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USB Blaster II firmware

Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
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Hi, 

 

I accidentally flashed my USB Blaster II. I couldn't find the firmware in order to reprogram it. Can someone give me the link to this firmware or attach it to this thread? 

 

Thank you
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Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
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Hi, 

 

How can you flash USB Blaster?Firmware will be not available. 

Better buy new USB Blaster II. 

 

Best Regards, 

Anand Raj Shankar 

(This message was posted on behalf of Intel Corporation)
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Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
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I wrongly flasshed the Blaster II with the Cypress USB Console -> Ez USB interface 

Why are your device not write protect?  

What do you mean by "Firmware will be not available."? Will it be available or Is it not available?
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Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
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Hi, 

 

 

--- Quote Start ---  

I wrongly flasshed the Blaster II with the Cypress USB Console -> Ez USB interface 

Why are your device not write protect?  

What do you mean by "Firmware will be not available."? Will it be available or Is it not available? 

--- Quote End ---  

 

Firmware will be not available, Better buy new USB Blaster II 

 

Best Regards, 

Anand Raj Shankar 

(This message was posted on behalf of Intel Corporation)
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Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
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I think you've re-flashed the FTDI device in your USB-Blaster. This is different to erasing the CPLD in there, the code for which is not available. 

 

You should be able to fix that by using FTDI's FT_PROG utility - see here (http://www.ftdichip.com/support/utilities.htm#ft_prog). However, you'll need a file to reprogram into the FTDI device. So, you will probably need some kind sole on the forum to read it out of their USB-Blaster and post it here for you to use - this is sounding strangely familiar... 

 

What version of USB-Blaster have you got? 

 

Cheers, 

Alex 

 

PS. If I remember later I will do this, just for you. 

 

PPS. Just found this post too (https://www.alteraforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=43986). Might already have the file you need...
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Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
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Hello!  

I have a similar problem. Mine is an integrated USB blaster 2 on the development kit from ReflexCES. All the files posted on the forum are for USB blaster, not USB blaster II. I am not sure if it will render my device useless if I flash it with these files. I have attached the scan results of MProg. It shows the device id as 6001, when it used to be detected as device id 6801 earlier. Also, the files that I have found on the forum are for FT245B or FT245R. My device should be FT232R (from the manual).  

 

Would anyone happen to have the EPT file for such a configuration? Any suggestions are welcome. 

 

Thanks, 

Divya
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Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
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I solved the issue finally. I got the idea from https://www.alteraforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=36957 . In my case, lsusb detects an Altera device, but the it shows up as a serial device and not a usb blaster.  

admin-local@is234057:/home/dg252267$ lsusb 

Bus 002 Device 002: ID 8087:8002 Intel Corp. 

Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub 

Bus 001 Device 002: ID 8087:800a Intel Corp. 

Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub 

Bus 004 Device 002: ID 0b95:1790 ASIX Electronics Corp. AX88179 Gigabit Ethernet 

Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub 

Bus 003 Device 003: ID 04f3:0103 Elan Microelectronics Corp. ActiveJet K-2024 Multimedia Keyboard 

Bus 003 Device 031: ID 0403:6001 Future Technology Devices International, Ltd FT232 USB-Serial (UART) IC 

bus 003 device 030: id 09fb:6810 altera 

Bus 003 Device 029: ID 04b4:6560 Cypress Semiconductor Corp. CY7C65640 USB-2.0 "TetraHub" 

Bus 003 Device 025: ID 413c:301a Dell Computer Corp. 

Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub 

 

admin-local@is234057:/home/dg252267$ lsusb -t 

/: Bus 04.Port 1: Dev 1, Class=root_hub, Driver=xhci_hcd/6p, 5000M 

|__ Port 6: Dev 2, If 0, Class=Vendor Specific Class, Driver=ax88179_178a, 5000M 

/: Bus 03.Port 1: Dev 1, Class=root_hub, Driver=xhci_hcd/15p, 480M 

|__ Port 1: Dev 25, If 0, Class=Human Interface Device, Driver=usbhid, 1.5M 

|__ Port 6: Dev 3, If 0, Class=Human Interface Device, Driver=usbhid, 1.5M 

|__ Port 6: Dev 3, If 1, Class=Human Interface Device, Driver=usbhid, 1.5M 

|__ Port 11: Dev 29, If 0, Class=Hub, Driver=hub/2p, 480M 

|__ port 1: dev 30, if 0, class=vendor specific class, driver=, 480m 

|__ port 2: dev 31, if 0, class=vendor specific class, driver=ftdi_sio, 12m 

/: Bus 02.Port 1: Dev 1, Class=root_hub, Driver=ehci-pci/3p, 480M 

|__ Port 1: Dev 2, If 0, Class=Hub, Driver=hub/8p, 480M 

/: Bus 01.Port 1: Dev 1, Class=root_hub, Driver=ehci-pci/3p, 480M 

|__ Port 1: Dev 2, If 0, Class=Hub, Driver=hub/6p, 480M 

 

output of dmesg: 

