"...but found JTAG ID code 0xFFFFFFFF"

[Altera_Forum]

Hello, 

I have been experiencing an intermittent error while trying to program my EP2C35 & EPCS64 devices, with .sof and .jic files through a usb blaster rev c.  The following error pops up every once in a while (1:2 success to failure ratio) and fails the program cycle:  error: can't configure device. expected jtag id code 0x<device id> for device 1, but found jtag id code 0xffffffff. error: operation failed   I have double checked my configuration scheme , and it is layed out exactly as shown in figure 13-25 in "Combining JTAG & Active Serial Configuration Schemes" section in Cyclone II Handbook, with VCC = 3.3V.  I have scoped out all of the JTAG signals (TDI,TDO,TCK,TMS) during a successful cycle - nothing seems out of order.  This error has been observed in the following versions of Quartus II: 10.1, 9.1, 8.1, 7.2, 6.1.  Any help would be appreciated! Thanks, Dror

[Altera_Forum]

Don't know if it helps but I have seen an error occurring in the programmer when you try to use the factory serial loader (installed in quartus programmer) to download the FPGA image in to the EPCS through the JTAG interface. I found that when I used the "Enhanced" version it sometimes failed. You can use the 'Default' one by going into the options in the quartus programmer and unchecking the 'use enhanced serial flash loader' tick box 

 C

[Altera_Forum]

Thanks C, 

I tried unchecking the 'use enhanced serial flash loader'. But the phenomenon persists...   One more thing, I tried programming the same device - EP2C35F672I8, though from an earlier manufacturing series, on a similar pcb - It woks just fine...   What else can I try?