To all of you Serial to USB sufferers out there, one remaining bit of critical advice:
Use a digital multimeter to check the VL voltage as supplied by the battery on the bot board prior to a session of programming. For all the blame we may be garnering on the cable, the USB hub, and our PC’s, if the board doesn’t have the voltage it needs, it is going to lead you to pull your hair out suspecting the aforementioned cable, hub and PC - In vain. -Migs