> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://ptarmiganlabs.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# How to get OS X 10.9 Mavericks and Arduino IDE to play nicely with each other
- URL: https://ptarmiganlabs.com/how-to-get-os-x-10-9-mavericks-and-arduino-ide-to-play-nicely-with-each-other/
- Published: 2014-09-14T17:08:02.000Z
- Updated: 2023-01-25T11:13:04.000Z
- Author: Göran Sander
- Tags: Electronics, #Import 2025-03-29 20:52

Apple tried to be smart with OS X Mavericks, developing their own FTDI drivers. Just too bad they don’t seem to work.

I have been getting nothing but “avrdude: stk500\_recv(): programmer is not responding” errors when trying to upload sketches to various Arduino compatible boards.  
In the end, the only thing that worked was programming the boards using a dedicated programmer (in my case an [USBasp](http://www.fischl.de/usbasp/?ref=ptarmiganlabs.com)).

Some digging around forums and Apple’s support site, the following steps has solved the issue on all the OS X machines where I have tried it. In short, you need to replace Apple’s drivers with the ones from FTDI.

1. Open a terminal
2. cd /System/Library/Extensions/IOUSBFamily.kext/Contents/PlugIns
3. sudo mv AppleUSBFTDI.kext AppleUSBFTDI.disabled
4. sudo touch /System/Library/Extensions
5. Restart computer
6. Install FTDI’s virtual COM port drivers from http://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/VCP.htm. In version 2.2.18 this package contains two executable files, I have had success with the one named FTDIUSBSerialDriver\_10\_4\_10\_5\_10\_6\_10\_7
7. Restart again (might not be needed, good practise though after installing drivers)

Voila – The Arduino IDE can now upload sketches to all boards I have tried, both with the old/legacy bootloader and Optiboot.