How to fix bad Chinese Arduino clones
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- čas přidán 6. 09. 2024
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How to fix a bad Chinese Arduino clone in no time?
More info:
tomtomheylen.co...
Hi my name is Tom Heylen
Have you ever wondered if a cheap Chinese Arduino clone will actually work?
You pay only a few bucks and get the same product. Sounds to good to be true right?
The truth is that some work and some won't.
Follow the rest of this tutorial and I'll explain you how to make them all work in no time.
I use an Arduino Uno for this example but it is the same process for most Arduino models.
So here we have an genuine Arduino uno and here a Chinese clone. Let's do the test.
My Arduino environment has been installed and is working properly.
First I plug in the genuine Arduino. And everything works just fine.
Now I use my cheap chinese copy and.... the computer does not recognise the hardware.
The problem is that the clone does not use the standard serial to usb chip but a chip marked CH340. Your computer will not recognize these CH340 chips on your computer.
To fix this is very easy.
Download the manufacturer software and istall it on your computer. This software will work for all versions of windows. I leave you a link below this video.
I also leave a link for the Mac lovers.
Now plug in your chinese clone and try again. It should work just fine. The board should be visible now in the Arduino IDE and ready to use.
I upload the blink sketch to the board and it all works fine.
In some cases the board might still not work. This is because there is no bootloader installed on the Atmel microcontroller Chip.
To solve this problem we need a working arduino and the clone arduino we want to fix.
First we connect the working Arduino to our computer and open the Arduino IDE.
We go to File - Examples and click ArduinoISP and upload this to the Arduino.
Ones uploaded disconnect the Arduino.
Next we connect the wires from the working Arduino to the clone as follows.
Pin 10 goes to reset
pin 11 goes to 11, pin 12 to 12, pin 13 to pin 13.
5v to 5v and ground to ground.
Next we connect the working Arduino with a usb to the computer.
Go to Tools - Board and select the chinese board that is not working. in my case it's an Arduino Uno.
Next we go to Tools again - Programmer and select Arduino as ISP.
Go to Tools again and select Burn Bootloader.
Go back to Tools - Programmer and set back to ArduinoISP.
Your clone should work just fine now.
Arduino is great software an completely free to use. If you are buying Chinese copies of the Arduino controller, consider making a donation to support the Arduino software. Here is a link.
www.arduino.cc...
Was this video helpfull for you? Click the like button and subscribe.
Links
software
www.wch.cn/down...
Mac
0xcf.com/2015/0...
Donate to Arduino
www.arduino.cc...
One thing to look out for on the cheap clones is the type of oscillator used by the processor. Mostly they are resonator based but these have very wildly varying values, well out of specification in some cases. If timing is important then you might like to look out for the more traditional metal can quartz oscillators, and these are often cheaper too! Also surprisingly I have started to come across some clones that don't have an LED on Pin 13.... best avoided if you want to run Blink!
Even 8 years later, this still works, Thanks
Good to know. Have fun with your project.
u saved my day dude.. i thought my arduinos are damaged... was about to throw them in the garbage... i love you
“Very informative. This makes a difference in how I choose my next purchase. I was afraid to buy this but I now have more confidence now that I seen your video. Thank you very much.”
The clone was never broken - just a different communications chip and no boot loader - that's not broken, it's just not configured properly. An Arduino is just an Atmel microcontroller chip with supporting hardware and a dumbed down programming interface. When you buy from China expect to have to do some work to get things running as they don't pay their employees much and I imagine the training is even worse than the pay ;) If you are not technically inclined buy the real thing until you learn more. I have to say the Chinese clones are a deal though once you know what you are doing, sometimes I can buy a Nano clone for less than the cost of the microcontroller chip alone.
Never correct someone if you know what they mean. Changes were made within the clone.
