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Altera_Forum's avatar
Altera_Forum
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12 years ago

Programming hardware cable not detected

Hi,

I'm using Nallatech PCIE-385n a7 version.

I've driver and SDK installed without problems, but when I try to flash it I got the following message:

aocl flash: Running flash from /home/aitjcize/altera/AOCL/board/pcie385n/linux64/bin

Info: *******************************************************************

Info: Running Quartus II 32-bit Convert_programming_file

Info: Version 13.0.0 Build 156 04/24/2013 SJ Full Version

Info: Copyright (C) 1991-2013 Altera Corporation. All rights reserved.

Info: Your use of Altera Corporation's design tools, logic functions

Info: and other software and tools, and its AMPP partner logic

Info: functions, and any output files from any of the foregoing

Info: (including device programming or simulation files), and any

Info: associated documentation or information are expressly subject

Info: to the terms and conditions of the Altera Program License

Info: Subscription Agreement, Altera MegaCore Function License

Info: Agreement, or other applicable license agreement, including,

Info: without limitation, that your use is for the sole purpose of

Info: programming logic devices manufactured by Altera and sold by

Info: Altera or its authorized distributors. Please refer to the

Info: applicable agreement for further details.

Info: Processing started: Wed Sep 25 15:34:14 2013

Info: Command: quartus_cpf --convert flash.cof

Info (210033): Memory Map File flash.map contains memory usage information for file flash.pof

Info: Quartus II 32-bit Convert_programming_file was successful. 0 errors, 0 warnings

Info: Peak virtual memory: 526 megabytes

Info: Processing ended: Wed Sep 25 15:34:43 2013

Info: Elapsed time: 00:00:29

Info: Total CPU time (on all processors): 00:00:28

Error (213013): Programming hardware cable not detected

Error: quartus_cpf failed at /home/aitjcize/altera/AOCL/board/pcie385n/linux64/bin/flash.pl line 82.

aocl flash: failed.

I currently only plugging in the board into the PCIE slot.

Do I need other cables to program the board?

Thanks!

5 Replies

  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    12 years ago

    You will need to connect the USB-Blaster cable as well. Please contact Nallatech regarding this issue. They should be able to provide a hardware guide which details the cable connection.

  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    12 years ago

    There is a breakout board that connects into that ribbon slot at the end of their board. You would connect a programming cable to their breakout board so that you can program the flash on that board. After the flash has been programmed you don't really need that breakout board connected but my advice would be to leave it connected just in case you ever have to reprogram the flash on that board. If you don't you'll probably come to that conclusion after you tear your machine down a few times to add it back in :)

  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    11 years ago

    So the program is not downloaded through the PCIe bus? And I need to leave the machine open in order to connect the USB slot on the machine and the FPGA board?(i have connected the board to the PCIe x8 already.) Is that correct? Do we have better solutions? I really would like to close the machine rack.

    Thanks.

    --- Quote Start ---

    There is a breakout board that connects into that ribbon slot at the end of their board. You would connect a programming cable to their breakout board so that you can program the flash on that board. After the flash has been programmed you don't really need that breakout board connected but my advice would be to leave it connected just in case you ever have to reprogram the flash on that board. If you don't you'll probably come to that conclusion after you tear your machine down a few times to add it back in :)

    --- Quote End ---

  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    11 years ago

    Contact Nallatech at http://www.nallatech.com/support-inquiry.html if you require information on how to connect the USB-Blaster / Breakout board / PCIE-385N board together.

    You need to have the USB-Blaster cable connect to load a new design in flash ("aocl flash design.aocx").

    You can program the FPGA via PCIe without the cable connected ("aocl program design.aocx" or with the appropriate API call within the host software).

    More info on page 1-19 of the following doc: http://www.altera.com/literature/hb/opencl-sdk/aocl_programming_guide.pdf (version 2013.12.13)
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    11 years ago

    Sorry gigi, I removed that attachment thinking a customer posted a confidential document before I noticed it was you.... I'm having a case of the Monday's

    *Edit* You can find a non-confidential version of the breakout board document in this thread: http://www.alteraforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=41749

    Anyway, helloworld.rma like gigi said typically you don't need the breakout board. I haven't used mine in over a year since haven't needed to update my flash image in a long time. If you decide to program the FPGA directly make sure to use the aocl program <filename.aocx> API instead of the Quartus programmer directly. aocl program performs other steps needed to prevent your computer from crashing while the FPGA is getting reconfigured.