Can't burn bootloader to 324PB

[scrouthtv]

Hello,

I am currently trying to burn the bootloader to an atmega 324PB using an Arduino Uno.

It is wired up like this: On my PCB, each of the capacitors is directly behind one of the Vcc pins of the IC.

I am not able to burn the bootloader using an Arduino Uno. I connected

• GND of the PCB to GND of the Uno
• Vcc of the PCB to 5V of the Uno
• SCK of J2 to SCK of the ICSP header of the Uno
• MOSI of J2 to MOSI of the ICSP header
• MISO of J2 to MISO of the ICSP header
• Reset of J1 to Pin 10 of the Uno (with no capacitor in between nor a pullup)

If I try to upload, I get this error

C:\Users\lenni\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\arduino\tools\avrdude\6.3.0-arduino18/bin/avrdude -CC:\Users\lenni\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\MightyCore\hardware\avr\2.1.3/avrdude.conf -v -patmega324pb -cstk500v1 -PCOM12 -b19200 -e -Ulock:w:0x3f:m -Uefuse:w:0b11110101:m -Uhfuse:w:0b11010110:m -Ulfuse:w:0b11111111:m

avrdude: Version 6.3-20201216 Copyright (c) 2000-2005 Brian Dean, http://www.bdmicro.com/ Copyright (c) 2007-2014 Joerg Wunsch

     System wide configuration file is "C:\Users\lenni\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\MightyCore\hardware\avr\2.1.3/avrdude.conf"

     Using Port                    : COM12
     Using Programmer              : stk500v1
     Overriding Baud Rate          : 19200
     AVR Part                      : ATmega324PB
     Chip Erase delay              : 55000 us
     PAGEL                         : PD7
     BS2                           : PA0
     RESET disposition             : dedicated
     RETRY pulse                   : SCK
     serial program mode           : yes
     parallel program mode         : yes
     Timeout                       : 200
     StabDelay                     : 100
     CmdexeDelay                   : 25
     SyncLoops                     : 32
     ByteDelay                     : 0
     PollIndex                     : 3
     PollValue                     : 0x53
     Memory Detail                 :

                              Block Poll               Page                       Polled
       Memory Type Mode Delay Size  Indx Paged  Size   Size #Pages MinW  MaxW   ReadBack
       ----------- ---- ----- ----- ---- ------ ------ ---- ------ ----- ----- ---------
       eeprom        65    10   128    0 no       1024    4      0  9000  9000 0xff 0xff
       flash         33     6   256    0 yes     32768  128    256  4500  4500 0xff 0xff
       lock           0     0     0    0 no          1    0      0  9000  9000 0x00 0x00
       lfuse          0     0     0    0 no          1    0      0  9000  9000 0x00 0x00
       hfuse          0     0     0    0 no          1    0      0  9000  9000 0x00 0x00
       signature      0     0     0    0 no          3    0      0     0     0 0x00 0x00
       calibration    0     0     0    0 no          1    0      0     0     0 0x00 0x00
       efuse          0     0     0    0 no          1    0      0  4500  4500 0x00 0x00

     Programmer Type : STK500
     Description     : Atmel STK500 Version 1.x firmware
     Hardware Version: 2
     Firmware Version: 1.18
     Topcard         : Unknown
     Vtarget         : 0.0 V
     Varef           : 0.0 V
     Oscillator      : Off
     SCK period      : 0.1 us

avrdude: AVR device initialized and ready to accept instructions

Reading | ################################################## | 100% 0.02s

avrdude: Device signature = 0x000000 (retrying)

Reading | ################################################## | 100% 0.02s

avrdude: Device signature = 0x000000 (retrying)

Error while burning bootloader. Reading | ################################################## | 100% 0.02s

avrdude: Device signature = 0x000000 avrdude: Yikes! Invalid device signature. Double check connections and try again, or use -F to override this check.

avrdude done. Thank you.

I triple-checked all soldered connections and parts. Did I wire up something wrong?

Is it possible that the chip got destroyed during reflow? I used a hot-air gun set to 300C and fixed some things manually with 350C.

Do you have any ideas how I would go about troubleshooting?

Edit: The chip is TQFP package. I also tried it again with a new PCB and new chip, same error.

[tomaskovacik]

in old times, there was required 100uF capacitor on RESET line of arduino which runs ArduinoISP, try it

[scrouthtv]

in old times, there was required 100uF capacitor on RESET line of arduino which runs ArduinoISP, try it

I thought it was a 100 nF + a 10k Pullup on the slave side

[tomaskovacik]

100u to ground to disable autoreset

[scrouthtv]

With the capacitor, I tried to burn it 4 times, and one out of the four worked. The other three runs gave me the same error. Any idea why it's so inconsistent?

[tomaskovacik]

strange, you can try disable auto-reset on UNO board the correct way: cutting the trace in pad marked "RST EN"

[scrouthtv]

I also tried burning with a bare atmega 328 board with SS of the master connected to reset of the slave

[scrouthtv]

cutting the trace in pad marked "RST EN"

Same error

[Hamza-arch]

I am currently trying to upload the bootloader in atmega 16A using arduino UNO and it is giving the same error as you have mentioned. I have tried it with internal as well as external oscillator. Also, tried it with capacitor and pullup resistor. But still did not worked. I hope we can find a solution to this.

[MCUdude]

This isn't really a MightyCore related issue, because there's nothing wrong with the core itself, it's your programmer that can't communicate with your hardware.