That is why I buy them. They work well for my simple projects. Once you have it set up, they all work fine. I had to build several water sensor systems for our wine cellar and the chinese nano's were very cheap and after a few minutes I got them all working. I still have some genuine Arduino boards, but I use them for bigger projects.
I had trouble with Namo's I bought cheap. There is a setting in The Arduino IDE for Nano use "Old Bootloader". It fixed my my situation.
Your video title seems to suggest that the "bad" Chinese clones are faulty. They aren't. They just use a different hardware solution for the USB connectivity. So they aren't bad. Just using different ( cheaper ) hardware.
Issues are PC software related.
I see in the picture in 2:26 that there is something connected to the ground and the reset of the working Arduino. This is not mentioned. Do we have to connect to the ground the reset pin?
A capacitor of 10 µF is connected between RESET of the functionning arduino and the ground.
I bought one because I didn't know there was a difference. The $2 saved was enough for a nice case when bought as a combo, but I though the board was broken. Found the loaders online for the Mac and it works. It times out when I have the serial monitor open, but otherwise seems to be working fine. I understand there is another option, you can buy a loader that doesn't use what is on the board. They cost around $10 and some seem to like that option as it bypasses the onboard loader, but I see it as a waste of money when the cheap onboard ones will work and I can buy a good sensor for that money.
Thank you Tom. I also ordered from this cheap Chinese Arduino clone and almost wrote to the seller on eBay that it doesn't work. By followed your excellent tutorial, I was able to fix it.
If your chinese Arduino clone does not explode on plug in and does a "blinky led" thing, chances are there is already a bootloader installed, but an ANCIENT ONE. Arduino IDE "can" handle this, of you switch "processor type" tp "old bootloader" . or upgrade the bootloader by follow the bootload install instructions here.
I don't know where you get it, but if you get it from tao-bao, the seller will tell you that this board needs extra drivers to run.
btw, the $2 nano does not work with os x
CH340 works ootb on Linux. No fix needed.
Amun-Ra, I've got the same result for a clone Nano V3 on Linux Mint. :)
Work with raspberry pi without a driver???
mine doesnt! :( what version arduino ide did you use?
check your arduino ide setup. especially the "board" and the "processor" settings. try processor settings saying "old bootloader". it worked for me, since these chinese dont give a fuck.
Hi from New Zealand. Great video, really help me, even 5 years after you uploaded it. Keep up the great videos!
Today, A awesome Russian dude showed me how to use the hundred of Chinese boards that I bought!
Helpful info - Thanks. I have downloaded the drivers as described and the IDE appears to upload a sketch without error message, but the Arduino Uno clone does nothing other than permanently light the red LED.
Hi Tom, greetings from Denmark.
It is an awesome video, I have a Mega and a Pro Mini that has given me headache for some time and now they both work and the headache is gone. Thanks a lot.
By the way, I love your answer to stupid comments.
Hello! I really enjoyed your video and I wanted to repeat it for you! But I get the following error:
"avrdude: Expected signature for ATmega328P is 1E 95 0F Double check chip, or use -F to override this check."
Tell me please, what can it be ?! And how is it possible to eliminate this error so that the Chinese Arduino worked as it should!
Even 6 years later, this still works, Thanx !!!!!
Both 'duinos are clones. The 'duino on the left uses green fuse instead of gold
Khoi Sousa, seems like the fakes (not clones) are still better then... Well spotted
Cyberschn1tzel It's a counterfeit, not a fake
Khoi Sousa Yes any company can use the arduino logo and say uno on it
If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck then it's a duck!
That's not a counterfeit!
the gold chip is a custom made component, it cannot be bought without license and needs to be specially manufactured.
anything can be counterfeited, but in this case the price would be just as high as the real thing
To fix your fake board permanently, use his connection mentioned in the description, then go to Arduino IDE and burn bootstrap. Then disconnect the main board, and plug in your fake board, you should be able to program as normal boards now
Please consider choosing Arduino Duemilanove from list instead of UNO if you cannot write a new bootloader. From 12 CH340 UNO ordered from China, 3 where Duemilanove. Different times, different orders.
