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Altera_Forum's avatar
Altera_Forum
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12 years ago

Have to support ancient product with EPM7032 CPLD <-> USB Blaster problems

First time post - please excuse me if this isn't in the correct forum.

My company has one board with a discontinued EPM7032 CPLD. We're presently gearing up to do one more "retirement" build of this product and we've managed to scrounge enough of this particular IC to cover the build. My problem is that I now have to figure out how to program these things. The problem is compounded by the fact that the person who designed this board left the the company over 10 years ago. The design files date from 2001 - 2002.

I'm at a complete loss regarding a) what the "critical" files are, and b) the general method to program these beasts.

I have a USB Blaster and I've installed the standalone programmer software (SignalTap II) from the Altera website. When the Blaster is plugged into the computer and I start SignalTap, the Blaster does find my CPLD, so the connection between the CPLD and the Blaster seems to be fine.

I have 3 .pof files amongst the ancient stuff I've inherited. I can select each in turn but when I click the "Program Device" button, I always get this error, no matter which .pof file I select:

"Unrecognized device / JTAG ID code specified in JEDEC STAPL Format File does not match any valid JTAG ID codes for device / Operation Failed"

According to a "readme" file left 5+ years ago by someone who is no longer with our company, only one of these .pof files is valid for our product.

The files I have are:

.acf

.cnf

.fit

.hif

.jam

.jbc

.mmf

.ndb

.pin

.pof

.rpt

.scf

.snf

.tdf

I must be overlooking a critical first step needed in order to program the CPLD, but I have no idea what that could possibly be. I'm not familiar with the programmer, the SignalTap software, or the general "flow" of programming so I'm quite lost.

I would appreciate any tips or advice anyone could provide.

6 Replies

  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    12 years ago

    The .pof file is the programming file. Open the Quartus Programmer and add one of the .pof files. This will populate a device in the Programmer window - - - does this device match what is on your board? Does this device match what is detected when you Auto-Detect?

    Alternatively, you can open the .pof in a text editor and there should be some legible text near the beginning of the file that will indicate which device the .pof can target.
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    12 years ago

    Sorry for the mix-up. Yesterday I was accidentally running SignalTap. Today I'm running the programmer.

    If I click Auto Detect, it comes up with UNKNOWN_F3E3F0DD as the detected device.

    I can add the .pof file - device shows as EPM7032ST44, 60DC9 checksum, 0000FFFF usercode. An EPM7032 is indeed what is on the PCB.

    If I click only the Program/Configure box for the .pof file and click Start, these are the messages I get:

    Started Programmer operation at.....

    Unrecognized device

    JTAG ID code specified in JEDEC STAPL Format File does not match any valid JTAG ID codes for device

    Operation failed

    Ended Programmer operation at.....

    The bottom window shows the TDI line going into the UNKNOWN_F3EFF0DD device, then out of that and into the EPM7032ST44, and the TDO line out from that and back to the programmer.

    I can delete the unknown device and attempt to program again but with the same result.

    [Hi FvM - know you from the CCS forum]
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    12 years ago

    Update: found other posts regarding the JTAG ID code error and the recommended fix was a 1k pulldown on the TCK line. I added the resistor and now Auto Detect detects the EPM7032 but I still can't program it. Same error - JTAG ID code spec'd in JEDEC STAPL Format File doesn't match any valid JTAG ID codes for device.

  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    12 years ago

    Update: Finally got it to program - crisis averted. Thanks for the help.

  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    12 years ago

    --- Quote Start ---

    JTAG ID code spec'd in JEDEC STAPL Format File doesn't match any valid JTAG ID codes for device.

    --- Quote End ---

    Rather than using the .jam file, try using the .pof file.

    The data sheet for the device

    http://www.altera.com/literature/ds/m7000.pdf

    has the JTAG ID codes on page 23.

    EPM7032S = 0000_0111_0000_0011_0010_0000_1101_1101b = 070320DDh

    The Quartus GUI has a "JTAG Debugger Tool" that you can use to read the ID code. The programmer essentially does this when you scan the JTAG chain.

    Until you can read back this JTAG ID, you likely have an issue with the JTAG chain. Probe around with a scope and check out the signal integrity.

    Cheers,

    Dave