Arduino Nano - Upload verification error

Question

I'm new to Arduino; and I'm trying to upload a simple sketch to a new Arduino Nano

I tried a few sketches (blink / helloworld / empty one); and changing the USB PORT. Windows find the correct serial port (but it's a CH340 USB-Serial; I think that's some Chinese clone). I tried a few USB ports.

When I upload the sketch, it seems to upload. But a verification error appears:

avrdude: verifying ...
avrdude: verification error, first mismatch at byte 0x00ea
         0x8c != 0x8d
avrdude: verification error; content mismatch

This is the command line

D:\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr/bin/avrdude -CD:\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr/etc/avrdude.conf -v -patmega328p -carduino -PCOM6 -b57600 -D -Uflash:w:C:\Users\corti\AppData\Local\Temp\build462236accad2415310c5b24cce7ccca0.tmp/Blink.ino.hex:i 

This is the full verbose log of the flashing:

avrdude: Version 6.0.1, compiled on Apr 15 2015 at 19:59:58
         Copyright (c) 2000-2005 Brian Dean, http://www.bdmicro.com/
         Copyright (c) 2007-2009 Joerg Wunsch

         System wide configuration file is "D:\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr/etc/avrdude.conf"

         Using Port                    : COM6
         Using Programmer              : arduino
         Overriding Baud Rate          : 57600
         AVR Part                      : ATmega328P
         Chip Erase delay              : 9000 us
         PAGEL                         : PD7
         BS2                           : PC2
         RESET disposition             : dedicated
         RETRY pulse                   : SCK
         serial program mode           : yes
         parallel program mode         : yes
         Timeout                       : 200
         StabDelay                     : 100
         CmdexeDelay                   : 25
         SyncLoops                     : 32
         ByteDelay                     : 0
         PollIndex                     : 3
         PollValue                     : 0x53
         Memory Detail                 :

                                  Block Poll               Page                       Polled
           Memory Type Mode Delay Size  Indx Paged  Size   Size #Pages MinW  MaxW   ReadBack
           ----------- ---- ----- ----- ---- ------ ------ ---- ------ ----- ----- ---------
           eeprom        65    20     4    0 no       1024    4      0  3600  3600 0xff 0xff
           flash         65     6   128    0 yes     32768  128    256  4500  4500 0xff 0xff
           lfuse          0     0     0    0 no          1    0      0  4500  4500 0x00 0x00
           hfuse          0     0     0    0 no          1    0      0  4500  4500 0x00 0x00
           efuse          0     0     0    0 no          1    0      0  4500  4500 0x00 0x00
           lock           0     0     0    0 no          1    0      0  4500  4500 0x00 0x00
           calibration    0     0     0    0 no          1    0      0     0     0 0x00 0x00
           signature      0     0     0    0 no          3    0      0     0     0 0x00 0x00

         Programmer Type : Arduino
         Description     : Arduino
         Hardware Version: 2
         Firmware Version: 1.16
         Vtarget         : 0.0 V
         Varef           : 0.0 V
         Oscillator      : Off
         SCK period      : 0.1 us

avrdude: AVR device initialized and ready to accept instructions

Reading | ################################################## | 100% 0.00s

avrdude: Device signature = 0x1e950f
avrdude: reading input file "C:\Users\corti\AppData\Local\Temp\build462236accad2415310c5b24cce7ccca0.tmp/Blink.ino.hex"
avrdude: writing flash (1066 bytes):

Writing | ################################################## | 100% 0.32s

avrdude: 1066 bytes of flash written
avrdude: verifying flash memory against C:\Users\corti\AppData\Local\Temp\build462236accad2415310c5b24cce7ccca0.tmp/Blink.ino.hex:
avrdude: load data flash data from input file C:\Users\corti\AppData\Local\Temp\build462236accad2415310c5b24cce7ccca0.tmp/Blink.ino.hex:
avrdude: input file C:\Users\corti\AppData\Local\Temp\build462236accad2415310c5b24cce7ccca0.tmp/Blink.ino.hex contains 1066 bytes
avrdude: reading on-chip flash data:

Reading | ################################################## | 100% 0.24s

avrdude: verifying ...
avrdude: verification error, first mismatch at byte 0x00ea
         0x8c != 0x8d
avrdude: verification error; content mismatch

Answer 1

I have seen this once before when one of my mates was having troubles programming a ATMega328P on a custom board. It turned out to be his physical serial port. We later confirmed it with a scope - indeed the first packet wasn't what it was meant to be sending. So we switched to a USB-to-Serial dongle that I had and the problem was resolved.

In your case, I highly suspect that it is the CH340 to blame here.

Try programming the Adruino with the AVRISPmkII or another USB-to-TTL converter.

Edit: Alternatively you could program your microcontroller using a genuine Arduino Uno board (such as a friends) and then place it back onto your board.