Unable to upload sketch after bootloader has been flashed on Arduino Micro

Question

I have created my own custom Arduino Micro, but I am experiencing problems when I attempt to upload an sketch via USB in Arduino IDE.

Here is how I program the Arduino Micro:

avrdude -c atmelice_isp -p m32u4 -P usb -u -v -e -U flash:w:Caterina-Micro.hex 

And the result:

$ avrdude -c atmelice_isp -p m32u4 -P usb -v -e -U flash:w:Caterina-Micro.hex 
avrdude: Version 6.1, compiled on Mar 23 2014 at 04:42:55
 Copyright (c) 2000-2005 Brian Dean, http://www.bdmicro.com/
 Copyright (c) 2007-2014 Joerg Wunsch
 System wide configuration file is "/usr/local/Cellar/avrdude/6.1/etc/avrdude.conf"
 User configuration file is "/Users/aUser/.avrduderc"
 User configuration file does not exist or is not a regular file, skipping
 Using Port : usb
 Using Programmer : atmelice_isp
avrdude: usbdev_open(): Found Atmel-ICE CMSIS-DAP, serno: J41800023270
avrdude: Found CMSIS-DAP compliant device, using EDBG protocol
 AVR Part : ATmega32U4
 Chip Erase delay : 9000 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 20 4 0 no 1024 4 0 9000 9000 0x00 0x00
 flash 65 6 128 0 yes 32768 128 256 4500 4500 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
 efuse 0 0 0 0 no 1 0 0 9000 9000 0x00 0x00
 lock 0 0 0 0 no 1 0 0 9000 9000 0x00 0x00
 calibration 0 0 0 0 no 1 0 0 0 0 0x00 0x00
 signature 0 0 0 0 no 3 0 0 0 0 0x00 0x00
 Programmer Type : JTAG3_ISP
 Description : Atmel-ICE (ARM/AVR) in ISP mode
 Vtarget : 4.9 V
 SCK period : 125.00 us
avrdude: AVR device initialized and ready to accept instructions
Reading | ################################################## | 100% 0.02s
avrdude: Device signature = 0x1e9587
avrdude: safemode: lfuse reads as FF
avrdude: safemode: hfuse reads as D8
avrdude: safemode: efuse reads as CB
avrdude: erasing chip
avrdude: reading input file "Caterina-Micro.hex"
avrdude: input file Caterina-Micro.hex auto detected as Intel Hex
avrdude: writing flash (32730 bytes):
Writing | ################################################## | 100% 38.80s
avrdude: 32730 bytes of flash written
avrdude: verifying flash memory against Caterina-Micro.hex:
avrdude: load data flash data from input file Caterina-Micro.hex:
avrdude: input file Caterina-Micro.hex auto detected as Intel Hex
avrdude: input file Caterina-Micro.hex contains 32730 bytes
avrdude: reading on-chip flash data:
Reading | ################################################## | 100% 133.93s
avrdude: verifying ...
avrdude: 32730 bytes of flash verified
avrdude: safemode: lfuse reads as FF
avrdude: safemode: hfuse reads as D8
avrdude: safemode: efuse reads as CB
avrdude: safemode: Fuses OK (E:CB, H:D8, L:FF)
avrdude done. Thank you.

The error in Arduino IDE when flashing sketch via USB:

