you are still having issues installing the drivers, try looking at this troubleshooting tip and driver from our technical support:
GitHub SparkFunTechSupport: ..PGM-11801

Breathe easy now! Once you've installed the USBtiny drivers on your computer, you shouldn't ever have to do it again. Now it's time to program something!

Programming via Arduino

Arduino has a built-in tool that allows you to upload your sketch via a programmer instead of the serial bootloader. If you're just taking your first steps toward ISP-ing your Arduino-compatible AVR, this is a good place to start.

Connect the Programmer

First, let's connect the programmer to our Arduino. Most Arduinos break out the standardized 2x3 ISP header towards the edge of the board. Plug the 2x5-connector end of included programming cable into your AVR Pocket Programmer, then connect the other, 2x3 end into your Arduino.

Note the notch on the connector facing the same direction as pin 1 (marked with a small white line here) on the 2x3 Arduino connector.

When connecting the programming cable to you Arduino, make sure you match up the polarity! The cable has a 'notch' on one side of the plastic housing. This should point towards pin 1 of the Arduino's ISP header. Pin 1 is usually indicated by a stripe next to the hole or pin.

If your Arduino doesn't have the ISP pins populated, check out the bottom section of this page for some tips and tricks we've used through the years.

Powering Target

While connecting your programmer, double-check to make sure the 'Power Target' switch is in the correct position. The programmer can power your Arduino alone! If you want it to handle that task, slide it over to the Power Target position.

The 'Power Target' feature is especially useful if you only have one USB slot/cable available.

Unplug your Arduino from USB if you're going to power it via the Programmer -- you don't want to create any ugly reverse current flows through your power sources.

Programming via Arduino

Now that the programmer is connected to your Arduino, open up the IDE. Then open an example sketch like Blink (File > Examples > 1.Basics > Blink).

Before uploading, we need to tell Arduino which programmer we're using. Go up to Tools >Programmer and select USBtinyISP.

Also make sure you've set the 'Board' option correctly! The serial port selection isn't required for uploading the sketch, but is still necessary if you're doing anything with the serial monitor.

To upload the sketch using the programmer you selected, go to File >Upload Using Programmer. If you'll be doing this a lot, get used to pressing CTRL+SHIFT+U (COMMAND+SHIFT+U on Mac).

Note: Depending on your Arduino IDE version, this may be in a different menu. Try looking under Sketch >Upload Using Programmer for this option.

The Arduino will run through its normal process of compiling. After the sketch compiles, the Programmer will start lighting up blue everywhere -- the 'D+' and 'D-' LEDs will light up, and so will the 'Stat2' LED. When the 'Stat2' LED turns off, the upload will be finished. Check the status area of your Arduino IDE to verify that the sketch is 'Done uploading.'

If you've uploaded a sketch via the programmer, you've also wiped off the bootloader. If you ever want to put the serial bootloader back on your Arduino, check out the next section.

Programming a Bootloader

The Arduino IDE also has a feature built-in to allow you to (re-)upload a bootloader to the AVR. Here's how:

Make sure you've set the Board option correctly -- among other things, that will set which bootloader you'll be uploading. Then, simply navigate up to Tools >Burn Bootloader at the very bottom of the menu.

Avr Cdc Usb Demo Driver

This process may take a minute-or-so. Not only will the bootloader be written into the flash of your AVR, the fuse bits (setting the clock speed, bootloader space, etc), and lock bits (barring the bootloader from overwriting itself) will also be (re)set.

The bootloader upload process is complete when the 'Burning bootloader to I/O board (this may take a minute)..' message turns to 'Done burning bootloader'. It really does take a while -- it's not lying when it says it 'may take a minute.'

Pogo Pins or the Angled Header Press

Most Arduino boards should have male pins populated on this 2x3 connector. If your board doesn't have pins shooting out of those holes, there are a few options.

You can solder a couple strips of 3 straight male headers in there, to get the best, most reliable connection. But if you want to avoid soldering, you can use those same headers (long headers work better for this), plugging the long end into the programming cable and pushing the short end into the empty holes, while angling them to make contact on all six pins.

