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Altera_Forum's avatar
Altera_Forum
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21 years ago

help on custom board

Hello!

I'm having serious issues with a custom cyclone board. My board has a EP1CQ240C6, one flash AM29LV065, one SDRAM MT48LC4M32, one EPCS4 and a LAN91C111-NE. My system clock is 50 MHz.

I've tested the hardware using vhdl programs, I can download cyclone .sof files that makes some leds blinking. I've also tested the PLL, checking the locked output.

I'm using quartus 4.2 and nios-II evaluation kit 1.1. I'm downloading the files with a byteblaster-II (with a 10 cm cable).

First of all, I've tried to create a flash programmer. I've followed the instructions on ug_nios2_flash_programmer.pdf

At this point I have two questions:

- the name of my board is "cboard", but the quartus generated a cboard_time_limited.sof. Should I change the name of this file to cboard.sof ? (If I don't do that, the IDE flash programmer doesn't find the file)

- What do I do with the flash programmer cpu reset-pin ? (I've connected to vcc).

After creating the flash programmer, I've created a small project using only external flash and on-chip ram (4K). I would like to run a "hello world" in flash.

The next phase was starting the IDE, start a "hello world" project, defining the program memory and read-only data memory on external flash and read/write memory on on-chip memory. I've also set max-file descriptors to 4, unchecked clean exit and checked small C libraries and reduced device drives.

I was able to build this project.

The problem started when I tried to start the flash programmer. When I've tried to program the "hello world" program on the external flash, it started and actually downloaded the .sof file (I've turned on some leds on the flash programmer), but after that the programmer got stuck and I have to cancel the flash programming (no error messages on console). I've also tried to program generic files on external flash

and even on the EPCS and the symptom is the same: the flash programmer launches the hardware configuration, but get stuck.

It looks to me that it is a kind of jtag communication problem.

Could someone help me on this issue?

Thanks in advance.

2 Replies

  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
    Icon for Honored Contributor rankHonored Contributor
    21 years ago

    The time limited version will only be generated if you do not have a Nios II license. Since you are using the eval. version, you are in this situation. You "might" be able to get out of it by programming your "time limited" SOF to the board, manually, using Quartus II, _keeping_ the little OCP "warning" window open, and then trying to run the Nios II Flash Programmer.

    Or, you could just purchase a license and avoid the hassle. :-)

    In the meantime, you could try to run the memtest software example on your hardware to verify that everything functions. You'll hit the OCP/"time limited" stuff here (you _must_ keep the little "warning" popup open), as well.

    Cheers,

    - slacker
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
    Icon for Honored Contributor rankHonored Contributor
    21 years ago

    Slacker

    Thanks for the reply. It looks impossible to program my "time limited" SOF to the board, manually, and then trying to run the Nios II Flash Programmer. When I try to do that, NIOS II Flash Programmer tries to program my SOF to the board again. When I do that, I get the messages:

    12/05/2005 13:48:36 - (INFO) nios2-flash-programmer: Launching Quartus Programmer to download:

    c:/testes/flash_programmer/cboard/system/cboard.sof

    Error: Application SLD HUB CLIENT on 127.0.0.1 is using the target device

    Error: Operation failed

    Error: Quartus II Programmer was unsuccessful. 2 errors, 0 warnings

    12/05/2005 13:48:37 - (SEVERE) nios2-flash-programmer: Unable to download SOF: c

    :/testes/flash_programmer/cboard/system/cboard.sof, exiting

    So, I'm purchasing the license. I hope it works.

    Regarding the memtest, I think I'm supposed to have two RAM devices. I only have an external SDRAM and an on-chip RAM (very small, only 4K). Do you have any suggestions how should I generate my system in order to run memtest?

    Best Regards,

    Celso