Sketch uses 23.994 bytes (83%) of program storage space. Maximum is 28.672 bytes.
Global variables use 1.145 bytes (44%) of dynamic memory, leaving 1.415 bytes for local variables. Maximum is 2.560 bytes.
Forcing reset using 1200bps open/close on port /dev/tty.usbmodem1411
PORTS {/dev/cu.Bluetooth-Incoming-Port, /dev/cu.Bluetooth-Modem, /dev/cu.usbmodem1411, /dev/tty.Bluetooth-Incoming-Port, /dev/tty.Bluetooth-Modem, /dev/tty.usbmodem1411, } / {/dev/cu.Bluetooth-Incoming-Port, /dev/cu.Bluetooth-Modem, /dev/cu.usbmodem1411, /dev/tty.Bluetooth-Incoming-Port, /dev/tty.Bluetooth-Modem, /dev/tty.usbmodem1411, } => {}
PORTS {/dev/cu.Bluetooth-Incoming-Port, /dev/cu.Bluetooth-Modem, /dev/cu.usbmodem1411, /dev/tty.Bluetooth-Incoming-Port, /dev/tty.Bluetooth-Modem, /dev/tty.usbmodem1411, } / {/dev/cu.Bluetooth-Incoming-Port, /dev/cu.Bluetooth-Modem, /dev/cu.usbmodem1411, /dev/tty.Bluetooth-Incoming-Port, /dev/tty.Bluetooth-Modem, /dev/tty.usbmodem1411, } => {}
Uploading using selected port: /dev/tty.usbmodem1411
/Applications/Arduino.app/Contents/Resources/Java/hardware/tools/avr/bin/avrdude -C/Applications/Arduino.app/Contents/Resources/Java/hardware/tools/avr/etc/avrdude.conf -v -patmega32u4 -cavr109 -P/dev/tty.usbmodem1411 -b57600 -D -Uflash:w:/var/folders/64/6n0yv9515hz1n6z3bdzcwv6h0000gn/T/build2162381950044145986.tmp/IMUNode.cpp.hex:i 
avrdude: Version 6.0.1, compiled on Apr 3 2014 at 22:00:33
 Copyright (c) 2000-2005 Brian Dean, http://www.bdmicro.com/
 Copyright (c) 2007-2009 Joerg Wunsch
 System wide configuration file is "/Applications/Arduino.app/Contents/Resources/Java/hardware/tools/avr/etc/avrdude.conf"
 User configuration file is "/Users/aUser/.avrduderc"
 User configuration file does not exist or is not a regular file, skipping
 Using Port : /dev/tty.usbmodem1411
 Using Programmer : avr109
 Overriding Baud Rate : 57600
 AVR Part : ATmega32U4
 Chip Erase delay : 9000 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 20 4 0 no 1024 4 0 9000 9000 0x00 0x00
 flash 65 6 128 0 yes 32768 128 256 4500 4500 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
 efuse 0 0 0 0 no 1 0 0 9000 9000 0x00 0x00
 lock 0 0 0 0 no 1 0 0 9000 9000 0x00 0x00
 calibration 0 0 0 0 no 1 0 0 0 0 0x00 0x00
 signature 0 0 0 0 no 3 0 0 0 0 0x00 0x00
 Programmer Type : butterfly
 Description : Atmel AppNote AVR109 Boot Loader
Connecting to programmer: .avrdude: butterfly_recv(): programmer is not responding
Problem uploading to board. See http://www.arduino.cc/en/Guide/Troubleshooting#upload for suggestions.

Answer 1

Your problem is that your board doesn't have the bootloader loaded into the chip.

You have success with the ATMEL-ICE ISP because it is an in-system programmer (ISP) and you are downloading the code directly into the chip.

When you use the USB, I see from your output that the programmer is "butterfly" and the description indicates AVR109. These both indicate that the program is trying to be loaded through a bootloader.

A bootloader is a bit of code that resides in the codespace section of flash. It allows you to send the program through the UART. The bootloader then saves it to the codespace section of flash such that both the bootloader and your program co-exist.

To fix this, use the Arduino IDE along with your ATMEL-ICE ISP to load the bootloader into the microcontroller. This can be done by going into Tools and then Burn Bootloader (of course with the correct programmer selected).

This will then allow you to download your code through the Arduino IDE.

PS. You can program your sketch straight to your Arduino using your ATMEL-ICE ISP without downloading the bootloader. Do this by selecting the Upload Using Programmer option in the menus.

• Cerin: This is not correct. I received this same error after using the Arduino IDE to burn the bootloader, which the IDE said it did successfully.
• sa_leinad: @Cerin there could be many things that it could be such as the wrong bootloader or a problem with the USB circuitry or even your Tx pin has died. arduino.stackexchange.com/q/13292/19409