Saving EEPROM after programming on Arduino uno

Question

I am using an Arduino Uno, and I use the EEPROM to store some presets. It works fine. But, when I reprogram the Arduino, the EEPROM gets wiped out. Is there a way to prevent this, and have the EEPROM not change after the Arduino is programmed?

I am using a USBtinyISP programmer.

Thank you very much for your help, and advance.

Here is the verbose result of my programming:

Sketch uses 5,298 bytes (16%) of program storage space. Maximum is 32,256 bytes.
Global variables use 286 bytes (13%) of dynamic memory, leaving 1,762 bytes for local variables. Maximum is 2,048 bytes.
/Users/fed/Library/Arduino15/packages/arduino/tools/avrdude/6.3.0-arduino9/bin/avrdude -C/Users/fed/Library/Arduino15/packages/arduino/tools/avrdude/6.3.0-arduino9/etc/avrdude.conf -v -patmega328p -cusbtiny -Uflash:w:/var/folders/lb/5zdjdm6153jcx_5nq32tt7gw0000gn/T/buildb926e4430d002b65d0ca44bda9d693e2.tmp/LED_strip_08.ino.hex:i 

avrdude: Version 6.3, compiled on Jan 17 2017 at 12:01:35
        Copyright (c) 2000-2005 Brian Dean, http://www.bdmicro.com/
        Copyright (c) 2007-2014 Joerg Wunsch

        System wide configuration file is "/Users/fed/Library/Arduino15/packages/arduino/tools/avrdude/6.3.0-arduino9/etc/avrdude.conf"
        User configuration file is "/Users/fed/.avrduderc"
        User configuration file does not exist or is not a regular file, skipping

        Using Port                    : usb
        Using Programmer              : usbtiny
avrdude: usbdev_open(): Found USBtinyISP, bus:device: 006:003
        AVR Part                      : ATmega328P
        Chip Erase delay              : 9000 us
        PAGEL                         : PD7
        BS2                           : PC2
        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  3600  3600 0xff 0xff
          flash         65     6   128    0 yes     32768  128    256  4500  4500 0xff 0xff
          lfuse          0     0     0    0 no          1    0      0  4500  4500 0x00 0x00
          hfuse          0     0     0    0 no          1    0      0  4500  4500 0x00 0x00
          efuse          0     0     0    0 no          1    0      0  4500  4500 0x00 0x00
          lock           0     0     0    0 no          1    0      0  4500  4500 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 : USBtiny
        Description     : USBtiny simple USB programmer, http://www.ladyada.net/make/usbtinyisp/
avrdude: programmer operation not supported

avrdude: Using SCK period of 10 usec
avrdude: AVR device initialized and ready to accept instructions

Reading | ################################################## | 100% 0.01s

avrdude: Device signature = 0x1e950f (probably m328p)
avrdude: NOTE: "flash" memory has been specified, an erase cycle will be performed
        To disable this feature, specify the -D option.
avrdude: erasing chip
avrdude: Using SCK period of 10 usec
avrdude: reading input file "/var/folders/lb/5zdjdm6153jcx_5nq32tt7gw0000gn/T/buildb926e4430d002b65d0ca44bda9d693e2.tmp/LED_strip_08.ino.hex"
avrdude: writing flash (5298 bytes):

Writing | ################################################## | 100% 7.80s

avrdude: 5298 bytes of flash written
avrdude: verifying flash memory against /var/folders/lb/5zdjdm6153jcx_5nq32tt7gw0000gn/T/buildb926e4430d002b65d0ca44bda9d693e2.tmp/LED_strip_08.ino.hex:
avrdude: load data flash data from input file /var/folders/lb/5zdjdm6153jcx_5nq32tt7gw0000gn/T/buildb926e4430d002b65d0ca44bda9d693e2.tmp/LED_strip_08.ino.hex:
avrdude: input file /var/folders/lb/5zdjdm6153jcx_5nq32tt7gw0000gn/T/buildb926e4430d002b65d0ca44bda9d693e2.tmp/LED_strip_08.ino.hex contains 5298 bytes
avrdude: reading on-chip flash data:

Reading | ################################################## | 100% 4.98s

avrdude: verifying ...
avrdude: 5298 bytes of flash verified

avrdude done.  Thank you.

Answer 1

You can change the fuses for Atmega328 to preserve EEPROM during chip erase (for ISP programming). Basically, if you are using USBTiny connected to the UNO by 3x2 pin header, you are using ISP programming. Which means chip erase erases also EEPROM if fuse EESAVE is 1 (unprogrammed).

Uploading over the Arduino bootloader (it means you have the UNO connected directly into the computer and there is no other device like USBTiny). The EEPROM should be preserved then.