Upload error: "`avrdude: error reading system wide configuration file`"

[VishalVenu123]

Describe the problem

Attempting to upload a sketch to a board of the AVR architecture fails due to the [AVRDUDE}(https://github.com/avrdudes/avrdude) uploader tool not being able to access the specified avrdude.conf configuration file:

Using board 'uno' from platform in folder: C:\Users\vishal venu\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\arduino\hardware\avr\1.8.6
Using core 'arduino' from platform in folder: C:\Users\vishal venu\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\arduino\hardware\avr\1.8.6
Detecting libraries used...
"C:\\Users\\vishal venu\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\packages\\arduino\\tools\\avr-gcc\\7.3.0-atmel3.6.1-arduino7/bin/avr-g++" -c -g -Os -w -std=gnu++11 -fpermissive -fno-exceptions -ffunction-sections -fdata-sections -fno-threadsafe-statics -Wno-error=narrowing -flto -w -x c++ -E -CC -mmcu=atmega328p -DF_CPU=16000000L -DARDUINO=10607 -DARDUINO_AVR_UNO -DARDUINO_ARCH_AVR "-IC:\\Users\\vishal venu\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\packages\\arduino\\hardware\\avr\\1.8.6\\cores\\arduino" "-IC:\\Users\\vishal venu\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\packages\\arduino\\hardware\\avr\\1.8.6\\variants\\standard" "C:\\Users\\vishal venu\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\arduino\\sketches\\2891F1DC858F8AE7838ADFAF3A2397E6\\sketch\\sketch_mar5a.ino.cpp" -o nul
Alternatives for SoftwareSerial.h: [SoftwareSerial@1.0]
ResolveLibrary(SoftwareSerial.h)
  -> candidates: [SoftwareSerial@1.0]
"C:\\Users\\vishal venu\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\packages\\arduino\\tools\\avr-gcc\\7.3.0-atmel3.6.1-arduino7/bin/avr-g++" -c -g -Os -w -std=gnu++11 -fpermissive -fno-exceptions -ffunction-sections -fdata-sections -fno-threadsafe-statics -Wno-error=narrowing -flto -w -x c++ -E -CC -mmcu=atmega328p -DF_CPU=16000000L -DARDUINO=10607 -DARDUINO_AVR_UNO -DARDUINO_ARCH_AVR "-IC:\\Users\\vishal venu\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\packages\\arduino\\hardware\\avr\\1.8.6\\cores\\arduino" "-IC:\\Users\\vishal venu\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\packages\\arduino\\hardware\\avr\\1.8.6\\variants\\standard" "-IC:\\Users\\vishal venu\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\packages\\arduino\\hardware\\avr\\1.8.6\\libraries\\SoftwareSerial\\src" "C:\\Users\\vishal venu\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\arduino\\sketches\\2891F1DC858F8AE7838ADFAF3A2397E6\\sketch\\sketch_mar5a.ino.cpp" -o nul
Using cached library dependencies for file: C:\Users\vishal venu\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\arduino\hardware\avr\1.8.6\libraries\SoftwareSerial\src\SoftwareSerial.cpp
Generating function prototypes...
"C:\\Users\\vishal venu\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\packages\\arduino\\tools\\avr-gcc\\7.3.0-atmel3.6.1-arduino7/bin/avr-g++" -c -g -Os -w -std=gnu++11 -fpermissive -fno-exceptions -ffunction-sections -fdata-sections -fno-threadsafe-statics -Wno-error=narrowing -flto -w -x c++ -E -CC -mmcu=atmega328p -DF_CPU=16000000L -DARDUINO=10607 -DARDUINO_AVR_UNO -DARDUINO_ARCH_AVR "-IC:\\Users\\vishal venu\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\packages\\arduino\\hardware\\avr\\1.8.6\\cores\\arduino" "-IC:\\Users\\vishal venu\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\packages\\arduino\\hardware\\avr\\1.8.6\\variants\\standard" "-IC:\\Users\\vishal venu\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\packages\\arduino\\hardware\\avr\\1.8.6\\libraries\\SoftwareSerial\\src" "C:\\Users\\vishal venu\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\arduino\\sketches\\2891F1DC858F8AE7838ADFAF3A2397E6\\sketch\\sketch_mar5a.ino.cpp" -o "C:\\Users\\vishal venu\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\arduino\\sketches\\2891F1DC858F8AE7838ADFAF3A2397E6\\preproc\\ctags_target_for_gcc_minus_e.cpp"