Strange I have been playing with clones for over a year now and never had a problem. Windows always id the chip and autoinstalled the driver. Guess some of us are lucky or something.
Maybe those weren't Chinese clones?
When trying to burn the bootloader, I get : "Error while burning bootloader.
"
Arduino: 1.8.8 (Windows 10), Board: "Arduino/Genuino Uno
avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 1 of 10: not in sync: resp=0x0c
avrdude: Yikes! Invalid device signature.
Double check connections and try again, or use -F to override
this check.
Error while burning bootloader.
This report would have more information with
"Show verbose output during compilation"
option enabled in File -> Preferences.
"Thank you so much! I have been working on getting this to work on a handful of Arduino clones I've had lying around for a looooong time. Thank you for sharing this."
I bought M.J duino UNO R3 and from the first moment worked powered only from USB socket and not from dc adapter plug.In the pin of 5V constantly was present 3.3V because in the factory placed wrong LM1117-3V3 instead of LM1117-5V that should be.
using catalina, the driver only works for UNO (CH340), doesnt work for NANO (CH340G)
My Arduinos are all clones but not the cheapest--next to the cheapest. You see, I only buy the ones with a DIP chip and not the surface mounted chip. They cost a little more. My reasoning is that if I screw something up and destroy the chip, I only need replace the chip. I purchased a mess of chips some time ago and, using another Arduino as a programmer, burned the boot loader into all of them and tested them. (I mark the chips with installed bootloaders with a yellow dot of paint.) I now have a supply of ready-to-use replacement chips if ever I should destroy one accidentally. I can also prototype on my Uno and pull the chip to drop into any custom circuit that I make for a permanent project.
I've never had a problem with any fake, clone, whatever. I believe that I had installed the drivers way back when I first installed my IDE. I grabbed a lot of other stuff at the same time so I don't remember exactly the details. I've never purchased an Arduino that didn't have a good bootloader but apparently it does happen, hence this video.
Thank you so much Guy... Honestly you can't just imagine how you have saved my life.... Thank you soooooo much ...thanks for sharing.... God bless you..
Good video but unfortunately it did not work out for me. Nothing is written on my usb chip and only after thorough search on the net I have found another usb chip model as the commonly used CH340. Do a search on "FTDI FT232R driver" you'll be orientated to the manufacturer website with win/mac installers. My Arduino compatible clone now works perfectly :)
Thanks. I had the same problem. Now the "arduino" is working!!
I thank you dearly, may god bow to your wisdom!
after I install the CH340 driver I'm getting "Driver Install Failure!" Any idea about this error? BTW first time I use this same Arduino no need to install any driver.
Check the usb cable first, it happened to me that leds turned on but the pc wouldn`t recognise it.
is there a way to install the bootloader without a working arduino? thank you in advance
Your video was the first one I found when googling this issue and it solved my problem! Thanks a ton!
OK, and what about if I have two non working Arduino's and I have no possibility to bring one workable?!?
Thank youuu very much. I just built my first robot and was disappointed that i was not able to upload the sketch. This solved my issue. I really appreciate it
God bless you for this video. Before I saw this video I thought that my chinese Arduino Mega 2560 board is gone wrong. After I followed your instructions and installed the ch340 driver I could load the program to the Arduino board.
So in order to get it working you need to buy an original arduino. Why bother spending more on a clone board after that?
Fantastic! ive searched for this driver for a few hours now. Appreciate the help
Thanks for the help. Finally got my ATmega2560 working. Just a driver problem.
