Quartus 20.1.1 usb blaster install getting errors

[FBels]

Installs in the past 2 weeks of Quartus on freshly imaged Windows 10 laptops are failing for multiple engineers here.  The failure is from the USB Blaster driver installation process.

The issue seems likely to be related to the Feb 12 2021 expired driver Security Certificate.

I have attempted driver installation in three ways.   First, from the Quartus installer.  Second, using the Windows manual driver install process starting from the Control Panel.  Third, using the program DPinst.exe.   I ran that program with its /c option and it reported errors in a cmd window.

As a matter of IT policy, we are not allowed to weaken Windows driver Certification enforcement.

Please note that initially we tried Quartus 19 and 20 which failed.  And downloaded 20.1.1 which failed.  This is affecting a widening circle of engineers here.

The FAE Andy Lee requested this be posted here.

[JohnT_Intel]

Hi,

I would recommend you to download the latest Quartus Programmer which will have a newer driver signature.

[FBels]

Downloaded Quartus Programmer SW QuartusProgrammerSetup-20.1.1.720-windows.exe

Told installer to create and use this directory "C:\intelFPGA\20.1.1_prgmr"

Run as Administrator.

The install selection page did not show the USB Blaster.  It did show USB Blaster II.   My PC had a USB Blaster connected to it.  Installation failed at the Driver install step.

I uninstalled and replaced the USB Blaster with a USB Blaster II.  Installation still fails at the Driver install step.  

[FBels]

The time invested in this on our part is running to days now.   Two different engineers have attempted driver installation from fresh 20.1.1 downloaded Quartus Lite and also Quartus Programmer software onto machines that ran Quartus prior to being re-imaged with Windows 10.   We are running Windows 10  ver 10.0.18363.1377.

I did driver install attempts using both USB Blaster and USB Blaster II programmers.

@JohnT_Intel  Has this reached a critical enough level sufficient for someone at Intel to replicate our attempts on a freshly imaged or new Windows 10 PC?  Am I missing some necessary step -- I am Admin privileged on my machine, run the installer as Admin, have a USB Blaster connected ??  We are also working with senior Arrow FAE Andy Lee.

[JohnT_Intel]

Hi,

I would recommend you to use the Quaruts Programmer 20.4 which is the latest version with the latest driver or you can disable the driver signature as the step below. The reason that you will failed to install is because the driver signature of the Quartus 20.1 has already expired.

1 - Go to windows 10 settings and search for "advanced startup options" 

2 - Under Advanced startup, hit "Restart now" 

3 - After a moment, you'll get a "choose an option" screen - choose "Troubleshoot", then "Advanced options", then "Startup Settings" 

4 - You'll get a screen telling you what you will be able to change and a single "Restart" button - press it. 

5 - If your boot drive is BitLocker encrypted, you'll need to enter the recovery key (press return, enter the key in the text box then hit return again - it took me three goes to realize I had to hit return before I could enter they key !) 

6 - You'll be given a menu of options, number 7 disables driver signature enforcement 

7 - When the PC restarts, use Device manager to update the drivers - this time you'll get a warning about the signature, but they install fine. 

8 - When you've finished, restart normally to re-enable signature enforcement

[JohnT_Intel]

Hi,

You can refer to the solution in https://www.intel.com/content/altera-www/global/en_us/index/support/support-resources/knowledge-base/tools/2021/why-does-the-intel--fpga-download-cable-ii-driver-installation-f.html

[FBels]

The solution involving downloading updated USB Blaster II drivers with valid signatures, and installing them via Windows Control Panel > Devices and Printers > USB Blaster II etc worked.

Thanks very much.

Are updated signed drivers available for the USB Blaster too?

[JohnT_Intel]

Hi,

Yes, it will be applicable to both blaster and blaster ii

[FBels]

John T --

The usb blaster ii driver update succeeded, but my original issue regarded USB Blaster classic driver.

When you said the driver applies to both USB Blaster and Blaster II -- the drivers have different driver directories in Quartus installation c: drive areas.  EG ../drivers/usb-blaster and ../drivers/usb-blaster-ii.

For the manual Windows work-around, are you saying to copy the downloaded usb-blaster-ii driver files also to C:\intelFPGA_lite\19.1\quartus\drivers\usb-blaster?  And rename them usb-blaster.cat and .inf?

The .zip file I downloaded from intel a while back only contains files named usbblasterii.cat, usbblasterii.inf.

[JohnT_Intel]

Hi,

Sorry for the confusion, what I mean is that the issue is similar between USB-Blaster and USB-Blaster II except that the directory location is different. So you can use the similar step to disable the driver signature then only install the usb-blaster driver.

[FBels]

Company IT security does not allow "disable the driver signature". 

When will a valid signed usb-blaster driver be available?

[JohnT_Intel]

Hi,

I am working with engineering on this issue.

[WvdD]

Any news on a new signed driver? i am blocked at this moment.

Thanks, Wim

[JohnT_Intel]

Hi,

I am still working with engineering on getting it fixed.

[JohnT_Intel]

Hi,

Please install Quartus Pro 21.1 edition to get the updated blaster driver.

[FBels]

We use Lite editions of Quartus, but there is no link to download version 21.1 Quartus Lite.  Are you saying that the usb blaster drivers from that install will work with say version 20.1 Quartus Lite?

Thanks in advance

[JimLewis]

I had the same issue with 20.1.1 Quartus-Lite.   

I had an older version also installed on my machine - 18.1.0.625 Quartus-Lite.   The drivers from that loaded without error.   Yea.  I used these drivers to program a TERASIC DE0-CV board.