Problems with Setup New Hardware

[Altera_Forum]

Hi, 

 I've just bought a BeMicro evaluation board from Arrow and I followed their tutorial (I tried putting the link for the tutorial in here but, since I'm a new user, I can't post links yet) till section 5.3. Everything was going very well, but when I had to enter Programmer and setup new hardware, Quartus can't fin my Arrow USB Blaster. I don't know why, I installed the drivers correctly. I tried reinstalling them, but Arrow-USB-Blaster still doesn't show up on that drop box. I'm running Quartus on Windows 7 Starter 32-bits.   Does anyone knows what's going on?  Thanks, Daniel K. Franch

[Altera_Forum]

I have a BeMicro, but have not tested it under Windows 7.  

 The USB-Blaster driver is a custom driver from Arrow, and its possible it does not work under Windows 7. If you look at the BeMicro page for the system requirements  http://www.arrownac.com/offers/altera-corporation/bemicro/getting-started.html  It does not say anything about Windows 7 support.  Can you try running a Windows XP Virtual Machine?  If you can't, let me know, and I can try the BeMicro under Windows 7 (64-bit edition).  Cheers, Dave

[Altera_Forum]

Well, Iḿ now reinstalling everything in another machine I have back here at home, that runs on Win XP. Itś weird, because there are some instructions on the tutorial about installing the driver on Win 7 32-bits. I followed them and the drivers were apparently correctly installed. I tried reinstalling them, but it wasn`t recognized inside Quartus. 

 I will see if it all goes correctly in Win XP.  It's a shame Arrow only supports obsolete systems and doesn't update their drivers.  update: I installed everything again and transferred my project to that machine with Win XP and the same problem occurred. Now I'm starting to not have a clue on what's going on. Can it be something that I've done wrongly in the creation of the project? Maybe I should've added some file or something like that.

[Altera_Forum]

--- Quote Start ---   I installed everything again and transferred my project to that machine with Win XP and the same problem occurred. Now I'm starting to not have a clue on what's going on. Can it be something that I've done wrongly in the creation of the project? Maybe I should've added some file or something like that.  --- Quote End ---  In Quartus, you should be able to bring up the programmer tool, and set it up to use the Arrow-USB-Blaster. Once you have selected that hardware, you should be able to scan the JTAG chain and find the FPGA on the BeMicro. Once you have that working, you can program the device.  I have seen the tool 'fail' to program when using the Arrow-USB-Blaster, but when you try again, it works ... who knows why ...  Cheers, Dave

[Altera_Forum]

--- Quote Start ---  In Quartus, you should be able to bring up the programmer tool, and set it up to use the Arrow-USB-Blaster. Once you have selected that hardware, you should be able to scan the JTAG chain and find the FPGA on the BeMicro. Once you have that working, you can program the device.  I have seen the tool 'fail' to program when using the Arrow-USB-Blaster, but when you try again, it works ... who knows why ...  Cheers, Dave  --- Quote End ---    But that is exactly the problem. When I run the programmer tool, in that part of "setup new hardware", it doesn't read the Arrow-USB-Blaster. I tried reinstalling the drivers, then I tried to download Quartus in a machine running on Win XP, installed and reinstalled the drivers in this machine and it always show "No hardware". I will try making the project all over again tonight, but I don't know if this will do.  I'm really new to this world. This is the first fpga-based board I am using, so I am kind of confused with it.   But thanks for the help :).

[Altera_Forum]

--- Quote Start ---  But that is exactly the problem. When I run the programmer tool, in that part of "setup new hardware", it doesn't read the Arrow-USB-Blaster. I tried reinstalling the drivers, then I tried to download Quartus in a machine running on Win XP, installed and reinstalled the drivers in this machine and it always show "No hardware". I will try making the project all over again tonight, but I don't know if this will do.   --- Quote End ---    Lets first check if the board is showing up correctly.  On your Windows XP machine, start the device manager, i.e., Start->Control Panel->System, and then click on the Hardware tab, and then the Device Manager button.  Scroll down to the USB controllers section at the bottom.  If I plug my BeMicro in, then I see 'Arrow USB-Blaster Port A' and 'Arrow USB-Blaster Port B'. These are the two ports on the FTDI FT2232 device that is used to implement the Arrow USB-Blaster.  If you do not see this, then it is a driver installation issue, and has nothing to do with Quartus. Follow the Arrow USB-Blaster installation instructions again, and see if you can get the drivers installed ok.  Make sure you do not have any other FTDI devices installed, eg. a USB-to-serial adapter.  Cheers, Dave

[Altera_Forum]

I presume, you followed the bemicro embedded system lab instructions and executed setup.exe to install jtag_hw_arrow_usb_blaster.dll before performing the Quartus hardware setup?

