avrdude: error: program enable: target doesn't answer. 1

Question

Before I can program my ATmega32 through USBasp but now only in 30 times or more try I can program ATmega32.

I get this error

avrdude: error: program enable: target doesn't answer. 1 

program command

avrdude -c usbasp -p m32 -u -U flash:w:pd.hex

What's problem and solution?

When I try with -F option, I get below message.

avrdude: Device signature = 0x887b15
avrdude: Expected signature for ATmega32 is 1E 95 02

Answer 1

The problem is given in the error message:

target doesn't answer

Possible reasons are:

• Incorrect/slacky wiring: Might seem unlikely if you did not change anything since you've successfully programmed the avr before. However, expecially if using a breadboard or jumper cables: Double-Check your connections. Also test for short-circuits between signals.
• Hardware failure: Overvoltage, a short circuit or drawing too much current from the avr can damage the device so that it is simply broken.
• Clock speed: If the clock is too high for your target, you cannot program it. Decrease the baudrate by using the -b-option with avrdude.
• Fuses: Improper settings of the fuses might have locked you out, e.g. by disabling the reset pin.
• Supply voltage missing or not stable. Use a proper supply and bypass capacitors.

Answer 2

I was pulling my hair out as I had received 20 Atmega328P's and the first one I was able to get programmed with my USBasp Programmer, but swapping the processors I was not able to program on breadboard or within an UNO.

Thanks to some posts I felt confident it was a fuse setting where it was speaking too fast. I have an external 16MHz crystal in my setup so I used:

/Applications/Arduino.app/Contents/Java/hardware/tools/avr/bin/avrdude -P usb -v -C /Applications/Arduino.app/Contents/Java/hardware/tools/avr/etc/avrdude.conf -v -B 10 -c usbasp -p m328p -U lfuse:w:0xFF:m -U hfuse:w:0xDE:m -U efuse:w:0x05:m

I found most of this command in other forums but the magic I needed was the "-B 10" to get it to only speak at a 10us clock rate. Once I did this command line command on my Mac, I was able to use the Arduino GUI to do a Burn Bootloader or Upload Using Programmer without issue.

The problem seems to be the USBasp board/sw did not auto clock down to find a happy setting. I am using the Amazon HiLetgo which claims "USBASP V2.0" but has very back-level firmware as well, so I needed to update that with the latest (2011) usbasp from Thomas Fischl named: usbasp.2011-05-28 that was a pain also but it's a one time deal though I am waiting on a second programmer to arrive and I will have to re-flash it also.

Answer 3

I was getting this error even with correct wiring until I added -B4 parameter to avrdude.

After I added -B4 parameter and programmed the chip, I didn't need to use it anymore...

Answer 4

You should connect the protocol SPI of USBasp to the microcontroller. These are MISO, MOSI, SCK and RESET.

Then connect an XTAL of 16MHz with 2 capacitors of 22pF to ground.

Finally, connect a resistor of 10K ohms of RESET to VCC.

Check: https://www.electronics-lab.com/burning-the-bootloader-on-atmega328-using-usbasp-programmer/

Answer 5

I had the same issue with an attiny25-20PU that had already a unknown program on. I copied the arduino command line for avrdude from arduinos upload output into a terminal, added at the end a -B and used different big numbers (32 48 64) and by good luck the 64 made the programming so slow that it worked - and from now on it worked without any -B option. I did this for 4 identical circuits with always the same repeatable procedure. It seems to be a trap for newbies.

"arduino" means Arduino 1.8.19 development platform.

My Linux Mint 21.3 command line: ~$/home/xxx/.arduino15/packages/arduino/tools/avrdude/6.3.0-arduino18/bin/avrdude -C/home/xxx/Arduino/hardware/ATTinyCore-2.0.0/avr/avrdude.conf -v -pattiny25 -cusbasp -Uflash:w:/tmp/arduino_build_339885/usbaspattiny25.ino.hex:i -F -B 64