"C:\\Users\\vishal venu\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\packages\\builtin\\tools\\ctags\\5.8-arduino11/ctags" -u --language-force=c++ -f - --c++-kinds=svpf --fields=KSTtzns --line-directives "C:\\Users\\vishal venu\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\arduino\\sketches\\2891F1DC858F8AE7838ADFAF3A2397E6\\preproc\\ctags_target_for_gcc_minus_e.cpp"
Compiling sketch...
"C:\\Users\\vishal venu\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\packages\\arduino\\tools\\avr-gcc\\7.3.0-atmel3.6.1-arduino7/bin/avr-g++" -c -g -Os -w -std=gnu++11 -fpermissive -fno-exceptions -ffunction-sections -fdata-sections -fno-threadsafe-statics -Wno-error=narrowing -MMD -flto -mmcu=atmega328p -DF_CPU=16000000L -DARDUINO=10607 -DARDUINO_AVR_UNO -DARDUINO_ARCH_AVR "-IC:\\Users\\vishal venu\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\packages\\arduino\\hardware\\avr\\1.8.6\\cores\\arduino" "-IC:\\Users\\vishal venu\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\packages\\arduino\\hardware\\avr\\1.8.6\\variants\\standard" "-IC:\\Users\\vishal venu\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\packages\\arduino\\hardware\\avr\\1.8.6\\libraries\\SoftwareSerial\\src" "C:\\Users\\vishal venu\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\arduino\\sketches\\2891F1DC858F8AE7838ADFAF3A2397E6\\sketch\\sketch_mar5a.ino.cpp" -o "C:\\Users\\vishal venu\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\arduino\\sketches\\2891F1DC858F8AE7838ADFAF3A2397E6\\sketch\\sketch_mar5a.ino.cpp.o"
Compiling libraries...
Compiling library "SoftwareSerial"
Using previously compiled file: C:\Users\vishal venu\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino\sketches\2891F1DC858F8AE7838ADFAF3A2397E6\libraries\SoftwareSerial\SoftwareSerial.cpp.o
Compiling core...
Using precompiled core: C:\Users\vishal venu\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino\cores\arduino_avr_uno_b292ec63d8c401884d27a66d48a18022\core.a
Linking everything together...
"C:\\Users\\vishal venu\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\packages\\arduino\\tools\\avr-gcc\\7.3.0-atmel3.6.1-arduino7/bin/avr-gcc" -w -Os -g -flto -fuse-linker-plugin -Wl,--gc-sections -mmcu=atmega328p -o "C:\\Users\\vishal venu\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\arduino\\sketches\\2891F1DC858F8AE7838ADFAF3A2397E6/sketch_mar5a.ino.elf" "C:\\Users\\vishal venu\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\arduino\\sketches\\2891F1DC858F8AE7838ADFAF3A2397E6\\sketch\\sketch_mar5a.ino.cpp.o" "C:\\Users\\vishal venu\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\arduino\\sketches\\2891F1DC858F8AE7838ADFAF3A2397E6\\libraries\\SoftwareSerial\\SoftwareSerial.cpp.o" "C:\\Users\\vishal venu\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\arduino\\sketches\\2891F1DC858F8AE7838ADFAF3A2397E6/..\\..\\cores\\arduino_avr_uno_b292ec63d8c401884d27a66d48a18022\\core.a" "-LC:\\Users\\vishal venu\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\arduino\\sketches\\2891F1DC858F8AE7838ADFAF3A2397E6" -lm
"C:\\Users\\vishal venu\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\packages\\arduino\\tools\\avr-gcc\\7.3.0-atmel3.6.1-arduino7/bin/avr-objcopy" -O ihex -j .eeprom --set-section-flags=.eeprom=alloc,load --no-change-warnings --change-section-lma .eeprom=0 "C:\\Users\\vishal venu\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\arduino\\sketches\\2891F1DC858F8AE7838ADFAF3A2397E6/sketch_mar5a.ino.elf" "C:\\Users\\vishal venu\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\arduino\\sketches\\2891F1DC858F8AE7838ADFAF3A2397E6/sketch_mar5a.ino.eep"
"C:\\Users\\vishal venu\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\packages\\arduino\\tools\\avr-gcc\\7.3.0-atmel3.6.1-arduino7/bin/avr-objcopy" -O ihex -R .eeprom "C:\\Users\\vishal venu\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\arduino\\sketches\\2891F1DC858F8AE7838ADFAF3A2397E6/sketch_mar5a.ino.elf" "C:\\Users\\vishal venu\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\arduino\\sketches\\2891F1DC858F8AE7838ADFAF3A2397E6/sketch_mar5a.ino.hex"

