Converting .sof file to .flash file for Stratix 10 GX development kit

Well, I believe Intel should define what is the correct procedure for the customers... it is a bit confusing to get the MSEL pins to match due to the issue I mentioned in my previous verbose post where I showed every screen of the process.

You previously mentioned: "From our internal team, they are the correct way to convert, as of now I am verifying the steps for the Board Update Portal."... have you yourself successfully converted a .sof to a .flash and had it loaded into the Board Update Portal, and then successfully got the board to load that design from Flash? If so, what settings did you use?

For me, it is confusing because the default MSEL settings of the Stratix 10 board is AVST x16. However, Programming File Generator will not allow me to generate an .rpd if the Configuration Mode is set to AVST x16. (However, the factory build from Intel loads at power-up when MSEL indicates AVST x16, so Intel was able to generate a .flash that configures in AVST x16 mode).

The other options in Programming File Generator do not match the MSEL jumper settings listed in the S10 GX dev kit user guide. PFG gives me four options: Active Serial x4, and AVST x8, x16, and x32. Since any of the AVST won't allow me to generate an .rpd file, then I suppose Active Serial x4 is my only option. Are you able to confirm from your team that this is in fact the Configuration Mode setting that must be used in PFG when producing the .rpd?

On the Stratix 10 board, the MSEL settings are documented as follows in the User Guide:

Is Quad SPI (QSPI) the same as Active Serial x4? If so, should I use "Fast mode" "00" or "Normal mode" "01"? I have already tried both and neither works. Is there truly no way to produce an .rpd with AVST x16 as the configuration mode? How is the factory build .flash file produced since it does configure in AVST x16 mode?

It would be very helpful, if the Intel team is successfully converting .sof to .flash and getting the board to boot, if you could clarify explicitly what of those settings are being used.

Finally, the Flash memory map is as follows from the S10 GX dev kit user guide:

So the user design is to be loaded at offset 0x02C0_0000... are you sure there is no offset that needs to eb specified in the .rpd to .flash conversion command using nios2-edf-objcopy? There is an offset option for the command, if the design is getting loaded into the wrong location in Flash that could also cause it to not boot successfully,

Thank you again for your patience and assistance with this. I feel like I followed the steps defined exactly and showed the screenshots for full clarity, but it is still not working so helping me figure out what I am doing wrong, and/or what steps or details were accidentally omitted from the instructions, will help Intel to have the process fully and correctly documented for all customers in the future. I am happy to give any additional information that you would like. Perhaps I can produce a simple design that just toggles LEDs and does not contain any proprietary design material, so that I can share the .sof in the thread and we can both work from the same .sof?

It is worth confirming for you that when I produce the .sof from Quartus, the configuration mode is selected as AVST x16:

So this matches the default jumper settings on the S10 board. However the confusion occurs when it comes time to convert the .sof into an .rpd, since AVST x16 is not an option to produce an .rpd. At this point I select Active Serial x4:

Since selecting AVST x16 here will not allow me to specify an .rpd format file.

Is it a problem that the .sof is produced with AVST x16, and then the .rpd is produced with Active Serial x4? Should I produce the .sof with Active Serial x4 as well, and if so, which of the two QSPI MSEL jumper settings is correct (00, 01)? How does the Intel factory build work with jumpers set to AVST x16 mode (10) if Active Serial is the required mode to produce a .flash file?

This is the detail that would be useful if Intel could work out and clearly define. If it helps to have me guess and try things via trial and error I'm happy to do so. It's also possible that configuration mode isn't the problem and it is something else.