Why does the ASMI Parallel II IP or the Generic Quad SPI Controller II IP fail to access a QSPI flash memory device?

Description

Due to a problem in multiple Quartus® Prime Pro Edition and Standard Edition software versions, the ASMI Parallel II IP or the Generic Quad SPI Controller II IP fails to access a Quad SPI flash memory device. 

The affected software versions are:  

• Quartus® Prime Pro Edition software versions from 22.1 to 25.3 

• Quartus® Prime Standard Edition software versions from 22.1 to 24.1 

Chronologically, 

• Prior to version 22.1, the initial state of DATA[3:2] was high.   

• For the affected software versions, the initial state of DATA[3:2] was incorrectly changed to Hi-Z. 

For reader’s information, some quad SPI flash memory devices support RESET or HOLD function on DATA[3] and WRITE_PROTECT function on DATA[2]. DATA pins can be known as DATA, DQ, IO, or SIO across different QSPI flash memory device vendors. 

This modification to Hi-Z is recognized as low, thus the active-low RESET, HOLD and WRITE_PROTECT functions are enabled. With these, they prevent the flash controller IP from gaining access to flash devices. 

Resolution

DATA[3:2] must be kept high as the initial state.  

If the targeted flash device is the Active Serial configuration flash memory, this problem is fixed starting from,

• Quartus® Prime Pro Edition software version 25.3.1, and
• Quartus® Prime Standard Edition software version 25.1.   

Otherwise (i.e. generic-purpose flash memory or affected software version), please refer to the workarounds below. 

 

For affected software versions, 

 

After Quartus® Prime Pro Edition software version 25.3.1 and Quartus® Prime Standard Edition software version 25.1,

 

Related IP Cores

ASMI Parallel II IP, Generic Quad SPI Controller II IP