[ 5156.281465] hub 3-11:1.0: USB hub found 

[ 5156.281490] hub 3-11:1.0: 2 ports detected 

[ 5156.556086] usb 3-11.1: new high-speed USB device number 30 using xhci_hcd 

[ 5156.644192] usb 3-11.1: New USB device found, idVendor=09fb, idProduct=6810 

[ 5156.644199] usb 3-11.1: New USB device strings: Mfr=0, Product=0, SerialNumber=0 

[ 5156.720079] usb 3-11.2: new full-speed USB device number 31 using xhci_hcd 

[ 5156.814777] usb 3-11.2: New USB device found, idVendor=0403, idProduct=6001 

[ 5156.814784] usb 3-11.2: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3 

[ 5156.814788] usb 3-11.2: Product: FT232R USB UART 

[ 5156.814792] usb 3-11.2: Manufacturer: FTDI 

[ 5156.814796] usb 3-11.2: SerialNumber: A5004ARD 

[ 5157.850561] usbcore: registered new interface driver usbserial 

[ 5157.850592] usbcore: registered new interface driver usbserial_generic 

[ 5157.850612] usbserial: USB Serial support registered for generic 

[ 5157.854961] usbcore: registered new interface driver ftdi_sio 

[ 5157.854984] usbserial: USB Serial support registered for FTDI USB Serial Device 

[ 5157.855116] ftdi_sio 3-11.2:1.0: FTDI USB Serial Device converter detected 

[ 5157.855171] usb 3-11.2: Detected FT232RL 

[ 5157.855487] usb 3-11.2: FTDI USB Serial Device converter now attached to ttyUSB0 

 

I thought it might be an EPT issue but it wasn't. 

 

I opened the Quartus programmer, and changed the mode from JTAG to Active serial programming, and the device shows up. I switched the mode back to JTAG, and it still finds the device and I can program it. 

 

Thanksm 

Divya
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Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
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Hi FPGA developers, 

 

here a really cool hint, when you are searching for the best USB Blaster on the market, to program your Intel FPGA. 

Check this link: 

https://shop.trenz-electronic.de/de/tei0004-02-arrow-usb-programmer2-fuer-die-entwicklung-mit-intel-fpgas-2-54mm-header 

 

USB Blaster: 300$ , 6MBit speed 

USB Blaster2: 225$, 24MBit speed 

USB Programmer2 (Trenz/Arrow): 30€ (~35-40$), 21MBit speed 

 

Additional the USB Programmer2 has the following features: 

- USB: Micro-USB Connector, USB 2.0 HS support  

- Voltage levels supported: 0.8 to 3.6V  

- JTAG Connector: Standard 2x5 Pin Header  

- Very small size with connector: 14.2 x 20.8 mm²  

- Available as SMD module for direct PCB soldering --> for end products 

- SMD Module size: 17 x 17 mm² --> for end products 

- JTAG Activity LED  

- Power On LED  

- Additional support for UART and HPS reset --> very cool, espescially the UART on the same USB lane. So you can send UART messages easily to a PC terminal window 

- Drivers for Windows 7/10 and Linux  

The next update for the drivers will also support key programming and advanced features. 

 

The USB Programmer2 is already implemented in the MAX1000 and CYC1000 board, so proven by design.
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Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
2,948 Views

The USB-Blaster II firmware comes from Quartus. 

What you have flashed is, I think, the EEPROM which contains information about the settings for the device. 

If you can get another device of the same type then you can copy the setting information from one to the other, but this will give you the same serial number on both devices so you won't be able to plug them into the same machine at the same time 

This only applies to cable USB-Blasters, on-board blasters work differently and you can't program these with the EZUSB tools
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Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
2,948 Views

Saw something about an Open JTAG Project DIY USB Blaster a while back 

Google it
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