{"id":3259,"date":"2010-10-28T23:51:24","date_gmt":"2010-10-29T04:51:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/?page_id=3259"},"modified":"2012-01-14T01:06:07","modified_gmt":"2012-01-14T07:06:07","slug":"windows","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/tutorials\/avr-toolchain-installation\/windows\/","title":{"rendered":"Windows"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mitch Altman<\/a> and I are in the process of writing a book about Making Cool Things with Microcontrollers (for people who know nothing.)<\/span><\/h2>\n

The book features several DIY projects that use\u00a0AVR<\/a> microcontrollers. \u00a0We\u2019re aiming to teach absolute beginners how to solder, basic electronics, and the process of turning a cool idea into reality by using microcontrollers.<\/p>\n

I wrote these instructions about setting up a working avr-gcc environment in Windows, Mac OS X, or Linux. \u00a0Mitch and I felt that they could use some beta testing in the real world before bring included in the book, so we decided to make them available here. \u00a0We also felt that they might help some people get started with AVRs before the book is available.<\/p>\n

We want to make the process of writing and compiling code for the AVR simple and accessible, so we\u2019re not using any fancy IDEs (eg. no\u00a0AVR Studio<\/a>). \u00a0We also wanted to use the same software on all three operating systems, so Windows-only tools were out. \u00a0Instead, we\u2019re using avr-gcc, the compiler behind WinAVR, CrossPack, and Arduino.<\/p>\n

I would appreciate any feedback on these instructions.<\/p>\n

AVR Toolchain Installation Instructions – Windows<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Note: At the time of this writing, following the step-by-step instructions below will result in a working AVR toolchain being installed on your computer.\u00a0 However, computers, operating systems, and software are constantly changing.\u00a0 This means that while these instructions are valid today, they may not be by the time you read this.\u00a0 If you run into trouble, fear not!\u00a0 Entering a few carefully chosen keywords into your favorite search engine will often yield just the information you need to resolve the issue.<\/p>\n

Installing the AVR toolchain on Windows is fairly straightforward, thanks to a package called WinAVR.\u00a0 WinAVR includes all of the tools you need to get started working with AVR microcontrollers in one easy to install package.<\/p>\n

WinAVR requires Windows 95 or later and approximately 250MB available hard drive space.\u00a0 The instructions below were developed and tested with WinAVR version 20100110 and include steps for both Windows 7 and Windows XP.\u00a0 The 64-bit version of Windows 7 is supported if digitally signed USB drivers are used.<\/p>\n

To install the AVR toolchain within Windows:<\/strong><\/p>\n

1. Open your favorite web browser and visit the WinAVR website at http:\/\/winavr.sourceforge.net\/<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Click Download and follow the link to the SourceForge.net WinAVR download page (http:\/\/sourceforge.net\/projects\/winavr\/files\/<\/a>).<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Click on the link to the latest version, which at the time of this writing is WinAVR-20100110-install.exe<\/a>.\u00a0 When the download finishes, click Run to launch the installer.\u00a0 On some browsers, you might need to wait for the download to finish, find the file (look in your Downloads folder) and open it manually.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Some versions of Windows might require you to authorize the installer to make changes to your computer.\u00a0\u00a0 Click Yes.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The WinAVR installer will open and ask you to select a language.\u00a0 (If you don’t see this dialog box, look around, it might have popped up behind your browser!)<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Continue the guided installation, accepting the default options when prompted.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

A few clicks later, and the WinAVR installation is finished.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

2. Open a Command Prompt.\u00a0 You can do this by opening the Start menu and clicking All Programs->Accessories->Command Prompt.\u00a0 As a shortcut, you can also type “cmd” into the Search bar.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

