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I have a program to load from a Aduino Nano as ISP to a ATMega328p chip that will have an internal clock at 16M, but I don't have a crystal handy.

Is there a way I can not have to buy a crystal? What should be the circuit's look like?

Here's how I have it hooked:

  1. Ground to Ground (Pin 8)
  2. 5V to VCC (Pin 7)
  3. D10 to Reset (Pin 1)
  4. D11 to MOSI (Pin 17)
  5. D12 to MISO (Pin 18)
  6. D13 to AVCC (Pin 20) (There are no resistors or capacitors, that all was part of a tutorial I cannot find anymore)

So I'm testing now with the basic Blink sketch and here is the resulting terminal comments.

/Applications/Arduino.app/Contents/Java/arduino-builder -dump-prefs -logger=machine -hardware /Applications/Arduino.app/Contents/Java/hardware -hardware /Users/b77/Library/Arduino15/packages -tools /Applications/Arduino.app/Contents/Java/tools-builder -tools /Applications/Arduino.app/Contents/Java/hardware/tools/avr -tools /Users/b77/Library/Arduino15/packages -built-in-libraries /Applications/Arduino.app/Contents/Java/libraries -libraries /Users/b77/Documents/Arduino/libraries -fqbn=megax8:avr:atmegax8:cpu=328_16 -vid-pid=0403_6001 -ide-version=10816 -build-path /var/folders/hv/kcqzq2sd5sl5kwxjrbq96vs80000gn/T/arduino_build_216627 -warnings=none -build-cache /var/folders/hv/kcqzq2sd5sl5kwxjrbq96vs80000gn/T/arduino_cache_67558 -prefs=build.warn_data_percentage=75 -prefs=runtime.tools.avr-gcc.path=/Users/b77/Library/Arduino15/packages/arduino/tools/avr-gcc/7.3.0-atmel3.6.1-arduino5 -prefs=runtime.tools.avr-gcc-7.3.0-atmel3.6.1-arduino5.path=/Users/b77/Library/Arduino15/packages/arduino/tools/avr-gcc/7.3.0-atmel3.6.1-arduino5 -prefs=runtime.tools.avrdude.path=/Users/b77/Library/Arduino15/packages/arduino/tools/avrdude/6.3.0-arduino17 -prefs=runtime.tools.avrdude-6.3.0-arduino17.path=/Users/b77/Library/Arduino15/packages/arduino/tools/avrdude/6.3.0-arduino17 -verbose /Applications/Arduino.app/Contents/Java/examples/01.Basics/Blink/Blink.ino
/Applications/Arduino.app/Contents/Java/arduino-builder -compile -logger=machine -hardware /Applications/Arduino.app/Contents/Java/hardware -hardware /Users/b77/Library/Arduino15/packages -tools /Applications/Arduino.app/Contents/Java/tools-builder -tools /Applications/Arduino.app/Contents/Java/hardware/tools/avr -tools /Users/b77/Library/Arduino15/packages -built-in-libraries /Applications/Arduino.app/Contents/Java/libraries -libraries /Users/b77/Documents/Arduino/libraries -fqbn=megax8:avr:atmegax8:cpu=328_16 -vid-pid=0403_6001 -ide-version=10816 -build-path /var/folders/hv/kcqzq2sd5sl5kwxjrbq96vs80000gn/T/arduino_build_216627 -warnings=none -build-cache /var/folders/hv/kcqzq2sd5sl5kwxjrbq96vs80000gn/T/arduino_cache_67558 -prefs=build.warn_data_percentage=75 -prefs=runtime.tools.avr-gcc.path=/Users/b77/Library/Arduino15/packages/arduino/tools/avr-gcc/7.3.0-atmel3.6.1-arduino5 -prefs=runtime.tools.avr-gcc-7.3.0-atmel3.6.1-arduino5.path=/Users/b77/Library/Arduino15/packages/arduino/tools/avr-gcc/7.3.0-atmel3.6.1-arduino5 -prefs=runtime.tools.avrdude.path=/Users/b77/Library/Arduino15/packages/arduino/tools/avrdude/6.3.0-arduino17 -prefs=runtime.tools.avrdude-6.3.0-arduino17.path=/Users/b77/Library/Arduino15/packages/arduino/tools/avrdude/6.3.0-arduino17 -verbose /Applications/Arduino.app/Contents/Java/examples/01.Basics/Blink/Blink.ino
Using board 'atmegax8' from platform in folder: /Users/b77/Library/Arduino15/packages/megax8/hardware/avr/1.0.3
Using core 'megax8' from platform in folder: /Users/b77/Library/Arduino15/packages/megax8/hardware/avr/1.0.3
Detecting libraries used...
/Users/b77/Library/Arduino15/packages/arduino/tools/avr-gcc/7.3.0-atmel3.6.1-arduino5/bin/avr-g++ -c -g -Os -w -std=gnu++11 -fpermissive -fno-exceptions -ffunction-sections -fdata-sections -fno-threadsafe-statics -Wno-error=narrowing -flto -w -x c++ -E -CC -mmcu=atmega328p -DF_CPU=16000000L -DARDUINO=10816 -DARDUINO_ATmegaxX8 -DARDUINO_ARCH_AVR -I/Users/b77/Library/Arduino15/packages/megax8/hardware/avr/1.0.3/cores/megax8 -I/Users/b77/Library/Arduino15/packages/megax8/hardware/avr/1.0.3/variants/megax8 /var/folders/hv/kcqzq2sd5sl5kwxjrbq96vs80000gn/T/arduino_build_216627/sketch/Blink.ino.cpp -o /dev/null