Free node js tutorial. Its package ecosystem – NPM was written by Isaac Schlueter and launched in 2010.However, as the libraries accessible by NPM are constantly increasing thanks to the awesome Node.js community, you can find resources for almost any task imaginable, which makes writing your own project that much more easy and intuitive.

Another solder-less option is to use the ISP Pogo Adapter, which will afford you a more reliable electrical connection.

Both of these methods can be tricky -- you have to hold those pins steady while the code uploads to your Arduino -- but they're a good solderless, temporary option.

Using AVRDUDE via Command Line

If you're looking for more control over your AVR Pocket Programmer -- and the AVR it's connected to -- follow along below. We'll demonstrate how to use AVRDUDE, an open-source command line wonder-utility for reading, writing, and manipulating AVRs.

If you have Arduino, then you already have AVRDUDE installed -- it's the tool Arduino uses under the hood to upload sketches. If you need to install AVRDUDE separately, check out the documentation under AVRDUDE's downloads. The avrdude-doc-X.XX.pdf's (i.e. avrdude-doc-6.3.pdf) files are particularly useful when installing AVRDUDE for your operating system if you have issues using AVRDUDE commands in any directory via command line.

Sanity Check -- AVRDUDE Paths

AVRDUDE is a command-line tool, so, in order to use it, you'll need to open up the 'Command Prompt' (Windows) or 'Terminal' (Mac/Linux). To make sure AVRDUDE is working it's good to do a little sanity check first. Open up the command line and type the following command.

You should see an output similar to the image below.

Sanity Check -- Device Signature Verification

Note: The following example is all assuming you have an ATmega328P connected at the other end of your programmer. If you have a different type of microcontroller, you'll need to formulate a slightly different command, check the Specify Programmer and AVR Device section below.

To make sure AVRDUDE is working, and your AVR Pocket Programmer is connected correctly, it's good to do another little sanity check. Type this into your command prompt:

If everything is connected correctly, you should get a response like this:

This basic command defines the programmer type you're using and the AVR it's talking to. AVRDUDE will attempt to read the Device Signature from your AVR, which is different for each AVR type out there. Every ATmega328P should have a device signature of 0x1E950F.

Flash Programming

Heads up! This example assumes that the fuse bits (i.e. the low, high, and extended) are set already before flashing the .hex file. Since we are using a RedBoard Programmed with Arduino, we can flash a .hex file to the board.

Now that you've verified that everything is in working order, you can do all sorts of memory reading and writing with AVRDUDE. The main piece of memory you probably want to write is flash -- the non-volatile memory where the programs are stored.

Warning! By writing the following blink.hex file to your AVR microntroller, this will overwrite what is in memory. The file does not have an Arduino bootloader so you will not be able to upload via serial using the Arduino IDE until you reinstall the bootloader with your respective microcontroller. If you are following along with the RedBoard Programmed with Arduino, you can still reinstall the bootloader to upload via serial again. The board uses the optiboot_atmega328.hex. You can find this in the Arduino program folder similar to this path ..arduino-1.8.5hardwarearduinoavrbootloadersoptiboot or in 'Reinstalling the RedBoard's Arduino Bootloader' later in this tutorial.

This example will be using the blink.hex file as an example. Download the following files below. If you are using the blink.hex file, make sure that you unzip the folder and place it in the working directory.

This command will perform a basic write to flash using the HEX file.

Writing to flash will take a little longer than reading the signature bits. You'll see a text status bar scroll by as the device is read, written to, and verified.

The -U option command handles all of the memory reads and writes. We tell it we want to work with flash memory, do a write with w, and then tell it the location of the hex file we want to write.

Tip: In some cases, you may need to specify the *.hex file that you are flashing. This is usually optional but you may get an error if AVRDUDE is not able to read the file.
Invalid File Format
To specify, you can by add an :i to indicate that it is an Intel hex format:
avrdude -c usbtiny -p atmega328p -U flash:w:blink.hex:i
Or :a to auto detect the format:
avrdude -c usbtiny -p atmega328p -U flash:w:blink.hex:a
For more information, try checking the AVRDUDE's Online Documentation under the Option Description where it describes the command '-U memtype:op:filename[:format]'.
AVRDUDE Online Documentation: Option Descriptions

Flash Reading

The -U command can also be used to read the memory contents of an AVR. A command like below, for example, will read the contents of your AVR and store them into a file called 'mystery.hex'.

