AVRdude + Arduino leonardo: can't flash over bootloader, not in sync: resp=0x3f

Question

I would like to program an arduino leonardo board with atmega32u4 on win8.1 x64. I have the latest AVRdude. I installed the necessary drivers, after reset it can be enter programming mode, and I can program with arduino studio. But now, the avrude gives this:

 C:\>avrdude -carduino -P COM5 -n -p m32u4 -b19200 -v
avrdude: Version 6.1-svn-20131205, compiled on Dec 5 2013 at 17:34:22
 Copyright (c) 2000-2005 Brian Dean, http://www.bdmicro.com/
 Copyright (c) 2007-2009 Joerg Wunsch
 System wide configuration file is "c:\GNU_GCC_ARM\bin\avrdude.conf"
 Using Port : COM5
 Using Programmer : arduino
 Overriding Baud Rate : 19200
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 1 of 10: not in sync: resp=0x3f
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 2 of 10: not in sync: resp=0x3f
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 3 of 10: not in sync: resp=0x3f
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 4 of 10: not in sync: resp=0x3f
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 5 of 10: not in sync: resp=0x3f
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 6 of 10: not in sync: resp=0x3f
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 7 of 10: not in sync: resp=0x3f
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 8 of 10: not in sync: resp=0x3f
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 9 of 10: not in sync: resp=0x3f
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 10 of 10: not in sync: resp=0x3f
avrdude done. Thank you.

I tried also with 57600 baud. Any idea? Thanks.

Answer 1

You're specifying the wrong bootloader protocol via -carduino. The Arduino bootloader is for boards using the Diecimila bootloader. The Leonardo uses the "AVR109" bootloader - named after the Atmel Application Note which describes its protocol.

Try this command on for size:

avrdude -cavr109 -P COM5 -n -p m32u4 -b57600 -v

Don't forget to press the reset button (or open and close COM5 at 1200 baud) first to run the bootloader.