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Altera_Forum's avatar
Altera_Forum
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13 years ago

Extract program from a MAX3128 with Quartus II and a USB Blaster

Hi,

My company has assigned to me and old project of developing a board of I/Os. I have some prototypes to work with, but all the info and the programming of the pics is lost.

I am trying to read the MAX3128 with a USB Blaster of Altera, but I have not work before with the Quartus software and I do not know how to read or notice if the MAx 3128 is protected against the reading.

The prototypes were developed for sending to another company, so I think that the programing could be protected, but I want to be sure of it, since it could save me from hours of inversal engeniering and programing.

Any help will be grateful.

7 Replies

  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    13 years ago

    Hi,

    have you tried to read configuration data by connecting the USB-Blaster and select "Examine" as Action to be performed?

    I would expect that either the configuration data is uploaded for duplification or you get an error message stating the unit is protected..

    Just my two Cents :-)
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    13 years ago

    Hi and thank you Carlhermann,

    I made what you said but after selecting Examine in the programmer, it appears progress 100% succesfull, but I do not get any other answer.

    It appears the checksum 001E9051 and the user code FFFFFFFF.

    Do I have to open another window?? Other section of the quartus??
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    13 years ago

    If I recall correctly you have to save the file after you do an "examine". Right-click on the file in the programmer window and click "save as". Then you will be able to save the file that you read back.

  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    13 years ago

    Hi,

    yes - examine "Uploads" the configuration data only. Now you could either connect the Blaster to the new board and program (just do a copy) or you can (as ghogerheiden wrote) right-click and safe the file for other boards...

    The checksum depends on the file (being calculated by Quartus), the user code can be set by the user (either with autoincrement on every compilation) or manually and has no effect on program. If there is no Input, it's by Default all "F".
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    13 years ago

    Hi,

    Thanks to you both, I have been able of doing as you said. And I now think that I know how to program new devices.

    But I have another question about the Quartus software, where can I see, modify or work in the program that I recovered?

    Do I have to work over the .pof or over .cdf??
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    13 years ago

    Hi,

    the toolchain is straight Forward (one directional):

    Program Code => Compiler => programmer object file (pof)

    There is no reverse direction available, this is reverse engineering...

    And reverse engineering is normally someting not done by the design owner (as the design owner has the code (normally); reverse engineering is a task "assigned" to competing (or illegal copying IP) companpies and is thus not officially supported.

    There are some companies specialised on this, but it's no cheap stuff AFAIK.

    I know, you don't have the code anymore, thus if you need more than 1:1 copy... Good luck...
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    13 years ago

    Hi and thank you,

    I will present the results in my company, and declare that if I have to retake the project, I need to develop it from the begining.

    Thanks to your info I can duplicate the old project to present it, but they will have to understand that the new changes that they want me to add, will make me develope the project again from the begining.

    I was not in the company when they left off side the project and lost all of the documentation of the project.

    Now I have to train with the quartus II software, and developed a new project.

    Thanks for the help