This is incredibly useful if you want to copy the contents of one Arduino to another. Or maybe you're a masochist, and you want to try reverse-engineering the mystery code in an AVR.

Reinstalling the RedBoard's Arduino Bootloader

Now that you have a hang of flashing hex files to your RedBoard, try reinstalling the bootloader with the following file. Download the file.

Navigate to the path where you downloaded the bootloader and enter the following command.

If all goes well, you should get a message indicating that it was written, verified, and finished uploading. You should get an output similar to the output below. In this case, the configuration file (i.e. avrdude.conf) and the bootloader (*.hex) were not located in the same working directory. Two additional commands were needed to specify where to look for the files. Additionally, the *.hex format needed to be autodetected when flashing the file by adding the :a.

Head back to the Arduino IDE, disconnect the USB cable from your programmer, and connect to the RedBoard's USB port to see if you can upload a simple blink.ino sketch back to the board via serial. Make sure to select the appropriate board definition and COM port before uploading. You should see a familiar message indicating that the Arduino IDE is 'Done Uploading' when complete and the on-board LED begin to blink on pin 13.

Note: Looking for more information about Installing an Arduino Bootloader? Check out our tutorial below about the different methods of flashing an Arduino bootloader to an AVR chip!

Installing an Arduino Bootloader

This tutorial will teach you what a bootloader is and why you would need to install or reinstall it. We will also go over the process of burning a bootloader by flashing a hex file to an Arduino microcontroller.

Useful Options

Here are just a few last AVRDUDE tips and tricks before we turn you loose on the AVR world.

Two options required for using AVRDUDE are the programmer type and AVR device specification:

  • The programmer definition, assuming you're using the AVR Pocket Programmer, will be -c usbtiny. If you need to use a different programmer check out this page and CTRL+F to '-c programmer-id'.

  • The AVR device type is defined with the -p option. We've shown a few examples with the ATmega328P, but what if you're using an ATtiny85? In that case, you'll want to put -p t85 instead. Check out the top of this page for an exhaustive list of compatible AVR device types.

Verbose Output

Adding one, or more -v's to your AVRDUDE command will enable various levels of verbosity to the action. This is handy if you need a summary of your configuration options, or an in-depth view into what data is being sent to your AVR.

There's plenty more where that came from. Check out the AVRDUDE Online Documentation under Option Descriptions for the entire list of commands.

Troubleshooting

Below are a few troubleshooting tips for resolving some of the AVRDUDE errors that you may run into.

AVRDUDE Not Recognized

If you are having issues getting a response from AVRDUDE, you may receive the following error. It's probably due to certain environmental variables or your computer settings preventing you from properly using AVRDUDE.

The error output in the command line may look similar to the screenshot below.


One solution may be to try following the instructions provided by AVRDUDE to install it for your OS. For Windows, you could automatically install WinAVR 20100110 as explained briefly on page 35 of the AVRDUDE documents v6.3.

AVRDUDE Documents v6.3 (PDF)

Pololu Usb Avr Programmer Driver


Otherwise, you can move to the Arduino IDE program folder where avrdude.exe is located. Try doing a search within the Arduino program folder to determine the path. Then navigate to the location where it is located using the cd. and cd commands. In this case, Arduino IDE v1.8.5 was installed and located in the Program Files folder of my C: drive under ..program filesarduino-1.8.5hardwaretoolsavrbin. Type in the change directory commands to navigate to the proper location in the command line. From the screenshot of the error, I needed to move up the directory by using the following command.

Then I needed to move into the Arduino's program folder that is located in the C: drive.

Your command line should look similar to the image below.


Once you are in the proper working directory, type in avrdude again. You should see an output similar to the image below.