[Altera_Forum]

--- Quote Start ---  Lets first check if the board is showing up correctly.  On your Windows XP machine, start the device manager, i.e., Start->Control Panel->System, and then click on the Hardware tab, and then the Device Manager button.  Scroll down to the USB controllers section at the bottom.  If I plug my BeMicro in, then I see 'Arrow USB-Blaster Port A' and 'Arrow USB-Blaster Port B'. These are the two ports on the FTDI FT2232 device that is used to implement the Arrow USB-Blaster.  If you do not see this, then it is a driver installation issue, and has nothing to do with Quartus. Follow the Arrow USB-Blaster installation instructions again, and see if you can get the drivers installed ok.  Make sure you do not have any other FTDI devices installed, eg. a USB-to-serial adapter.  Cheers, Dave  --- Quote End ---    I won't be able to access my Win XP machine till tomorrow. But as far as I can remember, the drivers were appearing just as you described there. Apparently, they were successfully installed. And I tried installing them again.  So it must be something about Quartus?    --- Quote Start ---  I presume, you followed the bemicro embedded system lab instructions and executed setup.exe to install jtag_hw_arrow_usb_blaster.dll before performing the Quartus hardware setup?  --- Quote End ---    Those are exactly the instructions that I am following. And what exactly is Quartus hardware setup?

[Altera_Forum]

--- Quote Start ---   And what exactly is Quartus hardware setup?  --- Quote End ---    Bring-up the Quartus programmer (Tools->Programmer).  The 'Hardware Setup' button on the programmer should have Arrow-USB-Blaster next to it. If it does not, click the button.  Under available hardware, you should see Arrow USB-Blaster. Double-click it to select it, and then click Close.  You should now be able to scan the JTAG chain.  Cheers, Dave

[Altera_Forum]

--- Quote Start ---  Bring-up the Quartus programmer (Tools->Programmer).  The 'Hardware Setup' button on the programmer should have Arrow-USB-Blaster next to it. If it does not, click the button.  Under available hardware, you should see Arrow USB-Blaster. Double-click it to select it, and then click Close.  You should now be able to scan the JTAG chain.  Cheers, Dave  --- Quote End ---    That's the problem. When I go to Hardware Setup Arrow USB-Blaster doesn't show up in avaiable hardware. All I get is "No Hardware". And I just checked here in the Win XP's device manager and "Arrow USB-Blaster Port A" and "Arrow USB-Blaster Port B" show up correctly installed. And I don't have anything else plugged in USB or Serial Ports.

[Altera_Forum]

--- Quote Start ---  That's the problem. When I go to Hardware Setup Arrow USB-Blaster doesn't show up in avaiable hardware. All I get is "No Hardware". And I just checked here in the Win XP's device manager and "Arrow USB-Blaster Port A" and "Arrow USB-Blaster Port B" show up correctly installed. And I don't have anything else plugged in USB or Serial Ports.  --- Quote End ---    Ok, I see.  What version of Quartus are you running under Windows XP?  I am running version 10.1.  Cheers, Dave

[Altera_Forum]

I am running the latest version available, 11.0. The instructions were using version 9.1, but I assumed that using a newer version wouldn't be a problem.

