When I first started working with microcontrollers, I had an Arduino, a few LEDs, a handful of DC motors, and very little common sense. :) I learned firsthand that if you did not read before you wired stuff up, it could be a costly mistake. However during my hardware infancy not all was a loss. I discovered that with a few tools and a spare Atmel microcontroller, you can revive a”blown” or “dead” Arduino board.

This project will show you how to remove and replace the Arduino “brain” (ATmega328P uC). And we will re-flash your shiny new replacement chip with the glorious Arduino firmware. One thing to note, however: this project will only fix your Arduino if your Atmega328P controller is blown. If any other component is bad on your Arduino then this guide will more than likely not be helpful. With that said, let’s fix an Arduino!