Can't upload new sketch

Question

Recently I have unsoldered most connector pins there are on the arduino uno board. However, when I now attempt to upload a new sketch (works when I upload it to another model) it gives me the following error:

> avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 1 of 10: not in sync: resp=0xfa
avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 2 of 10: not in sync: resp=0xfa
avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 3 of 10: not in sync: resp=0xfa
avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 4 of 10: not in sync: resp=0xfa
avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 5 of 10: not in sync: resp=0xfa
avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 6 of 10: not in sync: resp=0xfa
avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 7 of 10: not in sync: resp=0xfa
avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 8 of 10: not in sync: resp=0xfa
avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 9 of 10: not in sync: resp=0xfa
avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 10 of 10: not in sync: resp=0xfa

I would like you take a look at my arduino board to see whether I have unsoldered important pins which might have to be connected.

Also when I try to upload a new sketch the 'L'-LED doesn't flash but the RX one.

(BTW: Yes I've set the settings to the correct board, port etc...)

Thanks for any solution attempts!

Answer 1

Removing there pin headers should not cause any sketch upload issue. I have done it many times.

You did try uploading BEFORE unsoldering the headers right ?

However looking at the desoldering job you did, my guess is that you applied too much heat or cut a trace on the PCB while doing it.

Can you upload a high resolution of the back side of the board?

What I would try is to take a known good 328p chip and replace the one on this board with it and try uploading again.

Answer 2

Pin 0(RX) and 1(TX) and the RESET pins are important to upload a sketch. Can you check those carefully with a magnifier ? Perhaps there is some solder that shortcuts to something else, or perhaps you damaged a copper trace.

Answer 3

Checking the schematic, the TX/RX leds are driven directly by the atmega16u and are not connected to the TX/RX lines of the 328p. That would seem to indicate the 16u has a problem so it's a good place to double check. The lines that run to the TX/RX of the 328p run from pins 8 - 9 of the 16u. I assume that this ran previous to the fatal 'surgery'? I don't suppose you loaded something simple, like the led flash program before surgery? Just curious, are you hard wiring it to something?

Answer 4

Try to unplug the IC and the plug it again.

I think that you have removed the IC off of the board. If it doesn't work then buy a new ATmega328P IC and replace it with the old one and then try again.