Error (209015): Can't configure device. Expected JTAG ID code

Hi,

I'm getting this error anytime I want to program two of our cards (out of 10):

error (209015): can't configure device. expected jtag id code 0x025030dd for device 1, but found jtag id code 0x00000000.

The FPGA is a ARRIA II GX EP2AGX125EF29C5.

One card has programmed only once, just for the production test,

and the second has been working but during debugging with SignalTap II at some

point had no more JTAG connection and from this point on, no possibility of programming.

According to Quartus Help for this Error:

cause: you directed the programmer to configure the specified device. however,

the programmer cannot successfully configure the device because the jtag id code

for the specified target device does not match any of the valid id codes for the

device. this problem occurs when the target device's location on the circuit

board does not match the device's location in the device chain in a chain

description file (.cdf), as displayed in the programmer window.

action: make sure the target device's location on the circuit board matches

the device's location in the device chain as displayed in the programmer window.

Well I'm 100% sure that it is right!

digging around I found:

http://www.altera.com/support/kdb/solutions/rd04202010_43.html

This information is for the Cyclone III family... and a follow up an entry in the

forum and it points to a solution:

http://www.alteraforum.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-31729.html

Well, no luck. I have kept nCONFIG low and then issued factory command using the

JTAG and I'll still getting the same result, error!

I kept digging and I found in this doc:

http://www.altera.com/literature/an/an556.pdf, "Security Mode Modification"

a table were it's explained that the key_verify JTAG instruction allows you to read

out the information on the security features that are enabled on the chip.

This instruction scans out associated bit values.

I though maybe this obscure tampering bit has been activated during JTAG

operation. (I'm quite skeptical about it but...)

Well the result is 0x20 in both cards. If I check the table 8 of this document,

the value 0x20 (10 000) doesn't correspond to any of the Security Mode!

I have to interpret that 10 000 is 00 0001 and then somehow a Volatile Key has

ended up in our FPGA (more skeptical). The only solution for this would

be FACTORY command , according to the doc "IEEE 1149.1 (JTAG) Boundary-Scan

Testing for the Cyclone III Device Family"

http://www.altera.com/literature/hb/cyc3/cyc3_ciii51014.pdf

factory: enables access to all other jtag instructions (other than bypass,

sample/preload and extest instructions, which are supported upon

power up). this instruction also clears the device configuration data

and advanced encryption standard (aes) volatile key.

Aside all this trial and error, I'm wondering how is possible that the FPGA

can be detected in the JTAG chain with the correct JTAG ID

when I open the JTAG:

JTAG: USB-Blaster [8-2], FPGA: @1: EP2AGX125 (0x025030DD)

and then when programming Quartus Programmer(actually jtagd) says:

Error (209015): Can't configure device. Expected JTAG ID code 0x025030DD for

device 1, but found JTAG ID code 0x00000000.

well, I don't have more ideas to try, more docs to read and I need to fix this

problem. Could you help me? Thanks!

C.

P.S. I have already check that all the signal are electrically correc