3. You can test the installation by entering the command<\/p>\n

avr-gcc --version<\/pre>\n
into the Command Prompt window.\u00a0 You should see the response<\/p>\n
avr-gcc (WinAVR 20100110) 4.3.3<\/pre>\n
and a copyright notice.\u00a0 Note that the version number might be different.<\/p>\n
\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n
4. To use a USB programmer such as the Adafruit Industries USBTinyISP, you’ll need to install some drivers.<\/p>\n
You can download Windows drivers for the USBTinyISP from http:\/\/www.ladyada.net\/make\/usbtinyisp\/download.html<\/a>.<\/p>\n
All versions of Windows should use the newer “Windows 7 x64 bit driver.”\u00a0 This driver contains a digital signature that the 64-bit versions of Windows require, but is also backwards compatible.\u00a0 If you run into problems with the newer driver, try using the older libusb v1.12 driver.<\/p>\n
(AVRISP users: The drivers that come with the Atmel AVRISP mkII won’t work with the avrdude program that we will be using to program AVRs.\u00a0 Alternate AVRISP drivers can be downloaded from http:\/\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/2010\/09\/avrisp-mkii-libusb-drivers-for-windows-7-vista-x64\/<\/a>.)<\/p>\n
Open the driver file archive you just downloaded and click the “Extract all files” button to unzip the drivers to a convenient folder on your hard drive.<\/p>\n
\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n
The driver installation procedure is slightly different for Windows XP.\u00a0 If you are using Windows XP, skip to the separate Windows XP instructions below.<\/p>\n
Windows 7: <\/strong>(for Windows XP, skip this section)<\/p>\n
First, plug in the USBTinyISP.\u00a0 You’ll probably get the error message “Device driver software was not successfully installed.”<\/p>\n
\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n
You can install the drivers by opening the Device Manager (Start->Control Panel->System and Security->System->Device Manager).<\/p>\n
\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n
The USBTinyISP is shown with a small exclamation mark next to it, indicating that working drivers are not installed.<\/p>\n
Right click on the USBTinyISP and select Update Driver Software to manually install drivers.\u00a0 When the update window opens, click “Browse my computer for driver software.”<\/p>\n
\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n
Click Browse and select the folder where you extracted the drivers earlier.<\/p>\n
\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n
You will get a warning that “Windows can’t verify the publisher of this driver software.”\u00a0 Click “Install this driver software anyway.”<\/p>\n
\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n
The driver will install, and you should see the message “Windows has successfully updated your driver software.”\u00a0 Click the Close button.<\/p>\n
\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n
The drivers are now installed.\u00a0 Close the Device Manager and Control Panel.
\nWindows XP:<\/strong><\/p>\n
Plug in the USBTinyISP.\u00a0 You should see the message “Found New Hardware” above the taskbar.<\/p>\n
\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n
The Found New Hardware Wizard will start automatically.\u00a0 Select “No, not this time” to skip connecting to Windows Update and click Next to continue.<\/p>\n
\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n
When the next window appears, select “Install from a list or specific location” and click Next.<\/p>\n
\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n
To select the drivers for the USBTinyISP, check the box next to “Include this location in the search” and click Browse.\u00a0 Navigate to the folder where you extracted the drivers earlier.\u00a0 Click Next to install the drivers.<\/p>\n
\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n
If the driver installation was successful, a window will open to inform you that the wizard has finished installing software.\u00a0 Click Finish to exit the Found New Hardware Wizard.<\/p>\n
\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n
The USBTinyISP drivers are now installed.<\/p>\n
If the Found New Hardware Wizard fails or never pops up, you can install the driver manually by opening the Device Manager, which can be accessed via the Hardware tab of the System Control Panel.\u00a0 Find the USBtinyISP (it will probably have an exclamation mark next to it), right click on it, and select “Update Driver.”\u00a0 Then follow the instructions above to install the driver.<\/p>\n
5. To test the USBTinyISP, switch back to the Command Prompt window and type the command<\/p>\n
avrdude -c usbtiny -p m168<\/pre>\n
Press enter while you watch the USBTinyISP’s red LED.\u00a0 The red LED will flash once and you should see the following message:<\/p>\n
\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n
avrdude: initialization failed, rc=-1<\/pre>\n
Double check connections and try again, or use -F to override<\/pre>\n
this check.<\/pre>\n
avrdude done.\u00a0 Thank you.<\/pre>\n
If you don’t see the red LED flash, try executing the command again.\u00a0 The LED flashes quickly and is easy to miss!<\/p>\n
The initialization failed error shown above is not a problem, it is displayed because there is no microcontroller connected to the programmer.\u00a0 At this point, if the red LED flashes, the programmer is working.<\/p>\n
If you see the error message<\/p>\n