Using library SoftwareSerial at version 1.0 in folder: C:\Users\vishal venu\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\arduino\hardware\avr\1.8.6\libraries\SoftwareSerial 
"C:\\Users\\vishal venu\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\packages\\arduino\\tools\\avr-gcc\\7.3.0-atmel3.6.1-arduino7/bin/avr-size" -A "C:\\Users\\vishal venu\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\arduino\\sketches\\2891F1DC858F8AE7838ADFAF3A2397E6/sketch_mar5a.ino.elf"
Sketch uses 5076 bytes (15%) of program storage space. Maximum is 32256 bytes.
Global variables use 455 bytes (22%) of dynamic memory, leaving 1593 bytes for local variables. Maximum is 2048 bytes.

avrdude: can't open config file "C:\Users\vishal venu\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\arduino\tools\avrdude\6.3.0-arduino17/etc/avrdude.conf": No such file or directory
avrdude: error reading system wide configuration file "C:\Users\vishal venu\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\arduino\tools\avrdude\6.3.0-arduino17/etc/avrdude.conf"
Failed uploading: uploading error: exit status 1

To reproduce

Unknown

Expected behavior

AVRDUDE configuration file is installed by Arduino Boards Manager along with the arduino:avrdude tool.

Arduino IDE version

Not stated

Operating system

Windows

Operating system version

Not stated

Additional context

Additional Reports

• https://forum.arduino.cc/t/avrdude-error-arduino-ide-won-t-upload-any-sketch/1095736

Workaround

Uninstall and then reinstall the "Arduino AVR Boards" platform:

1. Select Tools > Board > Boards Manager from the Arduino IDE menus to open the "Boards Manager" view in the left side panel.
2. Scroll down through the list of boards platforms until you see the "Arduino AVR Boards" entry.
3. Hover the mouse pointer over the "INSTALLED" label on the "Arduino AVR Boards" entry. You will now see it change to an "UNINSTALL" button.
4. Click the "UNINSTALL" button.
5. A confirmation dialog will now appear. Click the "YES" button.
6. Wait for the uninstallation to finish.
7. Select the newest version from the dropdown version menu at the bottom of the "Arduino AVR Boards" entry.
8. Click the "INSTALL" button at the bottom of the "Arduino AVR Boards" entry.
9. Wait for the installation to finish.

Issue checklist

• I searched for previous reports in the issue tracker
• I verified the problem still occurs when using the latest nightly build
• My report contains all necessary details

[per1234]

Hi @VishalVenu123. It appears your installation of the AVRDUDE tool was somehow corrupted. I think it will be solved by using the Arduino IDE "Boards Manager" to uninstall and then reinstall the "Arduino AVR Boards" platform. Please try that and then comment here to let me know whether it fixed the error.

I'll provide instructions:

1. Select Tools > Board > Boards Manager from the Arduino IDE menus to open the "Boards Manager" view in the left side panel.
2. Scroll down through the list of boards platforms until you see the "Arduino AVR Boards" entry.
3. Hover the mouse pointer over the "INSTALLED" label on the "Arduino AVR Boards" entry. You will now see it change to an "UNINSTALL" button.
4. Click the "UNINSTALL" button.
5. A confirmation dialog will now appear. Click the "YES" button.
6. Wait for the uninstallation to finish.
7. Select the newest version from the dropdown version menu at the bottom of the "Arduino AVR Boards" entry.
8. Click the "INSTALL" button at the bottom of the "Arduino AVR Boards" entry.
9. Wait for the installation to finish.

Now try uploading your sketch again. Hopefully the error will no longer occur.

[per1234]

Closing due to lack of response.

@VishalVenu123 if you are still experiencing the problem and will provide the requested information by commenting here, I'll be happy to re-open this issue.