[Altera_Forum]

--- Quote Start ---  I am running the latest version available, 11.0. The instructions were using version 9.1, but I assumed that using a newer version wouldn't be a problem.  --- Quote End ---    Well, that's the only difference we have in setups now ... if you can try installing version 10.1 ... :)  Cheers, Dave

[Altera_Forum]

Well, I really don't know what's going on. So I should probably try installing this version. 

 update: I left the other computer downloading Quartus II 9.1, as seen on the BeMicro instructions. Since I already have 5 posts, I can send some links here:  http://bit.ly/bemicro_instructions - the instructions that I'm following http://yfrog.com/gzarq0p - the device manager, showing that the drivers are correctly installed (it is in portuguese, since I'm from Brazil. But what's essential for this problem can be seen here without any linguistic issue) http://yfrog.com/h835htp - the problem I get in the programmer tool in Quartus II 11.0  update 2: So, I installed Quartus II 9.1 in the Win XP Computer and I still get the same problem. I'm really running out of ideas of solutions. Is it something with the JTAG maybe?

[Altera_Forum]

Well, I searched all the web. Here in Altera Forum I found another thread with someone experiencing the same problem. But they nobody could provide a solution also. I just sent an e-mail to Arrow asking about this, although they suggest using the forums as support. 

And last time I tried sending them an e-mail, they never answered me back. I just feel I wasted my money on this board.

[Altera_Forum]

The photos you posted indicate the driver is installed Ok. 

 So 9.1 did not work huh?  On my Windows XP machine I have 9.0SP2, 9.1, and 10.1 installed.  Both 9.1 and 10.1 can be used to program the board.  I'm not really sure what could be the problem.  Ask Arrow if you can get your money back, or exchange the board for the BeMicro-SDK; it has a true USB-Blaster built into it (though the Mobile SDRAM on the board can be a pain to use ... last time I tried anyway).  If you want to try someone else, look at the boards from Terasic.  Cheers, Dave

[Altera_Forum]

I'm glad that at least the drivers are ok. The problem is probably with Quartus then? 

 Neither with version 9.1 nor 11.0 I could get past through this step with the Programmer tool.  It seems that nobody knows what is really going on.  And it happened in two different computers. Maybe it is really something going on in the BeMicro board. Can it be a faulty board sent to me by Arrow? I hope that this time they answer me.  But is also complicated if they send me another board because taxes here in Brazil are incredibly high. Almost 40% of what I spent with this board was just in taxes.

[Altera_Forum]

--- Quote Start ---  I'm glad that at least the drivers are ok. The problem is probably with Quartus then?   --- Quote End ---  I'm really not sure. The biggest pain with the BeMicro board is that it does not use the standard Altera USB-Blaster circuit.    --- Quote Start ---   And it happened in two different computers. Maybe it is really something going on in the BeMicro board. Can it be a faulty board sent to me by Arrow?   --- Quote End ---  Anything is possible.   I don't really have any other suggestions. I have been looking at direct access to boards using the FTDI D2XX drivers. Those drivers can be used to access the BeMicro. However, I have not done any work with the BeMicro yet. I won't get a chance to look at it for a while either, so cannot offer any code.  If you wanted to debug the board, look at the FTDI JTAG example designs. I'm pretty sure that Arrow have just wired the BeMicro according to FTDI's recommended JTAG circuit on port A, and then have a serial connection for port B.  This is a lot more work that you'd planned on, but you might learn something useful.  Cheers. Dave

[Altera_Forum]

--- Quote Start ---    If you wanted to debug the board, look at the FTDI JTAG example designs. I'm pretty sure that Arrow have just wired the BeMicro according to FTDI's recommended JTAG circuit on port A, and then have a serial connection for port B.  This is a lot more work that you'd planned on, but you might learn something useful.  Cheers. Dave  --- Quote End ---    Well, Arrow has answered me and said that someone from support will send me an e-mail very soon. I hope so. Meanwhile, I will probably try looking these FTDI JTAG example designs. It does look like much more work than I have planned, but it also seems to be interesting. As you said, I will probably learn something. Thank you. :)

[Altera_Forum]

Hi! 

 Have you got any solution from Arrow yet?

[Altera_Forum]

Oops. Sorry I haven't showed up anymore. 

 So... Arrow never answered me back. I got support from NUI Group forums. Apparently I have installed the plug-in descriped in step 1.5 of Arrow's guide in the wrong directory.  It was my mistake, but still I wouldn't recommend buying Arrow's stuff. Their support was terrible and simply ignored me.  Still, thanks for everybody that tried to help me. But this question is solved. Is there some way to put a tag [SOLVED] in the title of the thread, like in Ubuntu forums?