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Andrew_G_'s avatar
Andrew_G_
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4 years ago
Solved

USB Blaster - Install failed. 20H2 ?

Hi, I have a consistent issue when trying to install the USB-Blaster drivers on Windows 10, 20H2

This is using the 20.1.1 version of Quartus Prime

Running dpinst.exe gives a "cannot complete the device driver installation" with the 4 parts of the drivers suite (APU_USB, oemsetup.inf, USB-Blaster device driver, WinUSB JTAG cable showing "Install failed."

Checked the event viewer logs and no entries that I can see other than a consent.exe file getting run which I assume has to do with running this process as an administrator.

This is consistent across all the machines I've tried so far, including a fresh out of the box (non domain joined Dell machine). The common thread is that they are all running the 20H2 build of Windows10 x64

The usb blaster appears in device manager with the '?' next to it. Tried manually adding the drivers but it reports that a problem was encountered while attempting to add the driver to the store

A machine that previously worked (and has the the usbblstr.sys driver in c:\windows\system32\drivers folder) no longer works - the USB Blaster driver no longer appears in the programmer. Again, this has been upped to 20H2 from 1909.

I'll build a machine with 1909 and see if the issue is still present and report back.

8 Replies

    • Andrew_G_'s avatar
      Andrew_G_
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      4 years ago

      That worked!!!

      Really appreciate your response. I have a class of 20+ students using this first thing in the morning, so you've really saved the day.

      I didn't see anything flagged related to certificate issues and would not have considered it. It was odd that a 20H2 build on my home machine was OK, I was starting to suspect a recent Windows update.

      Thanks again.

      Andrew

    • Andrew_G_'s avatar
      Andrew_G_
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      4 years ago

      I've noticed that the driver signature expires 18th June 2021. Is there going to be another update?

      Also, is 21.1 going to be made available for the Lite edition?

    • TOMSZ's avatar
      TOMSZ
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      4 years ago

      This procedure does not work. I am using Win 10 Pro, USB Blaster and "intelFPGA_lite 20.1.1 quartus drivers usb-blaster" after applying the patch. Device Manager shows "Unknown USB Device (Device Descriptor Request Failed)

      I suggest you install Quartus 20.1.1 lite , attach a USB Blaster and see if it appears in the Quartus programming window.

      Right now I can not program an Intel FPGA. Perhaps I should try using a Xilinx part.

  • Andrew_G_'s avatar
    Andrew_G_
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    4 years ago

    Update. Tried dpinst.exe on a 1909 VM and I get the APU_USB and oemsetup.inf failing to install but the Altera USB-Blaster Device and JTAG parts go in OK with a cheery "ready to use" status.
    I can't check with the MAX10 hardware as this VM doesn't have USB pass-through. I'll try with a proper 1909 machine later.

  • raspopov's avatar
    raspopov
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    4 years ago

    An USB Blaster driver catalog (.cat) has been signed by chain of two outdated certificates, the one expired in the Jun 2021 and the second in the Jan 2021. The driver itself (.sys and .dll) are OK. Windows 10 64-bit can't add such driver to the driver store without a properly signed .cat-file especially with the Secure Boot activated. As a temporary workaround for this case or the future problems you can simply set the current time prior to Dec 2020 and the install will works again.

  • Andrew_G_'s avatar
    Andrew_G_
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    4 years ago

    Thats not a bad idea. However, for this particular issue there is a driver from the Terasic website which solves the problem.

    Windows encountered a problem installing the drivers for your device - Terasic Wiki

    I just unpacked the .zip file and deleted the existing USB-Blaster folder in c:\intelFPGA_lite\20.1\quartus\drivers and copied the new one over. Then ran DPinst to install it. You do get some errors flagging up but they don't seem to affect operation. The Altera Altera USB-Blaster Device Driver goes in. The DPInst program installs the drivers so that all users can see it without requiring admin rights when they come to plug the board in (useful in a classroom setting).