Generating function prototypes...
/Users/b77/Library/Arduino15/packages/arduino/tools/avr-gcc/7.3.0-atmel3.6.1-arduino5/bin/avr-g++ -c -g -Os -w -std=gnu++11 -fpermissive -fno-exceptions -ffunction-sections -fdata-sections -fno-threadsafe-statics -Wno-error=narrowing -flto -w -x c++ -E -CC -mmcu=atmega328p -DF_CPU=16000000L -DARDUINO=10816 -DARDUINO_ATmegaxX8 -DARDUINO_ARCH_AVR -I/Users/b77/Library/Arduino15/packages/megax8/hardware/avr/1.0.3/cores/megax8 -I/Users/b77/Library/Arduino15/packages/megax8/hardware/avr/1.0.3/variants/megax8 /var/folders/hv/kcqzq2sd5sl5kwxjrbq96vs80000gn/T/arduino_build_216627/sketch/Blink.ino.cpp -o /var/folders/hv/kcqzq2sd5sl5kwxjrbq96vs80000gn/T/arduino_build_216627/preproc/ctags_target_for_gcc_minus_e.cpp
/Applications/Arduino.app/Contents/Java/tools-builder/ctags/5.8-arduino11/ctags -u --language-force=c++ -f - --c++-kinds=svpf --fields=KSTtzns --line-directives /var/folders/hv/kcqzq2sd5sl5kwxjrbq96vs80000gn/T/arduino_build_216627/preproc/ctags_target_for_gcc_minus_e.cpp
Compiling sketch...
/Users/b77/Library/Arduino15/packages/arduino/tools/avr-gcc/7.3.0-atmel3.6.1-arduino5/bin/avr-g++ -c -g -Os -w -std=gnu++11 -fpermissive -fno-exceptions -ffunction-sections -fdata-sections -fno-threadsafe-statics -Wno-error=narrowing -MMD -flto -mmcu=atmega328p -DF_CPU=16000000L -DARDUINO=10816 -DARDUINO_ATmegaxX8 -DARDUINO_ARCH_AVR -I/Users/b77/Library/Arduino15/packages/megax8/hardware/avr/1.0.3/cores/megax8 -I/Users/b77/Library/Arduino15/packages/megax8/hardware/avr/1.0.3/variants/megax8 /var/folders/hv/kcqzq2sd5sl5kwxjrbq96vs80000gn/T/arduino_build_216627/sketch/Blink.ino.cpp -o /var/folders/hv/kcqzq2sd5sl5kwxjrbq96vs80000gn/T/arduino_build_216627/sketch/Blink.ino.cpp.o
Compiling libraries...
Compiling core...
Using precompiled core: /var/folders/hv/kcqzq2sd5sl5kwxjrbq96vs80000gn/T/arduino_cache_67558/core/core_megax8_avr_atmegax8_cpu_328_16_27f180324ce8b44e5ad3e6dc83e4e5ee.a
Linking everything together...
/Users/b77/Library/Arduino15/packages/arduino/tools/avr-gcc/7.3.0-atmel3.6.1-arduino5/bin/avr-gcc -w -Os -g -flto -fuse-linker-plugin -Wl,--gc-sections -mmcu=atmega328p -o /var/folders/hv/kcqzq2sd5sl5kwxjrbq96vs80000gn/T/arduino_build_216627/Blink.ino.elf /var/folders/hv/kcqzq2sd5sl5kwxjrbq96vs80000gn/T/arduino_build_216627/sketch/Blink.ino.cpp.o /var/folders/hv/kcqzq2sd5sl5kwxjrbq96vs80000gn/T/arduino_build_216627/../arduino_cache_67558/core/core_megax8_avr_atmegax8_cpu_328_16_27f180324ce8b44e5ad3e6dc83e4e5ee.a -L/var/folders/hv/kcqzq2sd5sl5kwxjrbq96vs80000gn/T/arduino_build_216627 -lm
/Users/b77/Library/Arduino15/packages/arduino/tools/avr-gcc/7.3.0-atmel3.6.1-arduino5/bin/avr-objcopy -O ihex -j .eeprom --set-section-flags=.eeprom=alloc,load --no-change-warnings --change-section-lma .eeprom=0 /var/folders/hv/kcqzq2sd5sl5kwxjrbq96vs80000gn/T/arduino_build_216627/Blink.ino.elf /var/folders/hv/kcqzq2sd5sl5kwxjrbq96vs80000gn/T/arduino_build_216627/Blink.ino.eep
/Users/b77/Library/Arduino15/packages/arduino/tools/avr-gcc/7.3.0-atmel3.6.1-arduino5/bin/avr-objcopy -O ihex -R .eeprom /var/folders/hv/kcqzq2sd5sl5kwxjrbq96vs80000gn/T/arduino_build_216627/Blink.ino.elf /var/folders/hv/kcqzq2sd5sl5kwxjrbq96vs80000gn/T/arduino_build_216627/Blink.ino.hex
/Users/b77/Library/Arduino15/packages/arduino/tools/avr-gcc/7.3.0-atmel3.6.1-arduino5/bin/avr-size -A /var/folders/hv/kcqzq2sd5sl5kwxjrbq96vs80000gn/T/arduino_build_216627/Blink.ino.elf
Sketch uses 924 bytes (2%) of program storage space. Maximum is 32768 bytes.
Global variables use 9 bytes (0%) of dynamic memory, leaving 2039 bytes for local variables. Maximum is 2048 bytes.
/Users/b77/Library/Arduino15/packages/arduino/tools/avrdude/6.3.0-arduino17/bin/avrdude -C/Users/b77/Library/Arduino15/packages/arduino/tools/avrdude/6.3.0-arduino17/etc/avrdude.conf -v -patmega328p -cstk500v1 -P/dev/cu.usbserial-AC012GAB -b19200 -Uflash:w:/var/folders/hv/kcqzq2sd5sl5kwxjrbq96vs80000gn/T/arduino_build_216627/Blink.ino.hex:i 

