Invalid device signature = 0x000000

I recieved this message when trying to re-program my Sanguinololu 1.3a this updated firmware.

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

It turns out that this means there was no boot loader on the Atmega644P.

Since the machine was working with the previous firmware, it looks like the last time the board was programmed, it had been done via the hex load option, and the bootload was overwritten.

This was corrected with a friend's AVRASP programmer module. We loaded the bootloader using arduino IDE, problem fixed.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/24/2015 06:59PM by prof braino.

thanks, and also thank you for posting your solution. please note that the arduino as a isp seems to have errors in programming boot loaders for larger than 64k devices, such as the atmega 2560, or the ATMEGA 1281 replacement alternative to the 644p with more memory. this is why it is a good investment for an avr programmer.

here is a link i found to help program the 644p. [reprap.org]

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/24/2015 08:44PM by jamesdanielv.

Follow up: The device that successfully programmed a bootloader into my board was a USBASP from ebay for about $5. The device needs some work, described on my mentor's page here:

[jimlaurwilliams.org]

I think one still needs a friend with a working programmer of some kind to flash new firmware into the USBASP. Also it needs two wires to fix the 3.3v/5.0v jumper. There are newer items with no jumper, and possibly updated firmware.