Configuration File Not Found

If you are having trouble reading the AVR device signature to verify the device using the command avrdude -c usbtiny -p atmega328P; and you receive this error:

It's probably due to the way AVRDUDE was installed on a computer. In this case, AVRDUDE could not find the location of the avrdude.conf file. This is probably due to environmental variables or your computer settings preventing you from properly using AVRDUDE. If you remember from the earlier troubleshooting tip, AVRDUDE was located in the Arduino IDE program folder. While the working directory was correct, the avrdude.conf file was in a different folder as you can see from the image below on a Windows OS.

The easiest solution would be to adjust the environmental settings by automatically installing it for your OS as explained in the avrdude-docs (v6.3). For Windows, you could install WinAVR 20100110 as explained briefly on page 35 of the AVRDUDE documents v6.3.

Otherwise, you could use the -C command and provide the path in quotes ('..avrdude.conf') where the avrdude.conf file is located. For the Arduino IDE v1.8.5, it was located in ..arduino-1.8.5hardwaretoolsavretc directory. Assuming that you have AVRDUDE in the working directory, the command should like similar to command below to read an ATmega328P.

A successful device signature read with the configuration file should look similar to the output below.

Driver Related Issues

If you run AVRDUDE commands and receive this error below, the issue may be related to the drivers for the AVR Programmer whose device ID is 0x1781/0xc9f. Either the drivers are not installed or there is a driver conflict.

Drivers Not Installed

One solution is to ensure that the drivers are installed as explained earlier. You may also want to try another USB cable or unplugging/replugging the AVR programmer back into your COM port. The error output in the command line may look similar to the screenshot below.

Driver Conflicts

If you have installed the correct drivers as explained earlier, it's possible that there is a driver conflict. You'll receive the same error but the solution may not be as intuitive as you may think. The output in the screenshot below occurred when using the Tiny AVR Programmer to verify an ATtiny85's device signature. The drivers were installed correctly and had been working with the Pocket AVR Programmer. However, the Tiny AVR Programmer was still not recognized.

Opening up the device manager, the Tiny AVR Programmer showed up as a different driver (i.e. FabISP) and name as shown below.

Note: In some cases, the driver may appear under libusb-win32 devices >FabISP. If the drivers listed inder the libusb-win32 devices tree fail to work, you will need to follow the directions to reinstall the driver.

The solution was to right click and delete the driver. Simply right click the COM port that it enumerated on and select 'Uninstall device'.

You may see a window pop up similar to the image below. Click on the button labeled Uninstall. In some cases, Windows may provide an option to 'Delete the driver software for this device.' if the option is provided, simply mark the checkbox before clicking on the button to uninstall.

After uninstalling, power cycle the programmer by unplugging/replugging the Tiny AVR Programmer from the USB port. Head back to the Installing Drivers section and follow the instructions to Automatically Install the Drivers using Zadig.

Installing Drivers: Automatically Install the Drivers with Zadig

Error Connecting To AVR Programmer

If you receive an error similar to the output below, it is probably due to the connection to the AVR programmer.

One solution is to try to unplug and replug the AVR programmer back to your COM port. You may also want to check the USB cable or ensure that the drivers are installed correctly. The output in the command line may look similar to the screenshot below.

Heads Up! The following are only a few errors that we have run into when using AVRDUDE. To browse other common issues and how to troubleshoot, you may want to try checking the AVRDUDE online manual.
AVRDUDE Online Manual: Troubleshooting

Or do a search online with the error that you are having and check different forums to see if anyone else has run into the same issues as you have.

Resources and Going Further

Now that you've successfully got your Pocket AVR Programmer up and running, it's time to incorporate it into your own project!

Avr Usb Driver Windows 7

Here are some more AVR Pocket Programmer related resources, should you need them:

  • GitHub
    • Product Repo -- Here you'll find everything from PCB design files, and firmware to custom enclosure designs.
  • Drivers
    • Zadig v2.0.1.160 Software and USBtiny (ZIP) -- For automatic installation
    • USBTiny libusb-win32 (ZIP) -- For manual installation
    • GitHub: Signed USBTiny Drivers -- If the first 3 options fail to install
  • AVRDUDE Online Manual
    • AVRDUDE Troubleshooting -- Common errors can be found in this troubleshooting section.

