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STK500_sync.md

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STK500 sync errors

These are a common - and unfortunately, very uninformative - error message to see when trying to upload. There is a lot of misinformation about these errors circulating.

THIS GUIDE ONLY APPLIES IF YOU'RE GETTING AN STK500 SYNC ERROR DO NOT USE IF YOU ARE NOT GETTING AN ERROR THAT LOOKS LIKE THIS

OR THIS (for Arduino Mega2560)

Correct port?

Make sure you have the correct port selected

  1. With the board (or serial adapter) not connected to USB, open tools -> port menu. Note what ports are listed.
  2. Connect the board (or serial adapter) via USB.
  3. Open the tools -> port menu - you should see a new port.
  4. If you see a new port, that is the correct port to use.
  5. If you do not, it's a driver problem. Install the drivers for your board or serial adapter and try again.

Correct board?

Verify that you have selected the correct board.

  • Arduino Nano boards with two different bootloaders are circulating now. If using an Arduino Nano, make sure your official AVR board package is updated to where you see the Tools -> Processor menu with an option for 328p, and 328p (old bootloader). Try uploading with both of those settings
  • "Arduino Due" is not short for Duemillanove. Support for the Arduino Due is in the official SAM boards package (it is not included with the IDE anymore)
  • The Arduino Nano (sometimes called Arduino Nano 3.0) is not the same as the Arduino Nano Every (supported by official Arduino megaavr board package - or, for much better results, MegaCoreX).
  • The Arduino Nano Every is not the same as the Nano BLE or Nano IOT. These are also completely different boards, with different board manager packages for support.
  • See those two examples above
    • for a part or board that has 256k of flash, you should get the second error, the one with STK500_v2
    • for a part or board that has 128k or less, you should get the first error

Correct clock speed?

Not applicable to bootloaded 0-series, 1-series, and DA-series parts - on these parts OptibootX can deduce the speed of the main clock, and runs at the default clock speed regardless, so this can't be the cause of the issue here! (But, are you sure you bootloaded it?)

Some boards (notably, official pro mini's, as well as the recommended third party hardware packages have a Tools submenu for clock speed (or "voltage" for official boards - as they came in a 5v/16MHz version and a 3.3v/8MHz version). Make sure you have the correct selection to match the bootloader on the device

Anything connected to Reset, TX or RX pins?

Disregard this section if using Arduino as ISP Remove those connections - they can interfere with programming. Yes, this means that you may need to disconnect -> upload -> reconnect if your sketch uses the TX or RX pins, or you have anything more complex than a button connected to reset.

It probably isn't drivers!

If you're at the point of getting that error, assuming you have the correct serial port selected, it is almost certainly NOT a driver problem. You can verify this with the Loopback Test:

  1. Connect Reset and Ground on the board.
  2. Connect TX and RX on the board.
  3. Connect board via USB or whatever.
  4. Open serial monitor, type something, and press enter. What you sent should be echoed back. If this passes, you know you have the right serial port selected, and you know the drivers are fine.

If this fails, it could be drivers - but is more likely hardware problem!

Is bootloader present and working?

Disregard this section if using Arduino as ISP

Press reset. Onboard LED should blink (assuming the board has one). If it does not:

  • if the board previously worked, it is probably damaged (either board, processor, or both - if the L LED is stuck on on a full-sized board, it is particularly likely that the board is damaged - replace).
  • If it hasn't been used, are you sure a bootloader is installed? Try bootloading it again with an ISP programmer.

If it is, is autoreset working

Disregard this section if using Arduino as ISP

Do the numbers mean anything?

Not much! 0x00 for all of them typically means that either the board isn't trying to respond (no bootloader? not getting reset?), but this can sometimes present with other number too. But sometimes it can also mean wrong board selected! All the same number but not 0x00 usually means wrong board selected (it's attempting to upload at the wrong baud rate).

When using Arduino as ISP

programmer refers to the device running Arduino as ISP target refers to the device you are attempting to program

Programmer must be a working board

SCK, MISO, and MOSI of programmer and target should be connected

Specified pin of programmer should be connected to RESET of target

Arduino as ISP sketch runs on classic AVRs only!

Nothing should be connected to TX or RX pins on the programmer

You did remember to upload arduino as ISP to the Arduino you are using as programmer, right?

Tools -> Board should be set to match the target, not the programmer

You may need to disable autoreset (after uploading Arduino ISP sketch)

Put a ~10uF capacitor between reset and ground. (any value from a couple uF up to basically any capacitance will work). Remove this before you try to upload a different sketch to the programmer.

Leonardo/Micro may need a differnt tools -> programmer selection

Naming is stupid

  • The programmer sketch is called ArduinoISP
  • The tools -> programmer entry is called Arduino As ISP
  • The tools -> programmer entry called ArduinoISP is something completely different, don't use it.

If you were able to upload ArduinoISP sketch, you know drivers, serial port, etc are correct

Consider getting USBAsp or USBTinyISP for a few dollars on ebay

They are much more reliable ISP programmers. I'd buy a 3-pack, so when (not if) one got lost or damaged, you don't have to wait for a replacement. With a USBAsp, be sure to get the 10p-6p adapter. For a device with the 2x3 header (such as some USBTinyISP's), consider a 6p ribbon cable.

If you don't have an appropeiae ribbon cable, or are connecting to something that doesn't have the standard ISP header, use dupont jumpers, set them all up, and then put tape around the connector housings to hold them in the 2x3 arrangement.