avrdude: Version 6.3-20190619
         Copyright (c) 2000-2005 Brian Dean, http://www.bdmicro.com/
         Copyright (c) 2007-2014 Joerg Wunsch

         System wide configuration file is "/Users/b77/Library/Arduino15/packages/arduino/tools/avrdude/6.3.0-arduino17/etc/avrdude.conf"
         User configuration file is "/Users/b77/.avrduderc"
         User configuration file does not exist or is not a regular file, skipping

         Using Port                    : /dev/cu.usbserial-AC012GAB
         Using Programmer              : stk500v1
         Overriding Baud Rate          : 19200
         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 : STK500
         Description     : Atmel STK500 Version 1.x firmware
         Hardware Version: 2
         Firmware Version: 1.18
         Topcard         : Unknown
         Vtarget         : 0.0 V
         Varef           : 0.0 V
         Oscillator      : Off
         SCK period      : 0.1 us

avrdude: AVR device initialized and ready to accept instructions

Reading | ################################################## | 100% 0.04s

avrdude: Device signature = 0x000000 (retrying)

Reading | ################################################## | 100% 0.04s

avrdude: Device signature = 0x000000 (retrying)

An error occurred while uploading the sketch
Reading | ################################################## | 100% 0.05s

avrdude: Device signature = 0x000000
avrdude: Yikes!  Invalid device signature.
         Double check connections and try again, or use -F to override
         this check.


avrdude done.  Thank you.

From what I've seen online, the device signature being 0x000000 could potentially mean that the lack of crystal may make it impossible for me to do the bootloading. The chip is also brand new and I've tested with more than one as I have 3.

My thought is that I probably read the tutorial wrong especially with the AVCC pin?

In any case, how should I connect a Nano to an ATMega328p without a crystal?

Thanks for your help!

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1
  • 1
    The internal oscilator is 8Mhz on the ATMega328P. You could use the 3.3V 8Mhz Arduino Pro Minis bootloader. But make sure you set the fuses correctly, so it's doesn't use the crystal as a clock source. The only downside is that the RC oscillator isn't as accurate as a crystal, so Serial/UART may not work correctly.
    – Gerben
    Nov 18, 2021 at 15:46

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
1

Alright. After reading some and some more, I was able to notice that SCK, just one pin down from AVCC, was the missing link.

Yet another reminder to properly read the fabulous manual.

It looks so easy now.

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