We've got plenty more tutorials where that came from. If you're looking for more stuff to learn, or are looking for some project inspiration, check out these tutorials!

  • Installing an Arduino Bootloader -- Use your AVR Pocket Programmer to load a bootloader onto an Arduino. This tutorial will teach you what a bootloader is, why you would need to install/reinstall it, and go over the process of doing so.
  • Tiny AVR Programmer Hookup Guide -- If you're looking to program ATtiny85's specifically, check out the Tiny AVR Programmer.
  • Using the Arduino Pro Mini 3.3V -- If you're already directly programming your Arduino, take it a step further with the Arduino Pro Mini.
  • Wireless Arduino Programming with Electric Imp -- If you're feeling constrained by the USB cables, check out this tutorial where we upload code to an Arduino wirelessly!
  • Wireless XBee/AVR Bootloading -- Use your AVR Pocket Programmer to upload a custom bootloader, then wirelessly program your Arduino.

Installing an Arduino Bootloader

Atmel Avr Usb Driver

This tutorial will teach you what a bootloader is and why you would need to install or reinstall it. We will also go over the process of burning a bootloader by flashing a hex file to an Arduino microcontroller.

Using the Arduino Pro Mini 3.3V

This tutorial is your guide to all things Arduino Pro Mini. It explains what it is, what it's not, and how to get started using it.

Tiny AVR Programmer Hookup Guide

A how-to on the Tiny AVR Programmer. How to install drivers, hook it up, and program your favorite Tiny AVRs using AVRDUDE!

Wireless Arduino Programming with Electric Imp

Reprogram your Arduino from anywhere in the world using the Tomatoless Boots wireless bootloader with the Electric Imp.

Are you looking to use a Pi to flash larger file sizes to your AVR microcontrollers? Try checking out the Pi AVR Programmer Hat!

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Pi AVR Programmer HAT Hookup Guide

In this tutorial, we will use a Raspberry Pi 3 and the Pi AVR Programmer HAT to program an ATMega328P target. We are going to first program the Arduino bootloader over SPI, and then upload an Arduino sketch over a USB serial COM port.
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Driver Installation

Before you can start using the Tiny AVR Programmer, you may need to set it up on your computer. If you're using a Mac or Linux machine, you don't need to install drivers. Just plug the board in, and skip to the Programming in Arduino page.

If you're using any version of Windows, you've got a few steps to follow before you can join your Mac/Linux comrades. There are two sets of instruction for driver installation on this page. The first is the easiest, quickest method, and should work for most everyone. The second installation process is only required if the first one fails -- it takes a more manual approach to the driver installation.

To begin, plug the Tiny AVR Programmer into your computer. Upon initially connecting the board, Windows will try to automatically install the drivers. Some computers may be lucky, but most will turn up with a message notifying you that the driver install failed.

Click the link below to download the Zadig software and drivers:

Use your favorite unzipper to extract the ZIP file. Don't forget where you put the extracted folder!

After you've plugged the Tiny AVR Programmer into your computer and your machine has run through the process of checking for and failing to install drivers, proceed to the 'zadig_v2.0.1.160' folder you just unzipped. Then Run zadig.exe software.

Zadig is a wonderful tool that can install the drivers on just about any Windows platform out there. Upon opening the program, you should be greeted with a window like this:

There are a few options to verify before installing the driver:

  • Select the device -- The top dropbox controls which device you want to install the driver for. Hopefully you only have one option here, something like 'Unknown Device #1'. If you have more than one option, check your device manager to see if you can make sense of which is which (plugging and unplugging a device usually helps).
  • Select the driver -- Click the arrows in this box until you happen upon libusb-win32 (vx.x.x.x), that's the driver we want to install.

After verifying those two selections, click 'Install Driver'. The installation process can take a few minutes, but after you've watched the scroll bar zoom by countless times, you should be greeted with a 'The driver was installed successfully' message.

