I really need some help with this problem. I am dead in the water - can't upload anything.

Please translate what you just said, "give url to your hardware core" <-- I have no idea what you are asking me to do, and I have no idea how to solve this problem. I tried deleting everything in the AppData....rover folder, but... same problem. 

And am I using the correct "Programmer"? If not, what should I be using?

Yes. I just downloaded the most recent and tried again. Same results. I don't even see the compile or upload buttons. Build only shows "Run code analysis..." 

Programmer is "Arduino as ISP". Is this correct?

The COM port list does not show any Arduino ports.

I have plenty of com ports, but in some cases, none that show "Arduino". There are two issues surfacing here:

1) Being able to compile and upload
2) Upload failure

The first issue seems to be related to the board I am using at the time. Genuine Arduino boards seem to work, but a SainSmart Arduino UNO does not result in being able to see an Arduino port and does not show the compile and upload buttons.

When I do use a genuine Arduino, I get this message:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr\bin\avrdude "-CC:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr/etc/avrdude.conf" -v -patmega328p -cstk500v1 -PCOM4 -b19200 le1\uno/TimerInterruptExample1.ino.hex:i"
avrdude: Version 6.0.1, compiled on Apr 15 2015 at 19:59:58
         Copyright (c) 2000-2005 Brian Dean, http://www.bdmicro.com/
Error during upload using programmer
Upload failed

Upload failed
         Copyright (c) 2007-2009 Joerg Wunsch
The uploader returned an error
         System wide configuration file is "C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr/etc/avrdude.conf"
         Using Port                    : COM4
         Using Programmer              : stk500v1
         Overriding Baud Rate          : 19200
avrdude: ser_open(): can't open device "\\.\COM4": The system cannot find the file specified.
avrdude done.  Thank you.

Both issues result in my being dead in the water. Both seemed to happen as a result of buying and trying the cheap DCcle DCcudino uno board. 

Bob, if you don't have a programmer then make sure you have not switched on "Visual Micro>Always upload using programmer" by mistake

So you can confirm you use an arduino as isp to upload and not normal usb?

I am still encountering this problem and I am dead in the water until I can fix it. PLEASE HELP.

I updated the code but still cannot upload to the board. It says:
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 "C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr/etc/avrdude.conf"
         Using Port                    : COM6
         Using Programmer              : stk500v1
         Overriding Baud Rate          : 19200
avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 1 of 10: not in sync: resp=0x03
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 2 of 10: not in sync: resp=0x77
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 3 of 10: not in sync: resp=0x1a
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 4 of 10: not in sync: resp=0xfe
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 5 of 10: not in sync: resp=0xd1
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 6 of 10: not in sync: resp=0xff
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 7 of 10: not in sync: resp=0xd0
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 8 of 10: not in sync: resp=0xcf
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 9 of 10: not in sync: resp=0xf2
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 10 of 10: not in sync: resp=0x40
Error during upload using programmer
Upload failed

Upload failed
The uploader returned an error
avrdude done.  Thank you.

What are you clicking to upload? 

That's no where near the full output?

Use the Visual Micro toolbar or Debug>Start with/without debugging" to upload.

The error is certainly different and looks like a usb issue. Maybe the port is confused, reconnect the board.

But in any event the visual micro version is in "tools>extensions and updates" and the "Visual Micro>Verbose" option gives us useful stuff

Open control panel devices. Right click uno or isp in ports list. Click remove and.click delete driver.

Then right click unknown port and update driver using drivers folder below arduino ide

Would it help/make sense to use an FTDI driver like the SparkFun FTDI Basic Breakout - 5V?

I am getting very frustrated by this and I don't know how to proceed here. Everything I try seems to turn to mud. HELP!

I have tried repeatedly to get the driver working with only partial success. I can compile and upload sketches using the Arduino IDE but the VS/VM IDE fails every time. 

I have attached a simpler sketch (no external libraries) to show the problem. The compiler output is in output.txt in the root folder.

The results are identical every time: the upload failed:

Uploading to I/O board using 'Arduino as ISP'
Uploader started for board Arduino/Genuino Uno
Uploader will use programmer name: arduinoasisp
C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr\bin\avrdude "-CC:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr/etc/avrdude.conf" -v -patmega328p -cstk500v1 -PCOM3 -b19200 le1\uno/TimerInterruptExample1.ino.hex:i"
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 "C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr/etc/avrdude.conf"
         Using Port                    : COM3
         Using Programmer              : stk500v1
         Overriding Baud Rate          : 19200
avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 1 of 10: not in sync: resp=0x03
avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 2 of 10: not in sync: resp=0x03
avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 3 of 10: not in sync: resp=0x03
avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 4 of 10: not in sync: resp=0x03
avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 5 of 10: not in sync: resp=0x03
avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 6 of 10: not in sync: resp=0x03
avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 7 of 10: not in sync: resp=0x03
avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 8 of 10: not in sync: resp=0x03
avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 9 of 10: not in sync: resp=0x03
Error during upload using programmer
Upload timed out waiting for a response

Upload failed

Upload timed out waiting for a response

Upload failed
The uploader returned an error
avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding
avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 10 of 10: not in sync: resp=0x03
avrdude done.  Thank you.

I have been experiencing the upload problem with both the Mega and the Uno. The UNO is on COM3 and the MEGA comes up on COM4 or COM5. 

At any given time, I have only one of these two boards / sketches loaded, but the problem occurs with ALL boards.

The programmer is currently "Arduino as ISP" and the Always Use Programmer for Upload is enabled, but the graphic is not very bright so it is easy to miss seeing what state it is in. 

I just turned the "Always Use Programmer" feature off and VOILA! it uploaded. Finally!

Thanks, Tim.