Instructions for driver installation USB-Blaster (I,II) Step 1...

[Altera_Forum]

hi. i am having trouble getting drivers to install for my altera intel fpga development kit boards. here are the official altera instructions on installation listed below, in case this helps someone else, and to explain my problem, but it doesn't work. 

 when i follow step 1. i get 'found new hardware' ok, however, no such dialog box 'locate and install driver software' appears as indicated, instead the install finishes, leaving no unknown device to proceed.  so as a result, instead it installs incompatible drivers. i'm pretty sure i have the latest windows 7 updates. i have tried disabling auto-driver install in os to no avail. win7 64 pro - what am i doing wrong? anyone else get this? thanks, bob.   driver installation for altera usb-blaster    

1. Plug the USB-Blaster download cable into your PC. The found new hardware dialog box appears.  
2. Select locate and install driver software (recommended).  
3. Select don't search online.  
4. When you are prompted to insert the disc that came with your usb-blaster, select i don’t have the disc. show me other options.  
5. Select browse my computer for driver software (advanced) when you see the windows couldn’t find driver software for your device dialog box.  
6. Click browse, and browse to the<path to quartus prime installation>\drivers\usb-blaster directory. 
   • Note: Do not select the x32 or x64 directories.  
      
7. Click ok.  
8. Select the include subfolders option, and click next.  
9. If you are prompted windows can’t verify the publisher of this driver software, select install this driver software anyway in the window security dialog box. The installation wizard guides you through the installation process.  
10. When the software for this device has been successfully installed dialog box appears, click close.  
11. To complete your installation, set up programming hardware in the quartus prime software (https://www.altera.com/support/support-resources/download/drivers/dri-quartus.html).  

  driver installation for altera usb-blaster ii    

1. Plug the USB-Blaster II cable into your PC.  
2. Open the device manager, and right-click on the unknown device under the other devices branch.  
3. Select update driver software.  
4. Select browse my computer for driver software.  
5. Enter the location of the Quartus Prime software USB-Blaster II driver files directory (<path to quartus prime installation>\drivers\usb-blaster-ii) in the search for driver software in this location field.  
6. Click next.  
7. Click install in the would you like to install this device software? Windows security dialog box.  
8. Close the update driver software - altera usb-blaster ii (unconfigured) successful installation notification. The Device Manager now shows a new branch called jtag cables with an altera usb-blaster ii (unconfigured) node.  
9. Open the Quartus Prime Programmer. Within a few seconds, the jtag cables branch displays two nodes: altera usb-blaster ii (jtag interface) and altera-usb blaster ii (system console interface).  

[Altera_Forum]

Hi, 

1. Check with the different computer. 2. Check by downloading new USB -Blaster drivers. 3. Refer the following link & browse until usb-blaster under drivers folder. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjwkdznh1py  It is probably useful as you might be hoping.   Best Regards Vikas Jathar  (This message was posted on behalf of Intel Corporation)

[Altera_Forum]

Thanks. Still no luck. Did Microsoft change Windows 7 driver handling? I am able to stop auto-updates now, have to restart the PC after stopping updates, Then i can uninstall Microsoft drivers, scan for hardware changes, then '!' appears on the devices list, so i can click on it and point to the drivers, but Windows refuses the drivers. So i am wondering why i have this problem, and why it doesn't go as per the instructions.