Zadig Driver Installation Issues

After installing the drivers, your computer may respond by indicating that the device was not installed correctly. Here are two methods of troubleshooting driver issues when installing with Zadig.
📌 Troubleshooting Tip: In this case, the WinUSB drivers were selected instead of the libusb-win32 drivers. To remedy the issue, simply go through the guide again to reinstall the correct libusb-win32 drivers.
📌 Troubleshooting Tip: In other cases, it may also initialize somewhere in your device manager as an Unknown USB Device (Device Descriptor Request Failed) even if you installed the correct drivers:
Try unplugging and replugging the Tiny AVR Programmer back into your USB port. Or switch out your USB extension cable for a known good. In some cases, your Tiny AVR Programmer may shows up under the libusb-win32 devices as an Unknown Device #1. If that is the case you should be good to go!
Well done! You've successfully installed the drivers on your computer. However, the driver still shows up as an Unknown Device #1 (in some cases like the image below, the Tiny AVR Programmer may show up as libusb-win32 devices >FabISP). But you know what it is! You can use the Zadig software to rename the USB port if you desire. With your programmer connected to your comptuer and the software open, navigate to the programmer's port. Select the checkbox next to Edit.
Type in the name for your port. It can be 'USBtiny' or in this case. Make sure that the correct driver is selected.
Click Reinstall Driver. The driver will reinstall and you should see the same message that indicates that the drivers were successfully installed. You may need to unplug and replug the programmer to your computer to give it a second to refresh again.
Open up your device manager and you should see the device renamed!

If you were successful, close out of the Zadig program and proceed to the next section!

If Zadig didn't work for you, check out the instructions below for help manually installing the drivers.

Step 1: Plug the Programmer In

To begin, locate an empty USB port on your computer, and plug the Tiny AVR Programmer into it. You'll probably want to have the programmer close by. If you're using a PC, or your USB ports aren't close by, a USB Extension Cable might help get the programmer into a more convenient spot on your desk.

Step 2: Wait for Windows to Automatically Fail/Succeed

After plugging in your Tiny AVR Programmer, Windows will try to look for a driver that matches it. Keep an eye on the notification area in the bottom-right corner. Wait for Windows to try to install the driver on its own. There's a chance that, after searching, Windows will find the driver. If you get a Device driver software installed successfully notification (lucky you!), you can ignore the next few steps. But, if you got something like this:

Continue on to step 3..

Step 3: Download the Driver

If Windows couldn't find the driver for you, you'll need to download it. You can head over to the Tiny AVR Programmer GitHub repository and grab what you need there, or you can click the link below to download the zip file directly.

After downloading your driver, extract it from the zip folder. Don't forget where you put it!

Step 4: Open the Device Manager

To install the driver, you'll need to first open up the Device Manager. From the Control Panel, go to the System and Security section, click System, and click on Device Manager. (Alternatively you can Rundevmgmt.msc).

In the Device Manager, open up the LibUSB-Win32 Devices tree and you should find a USBTinyProgrammer with a yellow warning triangle hovering over the icon. This also may be located in 'Other devices >Unknown device.

Right-click on the USBTinyProgrammer device, and select Update Driver Software..

Step 5: Driver Pointing

On the Update Driver Software window that appears, select Browse my computer for driver software.

On the next window, Browse for driver software on your computer, set the driver search location to the folder you downloaded and unzipped in step 3.

Then click Next, and the driver will begin updating. Shortly after that, though, a Windows Security window should pop up to let you know the driver isn't 'signed'. Click Install this driver software anyway. We promise it won't damage your computer!

Then play the waiting game for a moment, and wait for a happy Windows has successfully updated your driver software window.

After closing that success window, your Device Manager should have an entry for USBtiny under LibUSB-Win32 Devices.

Congratulations! Proceed over to the next section, and we'll start using the Programmer!

📌 Drivers Still Not Installing? If you are still having issues installing the drivers, try looking at this troubleshooting tip and driver from our technical support. The drivers work for both the Tiny AVR Programmer and Pocket AVR Programmer.
GitHub SparkFunTechSupport: ..PGM-11801

Avr Usb Driver Windows 10

Breathe easy now! Once you've installed the USBtiny drivers on your computer, you shouldn't ever have to do it again. Now it's time to program something!

Av Usb Driver

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