I usually see issues like this when users are using Arduino as ISP. I strongly recommend getting a "proper" programmer such as the USBasp and USBtinyISP. I've used the USBasp programmer as a batch programmer for years, and it has never failed due to an issue with the programmer itself.

Is the ATmega324PB brand new, or has it been used with a 16 MHz crystal before? If you have an oscilloscope available, is there a 16 MHz sine wave on the XTAL1 pin? The ATmega324PB doesn't have a "full swing oscillator" option, so it can't drive the crystal "as hard" as other, older AVRs can. This means it's very sensitive to the load capacitors. How many pF's are the capacitors attached to the crystal?

[tomaskovacik]

they can also try my old trick, select internal oscillator 1 or 8MHz and burn the bootloader, then select external 16MHZ crystal and burn new bootloader again but I do not think it will help.

[scrouthtv]

is there a 16 MHz sine wave on the XTAL1 pin?

Yes. minimum 620, maximum 840 mV.

How many pF's are the capacitors attached to the crystal?

I'm using this resonator. The datasheet doesn't specify a capacitance, but according to this product listing, it has 16 pF

Is the ATmega324PB brand new

Yes. I guess I destroyed it during reflow?

This isn't really a MightyCore related issue

Do you know any other place where someone could help me with troubleshooting this?

[Hamza-arch]

This isn't really a MightyCore related issue, because there's nothing wrong with the core itself, it's your programmer that can't communicate with your hardware.

I usually see issues like this when users are using Arduino as ISP. I strongly recommend getting a "proper" programmer such as the USBasp and USBtinyISP. I've used the USBasp programmer as a batch programmer for years, and it has never failed due to an issue with the programmer itself.

Is the ATmega324PB brand new, or has it been used with a 16 MHz crystal before? If you have an oscilloscope available, is there a 16 MHz sine wave on the XTAL1 pin? The ATmega324PB doesn't have a "full swing oscillator" option, so it can't drive the crystal "as hard" as other, older AVRs can. This means it's very sensitive to the load capacitors. How many pF's are the capacitors attached to the crystal?

I have procured a USBASP AVR micro-controller. Initially it was giving issues regarding firmware update. However, after much struggle I was able to updae the firmware, but have to buy another USBASP for it. Now, the USBASP is working fine. I have checked it by uploading code in arduino UNO. However, when I tried it with ATMEGA 16A, it is giving following error.

avrdude: auto set sck period (because given equals null) avrdude: error: program enable: target doesn't answer. 1 avrdude: initialization failed, rc=-1 Double check connections and try again, or use -F to override this check

I am using the following connections. GND Pin11 & Pin31 5V Pin10 & Pin30 Reset Pin9 SCK Pin8 MISO Pin7 MOSI Pin6 16 MHZ Crystal oscillator at pin 12 & 13 with 22pf capacitors. I have tried the same configuration at ATMEGA 328p which worked fine. Am I making some error or is the chip dead? I have treid a lot of youtube tutorials before shifting to USBASP and it might be dead now.

[tomaskovacik]

simplify your setup, you have power and ground cables going to one location and then to chip pins, no need for this. Move crystal directly to pins, caps should reach ground pin without a problem ....

[Hamza-arch]

they can also try my old trick, select internal oscillator 1 or 8MHz and burn the bootloader, then select external 16MHZ crystal and burn new bootloader again but I do not think it will help.

I have simplified my setup as explained by you and also have tried using internal oscillator as well. It has not worked. Can you describe the error I am facing??

[tomaskovacik]

oh, you have usasp, then select usbasp slow, and try that, and also you can try to select "internal oscillator 1Mhz". To be honest, I did not study what it changes, but it works for me to boot up new chips, so I do not care :)))

[Hamza-arch]

I have been able to upload the bootloader using a new atmega16A chip. I think I have made some mistakes on last one. So, I might need to reflash it. I was searching it and I think it is easy to do using avrdudess but I was not able to find out the fuse settings to flash. If someone has a good tutorial regarding it, it can be very helpful. Also, I am trying to upload code uisng arduino Rx and Tx pins. I have not been successful in this regard. It is giving the errors of not in sync. I have removed the atmega chip from arduino uno. However, arduino is still reading it as arduino uno. Can anyone explain it. Now it is giving the similar error as the last one. When I uploaded the code, the port was detecting it as arduino uno, however, I have selected ATMEAGA 16 from mighty core.

avrdude: error: program enable: target doesn't answer. 1 avrdude: initialization failed, rc=-1

[rocifier]

What are your crystal oscillator cap values? The datasheet gives a very specific range for the fuse selector you've chosen:

[rocifier]

Sorry just confirmed your resonator part is 15-16pF so that's fine

[rocifier]

I think probably the reason is that you need to power it externally and not depend on the power that comes from the Arduino Uno as ISP

[scrouthtv]

the power that comes from the Arduino Uno as ISP

Shouldn't that simply be the 5V from USB? And that power should be fine as it is always on as soon as you plug it into the PC, right?

[rocifier]

from my experience it's not always enough to power the programmer and the board at the same time during programming from USB

[MCUdude]

I'm closing this issue because it's most likely a hardware issue. I've designed a commercial product in the past, based on an aTmega324PB. I've been having so much trouble with the external oscillator because the 324PB isn't strong enough to properly drive a crystal that's slightly too capacitive. After several board revisions, I ended up replacing the crystal and load capacitors with a dedicated clock that outputs a clean clock signal that is wired straight to the XTAL1 pin on the 324PB. No more issues!