Another USB blaster problem

Altera_Forum · ‎10-21-2005

Hello,

Just arrived here, a USB blaster. Install driver, upload FPGA configuration data no problem.

Then tried nios2-download to get the software into the system, but strange erro occurs.

Then tried with byteblaster to get software into the system (like I did already for years). No problem.

Here is the difference between the two :

USB blaster :

$ nios2-download safe.elf --cable 2 -g
Using cable "USB-Blaster ", device 1, instance 0x00
Pausing target processor: OK
Downloading 00100000 ( 2%)assertion "m_state == STATE_DEBUG" failed: file "nios2
debug.cpp", line 1695
Signal 6

and with byteblaster :

$ nios2-download safe.elf --cable 1 -g
Using cable "ByteBlasterII ", device 1, instance 0x00
Pausing target processor: not responding.
Resetting and trying again: OK
Downloaded 181KB in 4.4s (41.1KB/s)
Verified OK
Starting processor at address 0x00100000

Any idea what to check?

Stefaan

Altera_Forum · ‎10-22-2005

Odds are that you have signal integrity issues, especially, if this is a custom board...

The fact that it works with a ByteBlaster II and not with the USB Blaster probably has to do with the speed at which data is traveling across the interface. The USB Blaster is quite a bit faster.

It's my opinion that a board's JTAG chain is not clean until I can debug CPUs and run Signaltap II sessions, simultaneously, from within each of the FPGAs in my chain.

There's help/advice available from the Altera website and this forum.

Good luck!

- slacker

--- Quote Start ---

originally posted by svhb@Oct 21 2005, 01:36 AM

hello,

just arrived here, a usb blaster. install driver, upload fpga configuration data no problem.

then tried nios2-download to get the software into the system, but strange erro occurs.

then tried with byteblaster to get software into the system (like i did already for years). no problem.

here is the difference between the two :

usb blaster :

$ nios2-download safe.elf --cable 2 -g using cable "usb-blaster ", device 1, instance 0x00 pausing target processor: ok downloading 00100000 ( 2%)assertion "m_state == state_debug" failed: file "nios2 debug.cpp", line 1695 signal 6

and with byteblaster :

$ nios2-download safe.elf --cable 1 -g using cable "byteblasterii ", device 1, instance 0x00 pausing target processor: not responding. resetting and trying again: ok downloaded 181kb in 4.4s (41.1kb/s) verified ok starting processor at address 0x00100000

any idea what to check?

stefaan

<div align='right'><{post_snapback}> (index.php?act=findpost&pid=10499)</div>

--- Quote End ---

Altera_Forum · ‎10-22-2005

Indeed, I looked for some inforamtaion about that, but why is configuring the device ok, and downloading sw not??

--- Quote Start ---

originally posted by slacker+oct 22 2005, 02:04 am--><div class='quotetop'>quote (slacker @ oct 22 2005, 02:04 am)</div>

--- quote start ---

odds are that you have signal integrity issues, especially, if this is a custom board...

the fact that it works with a byteblaster ii and not with the usb blaster probably has to do with the speed at which data is traveling across the interface. the usb blaster is quite a bit faster.

it's my opinion that a board's jtag chain is not clean until i can debug cpus and run signaltap ii sessions, simultaneously, from within each of the fpgas in my chain.

there's help/advice available from the altera website and this forum.

good luck!

- slacker

<!--quotebegin-svhb@Oct 21 2005, 01:36 AM

hello,

just arrived here, a usb blaster. install driver, upload fpga configuration data no problem.

then tried nios2-download to get the software into the system, but strange erro occurs.

then tried with byteblaster to get software into the system (like i did already for years). no problem.

here is the difference between the two :

usb blaster :

$ nios2-download safe.elf --cable 2 -g using cable "usb-blaster ", device 1, instance 0x00 pausing target processor: ok downloading 00100000 ( 2%)assertion "m_state == state_debug" failed: file "nios2 debug.cpp", line 1695 signal 6

and with byteblaster :

$ nios2-download safe.elf --cable 1 -g using cable "byteblasterii ", device 1, instance 0x00 pausing target processor: not responding. resetting and trying again: ok downloaded 181kb in 4.4s (41.1kb/s) verified ok starting processor at address 0x00100000

any idea what to check?

stefaan

<div align='right'><{post_snapback}> (index.php?act=findpost&pid=10499)</div>

--- Quote End ---

<div align='right'><{post_snapback}> (index.php?act=findpost&pid=10518)</div>

[/b]

--- Quote End ---

Altera_Forum · ‎10-22-2005

Configuring the device is, for the most part, unidirectional, and likely slower than what download/debug/jtag_uart use. Successful configuration does not exonerate the JTAG chain...

- slacker

Altera_Forum · ‎10-22-2005

I've had similar problems in the past. My problem has been the jtag clock line. I had to cut the traces on both ends of the clock trace and add a jumper. Good luck.

George