Motherboard + USBTinyISP: avrdude: initialization failed, rc=-1

Hi, this is a shadow post from [forums.ladyada.net]
Please check there before answering!

This is my question:

I have a USBTinyISP (newest version) from a kit, ordered through Ladyada's website.
Built it without a problem or a hassle, have good knowledge of basic electronics and circuitry and i love building complex things.
The tinyISP is modded now, i removed the two 1.5k resistors and bridged them (R4 and R7 on the silkscreen, in the schematics called R6 and R7 because of a mistake in the design)

I used multiple computers with access to all windows based OS'es
The programming software is standard Arduino-0015-win with the newest Sanguino modification 1.4 straight off their website.
The USBTinyISP never worked before, and i have no means of testing it on another chip.
My knowledge of chip programming is little to none, but i'm willing to read lots of text to make this work

I've posted pictures of both the Reprap mobo and the USBTinyISP on the aforementioned link

heres my problem:
I connect the ISP to the computer, install drivers, reconnect (to initialize in windows) and it's present in the hardware list.
The power +5v jumper is off to make sure i dont blow up faulty components, i hook up the tinyUSB to the reprap motherboard through the 6-pin connector, and start the Arduino/Sanguino software.
After these steps, i want to burn the Sanguino bootloader, so i choose tools, burn bootloader> through USBTinyISP.

Now i get "avrdude: initialization failed, rc=-1"

I decided to hook up the +5v (first unhook the bunch, turn on the jumper, rehook the usb, then the 6 pin onto the motherboard) and here it comes: Windows detected a power surge on a usb port, this happens every time i hook the bunch up with the +5v jumper on.
To be clear: this only happens as soon as i put the six pin connector onto the motherboard.

I measured all the leads from the programmer to the chip, and i basically see a pretty straight-forward connection on all pins ive measured..

Now my question:
Where did it go wrong, is it the software, tinyisp or the motherboard.
How can i test it and most important of all.. where do i begin, what do i need to measure, what information do i need? i'm at a loss..

Theres another problem: i do not have access to an oscilloscope.. this is a one-man show and they cost a fortune here (Netherlands)

what capacitors do you have earthing the crystal pins? It was the wrong capacitor values in my case. Here are the details
[www.satnhue.com]

Have you done all that is here [www.ladyada.net] ?

You didnt mentioned anything about the MB jumper, is that set yes? Above the header. Says "autoreset enable" near it. The picture in ladyada forum shows that jumper is missing. Try solder a wire between the pads and see maybe it works. But on long term i think you need a jumper there anyway (in normal operation its off, only on if programming).

Since its initialization fail, I would check / meter all pcb traces from the header to the chip as well as between them and also same thing internally from usbtiny to the atmega (maybe cable can be bad somewhere).

If you get it to see the chip I think you can (as an alternative) forget about the bootloader: go to arduino preferences.txt file (docu&settings[user]\App Data\Arduino) and change the line that says upload.using=bootloader into upload.using=usbtinyisp and just skip the bootloader and upload the firmware directly like that. Changes in the preferences.txt file needs to be done while nothing is running.

Good luck and happy new year!

Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 12/29/2010 09:09PM by NoobMan.