Reflashing the bootloader like you explained did the job. Thank you so much, this was the only working solution after hours of searching
When I selected "Burn Bootloader", I got an error message as follows,"Arduino: 1.8.7 (Windows 10), Board: "Arduino/Genuino Uno"
avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 1 of 10: not in sync: resp=0x8b
avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 2 of 10: not in sync: resp=0x8b
avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 3 of 10: not in sync: resp=0x8b
avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 4 of 10: not in sync: resp=0x8b
avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 5 of 10: not in sync: resp=0x8b
avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 6 of 10: not in sync: resp=0x8b
avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 7 of 10: not in sync: resp=0x8b
avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 8 of 10: not in sync: resp=0x8b
avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 9 of 10: not in sync: resp=0x8b
avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 10 of 10: not in sync: resp=0x8b
Error while burning bootloader.
This report would have more information with
"Show verbose output during compilation"
option enabled in File -> Preferences.
"
This is what I got, what to do now?Kindly suggest me some ideas.
Thank you for your kind advise will try when I get a working board
When the Chinese one doesn't have a bootloader burned, one of the wires must to conect the reset with GND both from original one? It is like apears atthe picture, but was not spoke on the video, so thid is my doubt...
I'm new to all this and you solved my problems!!!! I can now start enjoying my knock off uno!!!
Great. Keep going. A lot of fun to come your way.
Wish the camera was focused on what you did through each process you didn’t clearly identify which board is which.
Just get Leonardo's, cheap clones or genuine, and you never have a problem. As a bonus you get double UART, USB-HID, non-shared SPI pins and double the analog inputs.
GOOD TUTORIAL :)
how to download the manufacturer software for windows its on chinese i dont know to read it
My question is if I can actually use esp32/stm32 controller as programmer to burn bootloader into my Uno clone?
One extra thing I had to do to get it all to start working on Windows10 was to turn off Windows Firewall, do the first upload and then turn the Windows Firewall back on. After that, works perfectly with Firewall turned on.
thanks man, I have chinese ch340 serial and wasn't able to communicate witch pc, now it works perfect, thank you, you are a genius.
when compiling the program does not mark the error if not when I already load it to the plate is when it marks the errors of the plate (my plate is an arduino one)
thank you, very helpful.. you saved me.. I got 2 board need to flash.. 1 confirmed flashed, the other 1 hopefully need to be flashed as well..
The burning of bootloader needs an extra genuine arduino right? What happens do I don't have one?
Thank you helping me fix the problem. I followed the steps and it works like charm.
I see reset pins connected. in your hook-up sketch. You do not mention this in your narration. Can address this please? Good clear video otherwise. Thank you.
What if I only have the clone arduino? And I don't have the working one?
Umm how can you upload blink to the Arduino when it can't upload because it isn't blinking
Thanks. Worked for an UNO and NANO clone I bought from ebay
Thanks , after searching for weeks for a solution,,, I didn't know it was as simple as a usb driver. Thanks dude !!!
I have this Uno but it's not working and uploading I have all requirements complete only blink light
I don't think that somebody should donate money to Arduino team. Hernando Barragan should receive those donations
I had to burn the Bootloader like you explain and it works for me fine!!! Thank you
How can I know if Arduino Uno is not working I am using it and want to attach a buzzer so it indicates me without connecting to PC or AnotherArduino?
Hi Tom, is there a risk that I can damage my working Arduino board while doing this combination..???
Thanks Tom, I had bought two clones and couldn't get them to work. The links are great. Thank you very much!
Hi Tom, thanks pluger my chinisse arduino started inmedietily ! without problems either conections.... thanks again OK for all people my arduino is
ARDUINO UNO R3 CH340G SMD
Hi Tom, For me was downloading the file that fixed my problems with my clone's!Thanks for this vid!!
I bought about 20 Arduino clones from different suppliers and apart from installing a driver on Windows to see it over the USB I had no problems at all. Never needed a second Arduino to make anything work
Lucky you.
