Cylone2 - FPGA Not Detecting - Hardware Issue?. FPGA Device Failed?

Altera_Forum · ‎05-05-2015

Hello,

So we are using Altera - Cyclone II FPGA(Part number - EP2C5F256) for one of our project. We have a total of Five FPGA's (same part number) in our board.

We are using USB blaster to flash the programs using Active serial configuration. we have been working in this project for about two months now.

Recently, one of the FPGA is giving a problem to us. When we connect the USB blaster and try to program it, the process is getting failed. We are not sure why this might have happened?. Is the FPGA itself failed?. or is it just not detecting?.

The funny thing is this, the LED associated with this particular FPGA is blinking fine, and all the other FPGAs are working fine.

Its just this one FPGA which is giving an issue now. Any idea what might have gone wrong?. Like possible reasons?.

Is replacing the FPGA the only option?, or is there a way to debug this?.

Please advice.

Thank you.

Manoj

Altera_Forum · ‎05-05-2015

Have you checked JTAG signals with oscilloscope?

Altera_Forum · ‎05-05-2015

Hello,

We are using this in "Active Serial" configuration, and not in "JTAG" mode.

Also, all the other FPGA's can be programmed fine, only one FPGA is failing.

Thanks,

Manoj

Altera_Forum · ‎05-05-2015

Hello flz47655,

We have a memory device(EPCS4) which accompanies our cyclone FPGA. We will check the JTAG signals between the FPGA and the memory and get back to you.

Thanks for bringing it up.

Manoj

Altera_Forum · ‎05-05-2015

Hello,

We checked for the JTAG signals, and they look fine!. Not sure, how to debug further.

Any ideas?.

Thanks,

Manoj

Altera_Forum · ‎05-05-2015

Try also to keep it in reset if pushbutton is available when tryng to program it.

If nothing works simply replace bad FPGA, maybe electrostatic or spike destroyed it...

Altera_Forum · ‎05-06-2015

Hello flz,

We tried the pushbutton thing while programming, but still having the same issue.

We have planned to replace the FPGA. Thanks for your time.

Regards.

Manoj

Altera_Forum · ‎05-07-2015

Hi Manoj,

Based on the observation where with similar programming method and devices with similar part number, only 1 device is failing but 4 others are working fine, this would imply that the specific failing device is broken already. If you have spare part, you could try to replace to verify this.