avrdude: Error: Could not find USBtiny device (0x1781\/0xc9f)<\/pre>\n
avrdude done.\u00a0 Thank you.<\/pre>\n
double check the USB connection to the USBTinyISP and make sure the green light is on.<\/p>\n
This completes the Windows AVR toolchain installation.\u00a0 You are now ready to start programming microcontrollers!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Mitch Altman and I are in the process of writing a book about Making Cool Things with Microcontrollers (for people who know nothing.) The book features several DIY projects that use\u00a0AVR microcontrollers. \u00a0We\u2019re aiming to teach absolute beginners how to solder, basic electronics, and the process of turning a cool idea into reality by using … Continue reading Windows<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":3211,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-3259","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/PioCd-Qz","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3211,"url":"https:\/\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/tutorials\/avr-toolchain-installation\/","url_meta":{"origin":3259,"position":0},"title":"AVR Toolchain Installation","author":"Jeff","date":"October 28, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Mitch Altman and I are in the process of writing a book about Making Cool Things with Microcontrollers (for people who know nothing.) The book features several DIY projects that use\u00a0AVR microcontrollers. \u00a0We're aiming to teach absolute beginners how to solder, basic electronics, and the process of turning a cool\u2026","rel":"","context":"With 2 comments","block_context":{"text":"With 2 comments","link":"https:\/\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/tutorials\/avr-toolchain-installation\/#comments"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":3237,"url":"https:\/\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/tutorials\/avr-toolchain-installation\/mac-os-x\/","url_meta":{"origin":3259,"position":1},"title":"Mac OS X","author":"Jeff","date":"October 28, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Mitch Altman and I are in the process of writing a book about Making Cool Things with Microcontrollers (for people who know nothing.) 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The book features several DIY projects that use\u00a0AVR microcontrollers. \u00a0We\u2019re aiming to teach absolute beginners how to solder, basic electronics, and the process of turning a cool\u2026","rel":"","context":"With 4 comments","block_context":{"text":"With 4 comments","link":"https:\/\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/tutorials\/avr-toolchain-installation\/linux\/#comments"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/ubuntu3_apt-get_sudo_crop-500x354.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1473,"url":"https:\/\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/products\/avr-hv-rescue-shield\/","url_meta":{"origin":3259,"position":3},"title":"AVR HV Rescue Shield (Obsolete)","author":"Jeff","date":"March 10, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Introducing the AVR HV Rescue Shield The AVR HV Rescue Shield is a high voltage parallel mode fuse programmer for Atmel AVR microcontrollers. It currently supports the ATmega48\/88\/168\/328P series and the ATtiny2313.\u00a0 The Rescue Shield is based on my Arduino-based AVR High Voltage Programmer, but with several new features and\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"AVR HV Rescue Shield with ATmega168 target ","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/03\/rescue-shield-with-atmega2_scaled-500x375.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1453,"url":"https:\/\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/products\/","url_meta":{"origin":3259,"position":4},"title":"Products","author":"Jeff","date":"March 10, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Geiger Counter An open source Geiger Counter kit with logging capabilities. AVR HV Rescue Shield 2 New and improved fuse programming shield for Atmel AVR microcontrollers.","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/03\/geiger_thumb.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3421,"url":"https:\/\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/products\/hv-rescue-shield-2-x\/","url_meta":{"origin":3259,"position":5},"title":"HV Rescue Shield 2","author":"Jeff","date":"December 13, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Introducing the AVR HV Rescue Shield 2 The HV Rescue Shield 2 is a high voltage parallel mode fuse programmer for Atmel AVR microcontrollers. It currently supports a wide variety of AVR chips, including the 28-pin ATmega48\/88\/168\/328 series, the 20-pin ATtiny2313, and many 8-pin ATtiny devices (such as the ATtiny25\/45\/85\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"HV Rescue Shield 2.1","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mightyohm.com\/files\/hvrescue21\/images\/5418114324_df1976bef0.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3259","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3259"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3259\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4574,"href":"https:\/\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3259\/revisions\/4574"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3211"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3259"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}