sorry, problem flashing driver :( can't reliably connect to chip

Flashlight Modding and DIY Parts
1

Hi all,
I’m sorry as I know that this has been done to death, but I’m pulling my hair out with a couple of drivers. I’m having alot of different problems, but the biggest issue at the moment is that I can’t reliably connect to an ATtiny13.

I was able to connect to and flash a driver yesterday just fine (even though the driver doesn’t work, that’s another story). As part of troubleshooting that driver I tried to flash a standard AK47 with the same firmware, to check if the firmware or flashing was the issue. Couldn’t connect. This is with a Pomona SOIC8 clip and USBASP. Tried a couple of other drivers (AK47, NANJG105A, the one I made that didn’t work), none would connect.

Resoldered all the connections from the USBASP cable to the clip, no connection.

Soldered wires directly to the ATtiny13 and clipped them to the pins from the clip. Got one connection:

*PS E:\Documents\Lights\STARmommtm\STARmommtm\Debug> avrdude -p t13 -c usbasp -n

avrdude.exe: warning: cannot set sck period. please check for usbasp firmware update.
avrdude.exe: AVR device initialized and ready to accept instructions

Reading | ################################################## | 100% 0.02s

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

avrdude.exe done. Thank you.*

But when I went to write the firmware, got the standard can’t connect message:
*PS E:\Documents\Lights\STARmommtm\STARmommtm\Debug> avrdude -p t13 -c usbasp -u -Uflash:w:STARmommtm.hex:a -Ueeprom:w:STARmommtm.eep:a -Ulfuse:w:0x75:m -Uhfuse:w:0xff:m

avrdude.exe: warning: cannot set sck period. please check for usbasp firmware update.
avrdude.exe: error: programm enable: target doesn’t answer. 1
avrdude.exe: initialization failed, rc=–1
Double check connections and try again, or use -F to override
this check.

avrdude.exe done. Thank you.*

Now I soldered jumper wires directly to the pins on the USBASP and crocodile clipped those to the pins soldered to the ATtiny13. Same deal as above - initially connected, wouldn’t write the firmware then wouldn’t connect again.

Tried moving the jumper from 5V to 3.3V and vice versa. Different USB ports. Restarting the laptop (Windows 10) and double checking the USBASP drivers again. Nothing works.

I’m stumped. Clearly the USBASP works and clearly I’m able to write to a chip (the one I flashed was off the sister AK47 to the one I’m currently struggling with), but the whole process has stopped working. I’ve ruled out any possible shorts/ intermittent contacts that I can think of. I’ve triple checked that the wires on the USBASP are connected to the correct legs of the ATtiny13. I’m going to go out to the garage and pull an ATtiny13 off a driver and flash it on it’s own using soldered on wires.

Any other ideas? I’m can’t finish the light I’m making until I can get a driver working and it’s either solve this mystery or pony up $30 for an lflex from Taskled (not a bad option at all, but it’s $$ I don’t have and would feel like I’m surrendering!).

thanks for the help!

2

well, that did the trick. How weird is that? Wired up a bare ATtiny13, hooked it up to the USBASP and it connected and flash first try at each. Now to put it back where it came from and see if the firmware works. Should do, it’s on another light, but you never know. If it does, then I’ll swap this ATtiny into the new driver and test that one. Fingers’n’toes crossed!

3

do you got any unusual components like caps on pins
or solder bridges to ground on the driver

4

not that I could see. I couldn’t even connect to the chip on the AK47 that was factory stock. Maybe something going on with the programmer, who knows. I’ll just make sure to flash the chip off the board before reflowing it.

5

NO CHIP IS ALWAYS FLASHABLE ON THE BOARD UNLESS YOU CONNECT WRONG THINGS LIKE GROUND TO CERTAIN PADS

6

no need to shout mate.

I’ve flased using this programmer and clip before, multiple times. This time was different for some reason.

Stock AK47A, unmodded. Programmer wired direct from pin to pin. Triple checked connections were correct via multiple sources. Wouldn’t flash.

Took chip off board. Programmer wired direct from pin to pin. Triple checked connections were correct via multiple sources. Flashed first time.

Not a major deal now that I’ve figured it out, just curious.

7

and now we know the problem is the AK47 driver, which uses stars to ground on pins

8

not wishing to flog a dead horse, but in the OP:

“Tried a couple of other drivers (AK47, NANJG105A, the one I made that didn’t work), none would connect.”

The only star connected to ground is the one connected to pin 4 on the chip, which is also the ground pin. none of the others on any of the other chips I tried to flash were connected to ground as tested with a DMM.

Also doesn’t explain why I’ve been able to flash NANJG105As before, using the same set up. It’s a mystery.