@@frederic4108 3 years later: they are still running! Not a single failure. Same for Attiny cinese boards (they are fake Digistump, you can recognize them because chinese ones have "REV.3" written on the board)
Windows 10 support the CH340, but the driver is not included in Windows 7. The driver can be found here: www.driverscape.com/download/usb-serial-ch340
thanks a lot sir ,had tried many drivers but didnt work for me ,
burning bootloader really works ,
got all my nano working
Can you make a video about DFU mode in ch340 chip ot atmega 16u2 none of these chips are going into DFU mode how can I fix it man I really need your help
i bought 2 times already i ahve used only fews days does not works anymore
My clone works fine except A4 and A5 inputs, I can't use I2C interface that is my first need to work with sensors, any ideas?
to the ones that still have a problem change Tools->Port from COM1 to COM3
Ok I got a Chinese uno for 2.65. It did not have a cable I am using a simple cable from Fry's Electronics and I am not even getting a led light up when I hook to my laptop. could the uno be bad or maybe the cable is not right? my pc beeps at me when I unplug the uno from the cable? Is there a way to fix the bootloader without another uno?
its says it is unsecure
how to fix if i dont have another working arduino..please help..
Isn't there a way to make my NHduino work without genuine Arduino?
i have problem in burn bootloader it dosnt work
hello sir !
I am ismail from PAKISTAN . your video is very helpful for me and it sort out my problem and my arduino is now in working condition . THANK YOU SO MUCH SIR..
And keep upload these kinds of helping videos ....
Still no luck.. what board do you choose for the cheap uno? only one I see is Arduino/Genuino Uno (sketch 1.8.1), and it just won't burn the boot loader.. using a uno to uno. UNO1 is OEM $$$$, Uno 2 is Chinese R3
My atmega2560 was working well till yesterday, now it gas changed port. The Blink sketch is working but grbl is not, can you Please help ? Thanking you in advance.
I just threw a Nano in the trash. It got too hot to touch and just froze
I randomly received the clone you were using when ordering a nano, worked fine for me though. Great videos though, I used the accidental board I got to burn boot loaders on atmega chips from another of your tutorials
I created a program which writes data to the serial port via Serial.writeln() inside a loop, and now I cannot upload a new sketch any more, presumably because my program floods the serial port with too much data, rendering it inoperable (?) Have I just permanently bricked it?
Someone suggested pressing the reset button just at the right moment, but I had no success with this. The card is a nano.
The pronunciation sounded a lot like 'ardrino' as supposed to 'ardweeno' correct me if I am wrong.
you drunk?
lol
No, you are right. It's "ard-dwee-no".
I have an arduino uno which is not showing in device manager.yesterday it was working fine.I have not done any software changes.What could be wrong
Is the other one really genuine? Because I have got a 100% identical as a present and I have read that these dark blues are fakes too. I want to ease my conscience and avoid buying a new one if mine is genuine.
It works! Thanks for the video.
can i use ch340 in this china board as isp programmer for external controller
Thank you so much! You saved my bacon, and the student that was helping me had a blast flashing all the boot loaders of the 10 cheap arduino nano's I had laying around.
Thank you very much sir
You ended my headache
Thank you so much you have fixed my problem i have just installed the software and now the board works great. 👍
What about the case you don't have good one around?
So to use a chinese copy i need a real Arduino ?
Can you Help me, the device manager shows Ports (COM&LPT) - USB-SERIAL CH340 (COM7), but the board does not appear Under Boards. any idea? thanks
I did the process twice but am still getting the upload error when trying to load "blink." I wired the original working UNO to the chinese UNO exactly 10 to 10, 11 to 11, etc. burned the bootloader...still doesn't work. Any ideas? The chinese uno has a micro USB as opposed to the original..but that should not make a difference.
" we connect the wires from the working Arduino to the clone as follows: pin 10 goes to reset and 11 goes to 11 and 12 to 12 and 13 to 13, five volts to five volts and ground to ground"
Your vedio was helpful but I cannot fix my clones, I had installed and run the program which you suggest and tried many times but it was not. Please suggest me what to do now please.....