I have a single ATTINY85 to program for a build to print project I'm playing with. I've attempted several ways to get my sketch uploaded into the ATTINY with no luck.

My latest attempt was to try the Microchip Studio and the Arduino IDE. I'm just lost using either tool.

Any help or direction would be appreciated.

 

hi Ernie,
Is this link any help.?
E
https://www.instructables.com/How-to-Program-an-Attiny85-From-an-Arduino-Uno/

 

USBasp if you got the programmer it probably not work because of it firmware lot of people sale these that because the driver not show up its name right and the arduino ide will not use it.
I had to flash mine with known working firmware.

 

I don't do Arduino. I can show you how to write a program in C with Atmel Studio and program the ATtiny85.

 

This been the problem people changed the vendor string and avrdude wouldn't see it as a programmer
check out this site http://www.fischl.de if you have a non working USBasp
https://www.fischl.de/usbasp/

 

Is the ATtiny85 just an 8 pin DIP or is it mounted on a small circuit board? There is a different way to program each version.
Does your version of the downloaded Arduino IDE have the ATtiny85 listed as a choice for microprocessor? If not, you will need to add it.
If you can answer both of those questions, I can help you to get your program loaded into it.
This site should help:
Programming Microcontrollers With a USBasp Programmer in Atmel Studio : 7 Steps - Instructables

 

I found putting firmware from the Guy who came up with the USBasp was the best way to get those cheap USBasp programmers to work every one making clones that avrdude didn't find because of vendor string shows up wrong
Its never been a problem for windows 10 or 11 or Linux finding the USBasp its always been AvrDude seeing its as not a programmer on the programmer list .

 

hi Ernie,
Is this link any help.?
E
https://www.instructables.com/How-to-Program-an-Attiny85-From-an-Arduino-Uno/

Nope. I don't have any arduinos. But thanks.

This been the problem people changed the vendor string and avrdude wouldn't see it as a programmer
check out this site http://www.fischl.de if you have a non working USBasp
https://www.fischl.de/usbasp/

AVRdude only runs as a DOS app, and Ive had no luck setting the options

Is the ATtiny85 just an 8 pin DIP or is it mounted on a small circuit board? There is a different way to program each version.
Does your version of the downloaded Arduino IDE have the ATtiny85 listed as a choice for microprocessor? If not, you will need to add it.
If you can answer both of those questions, I can help you to get your program loaded into it.
This site should help:
Programming Microcontrollers With a USBasp Programmer in Atmel Studio : 7 Steps - Instructables

The instructions direct you to TOOLS | EXTERNAL TOOLS which is not on my IDE. I can set the device, select USBasp as the programmer, but uploading fails with:

An error occurred while uploading the sketch
avrdude: error: program enable: target doesn't answer. 1
avrdude: initialization failed, rc=-1
Double check connections and try again, or use -F to override this check.

There's that dang avrdude again.

 

Did you burn the AT85 bootloader before you uploaded the program?

 

An error occurred while uploading the sketch
avrdude: error: program enable: target doesn't answer. 1
avrdude: initialization failed, rc=-1
Double check connections and try again, or use -F to override this check.

That’s because like I said the programmer shows up
But avrdude can’t use it it’s not on the programmer list because some nut that sold you your USBasp
Changed the firmware to say something different

 

That’s because like I said the programmer shows up
But avrdude can’t use it it’s not on the programmer list because some nut that sold you your USBasp
Changed the firmware to say something different

Yep, I see that, but you can adjust the PID and VID of the target programmer in the AVRdude config file. Alas, this yields no joy.

Would anyone have a suggestion for a programmer? Low cost of course as I'm only using this for one project.

 

The programmer I use is Pocket AVR Programmer aka AVR Pocket Programmer.

 

Does your USBasp appear on the Windows device manager?

 

Why yes, yes it does.



My latest attempt yields:

C:\Users\em4Xb>avrdude -c usbasp -p t85 -B 125kHz -F
Set SCK frequency to 750000 Hz
Error: program enable: target does not answer (0x01)
Error: initialization failed  (rc = -1)
- double check the connections and try again
- use -B to set lower the bit clock frequency, e.g. -B 125kHz
Device signature = 00 00 00 (retrying)
Device signature = 00 00 00 (retrying)
Device signature = 00 00 00
Error: invalid device signature
Warning: expected signature for ATtiny85 is 1E 93 0B

Avrdude done.  Thank you.
.

I am unsure if "target does not answer" means the USBasp or the ATTINY85.

 

You have a bricked chip now you’ll need a high voltage programmer to fix the chips device signature in the fuses

 

OK, I bit the bullet and bought myself a Tiny AVR Programmer off Amazon for 17 bucks. Install went flawlessly, as did the compile and upload of some test code.

I now have a blinky LED !!!

No bricked chip, no muss, no fuss. Jeeze, this is the first thing on this extended build to print toy that actually went perfectly the first time I tried it.

 

Tiny avr lot better programmer

 

Is the ATtiny85 just an 8 pin DIP or is it mounted on a small circuit board? There is a different way to program each version.
Does your version of the downloaded Arduino IDE have the ATtiny85 listed as a choice for microprocessor? If not, you will need to add it.
If you can answer both of those questions, I can help you to get your program loaded into it.
This site should help:
Programming Microcontrollers With a USBasp Programmer in Atmel Studio : 7 Steps - Instructables

It's an 8-pin IC, whether DIP or surface mount.

 

You have a bricked chip now you’ll need a high voltage programmer to fix the chips device signature in the fuses

These are called JTAG ISPs. He did the right thing by simply getting a Tiny AVR ISP. So much EASIER.

 

Tiny AVR ISP. I have one and the USBasp The Usbasp was pain to get working. People sale stuff online mine they changed the jumpers so it took a little figuring to set to change firmware