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Downloading ELF Process failed

Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
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PC: 

Altera 10.0sp1, Nios IDE10.0sp1; Win7 32bit ultimate Chinese edition 

---------------------------------------------------------------- 

when i use on chip memory,every goes well.but when i use sdram controller,try many times,the same error. 

 

Using cable "USB-Blaster [USB-0]", device 1, instance 0x00 

Processor is already paused 

Reading System ID at address 0x00000000: verified 

Initializing CPU cache (if present) 

OK 

 

Downloading 01000000 ( 0%) 

Downloading 01003D58 (63%) 

Downloaded 16KB in 0.2s (80.0KB/s) 

 

Verifying 01000000 ( 0%) 

Verify failed between address 0x1000000 and 0x1002723 

Leaving target processor paused 

 

 

------------------------------------- 

the log: 

Downloading ELF Process failed,An exception stack trace is not available. 

Failed Executing: [nios2-download, '--cable=USB-Blaster on localhost [USB-0]', --device=1, --instance=0,  

CPU master group not set. 

CPU architecture type not set. 

... 

--------------------------------- 

 

what should i do?thank you !
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Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
2,491 Views

I meet the same question. can i ask you if you solved it? thanks

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Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
2,491 Views

Hello, 

I'm facing the same problem.  

With the bare on-chip memory my project works fine. After adding SDRAM controler with PLL (descriped there (ftp://ftp.altera.com/up/pub/computer_organization/de2-70/tutorials/tut_de2-70_sdram_vhdl.pdf)) i get error message during downloading .elf file. 

 

Any suggestions what should i do?
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Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
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Please exit Nios SBT, then delete .megadata folder in the same directory with your software and bsp projects. It works with me all the time.

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Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
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I'm using altera quartus ii 12.1 subscription edition and i'm having the same problem when running the nios ii programme. It compiles fine. I have added system id component and checked again. It didn't solve the problem. Then I removed .metadata folder and contents in the software folder and run the project again. It was not the solution for me. Later I reset the USB blaster path. However I still have this problem. It seems the problem is with Nios ii subscription license. I'm using floating license server in Quartus ii. I set the path of nios ii license in the same settings path separated by ; symbol. Is it the correct way to add the license to nios ii ip core (/s or /f)? 

 

Thanks in advance for any help you can do.
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Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
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You can check if Quartus picks your license correctly in the "License Setup...." window from the Tools menu. 

You can also check the name of the generated .sof file. If it is something like "yourproject.sof" then the license was picked and used correctly, but if it is something like "yourproject_time_limited.sof" then the license wasn't used and you need to be tethered with the USB blaster to use the Nios CPU core. 

Could you give the full error message you get, before "Downloading ELF Process failed"?
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Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
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In the license set up I can see all the mega core functions as well. That means it picks my license correctly. And .sof file is also correct. Following is my full error message. 

"Launching 'new configuration has encountered a problem. Downloading ELF Process failed.'" 

 

Thanks Daixiwen.
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Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
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I really hate the new Eclipse environment that Altera created, it hides the real error message from nios2-download. I think you can see it somewhere in the console but Eclipse hides it almost immediately after the fail. It is important to get to it to know if the problem is a system id check failure, if it is because the CPU isn't responding or a memory verification fail.

Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
2,491 Views

Yeah. In new console there is no error message is showing. I copied the error when its running. Actually the real problem is my nios system target connections couldn't get the correct name of nios cpu and the jtag uart cable. Following is the error i see in nios console. 

 

Using cable "USB-Blaster [USB-0]", device 1, instance 0x00 

Pausing target processor: OK 

Reading System ID at address 0x00000008: verified 

Leaving target processor paused
Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
2,491 Views

There is no error there, Eclipse isn't even trying to upload the software. That's very strange. Are you sure it isn't saying something else after that?

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Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
2,491 Views

Hi  

Im using NIOS II Embedded Design Suite 15.0.0.v.20150423-0554, eclipse kepler service release 2 build id:20140224-0627.  

 

i got this from the console 

 

Using cable "USB-Blaster [USB-0]", device 1, instance 0x00 

Processor is already paused 

Initializing CPU cache (if present) 

OK 

 

Downloading 00008000 ( 0%) 

Downloading 0000D828 (98%) 

Downloaded 23KB in 0.3s (76.6KB/s) 

 

Verifying 00008000 ( 0%) 

Verify failed between address 0x8000 and 0xD66B 

Leaving target processor paused 

 

Not quite sure why it fails can anybody please give an explaination (could it be related to write to onchip memory from vhdl code ?), my onchip memory is from 0x8000 to 0xFFFF 

 

 

 

 

/stefan
Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
2,491 Views

 

--- Quote Start ---  

Please exit Nios SBT, then delete .megadata folder in the same directory with your software and bsp projects. It works with me all the time. 

--- Quote End ---  

 

 

HOLLY MOLLY. This was the ONLY advice that worked! 

I was almost losing my head but as AR that I am, finally I crossed paths with this. 

It just worked!
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Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
2,491 Views

Same problem here, I'm using Q13.0 tried different suggestions, none worked. Any other suggestions. 

Thanks guys.
Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
2,492 Views

I received same massage,“Launching New Configuration has encountered a problem”, "Downloading ELF Process failed" and I solved by check Pin Assignment . In Qsys SDRAM name SDRAM but pin name is DE1 is DRAM. I changed and OK. I hope it help you.

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Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
2,492 Views

I solved it by checking all the connections in Qsys but was a bit disappointed because of the random errors keep popping up randomly and disappearing after restarting the IDE.

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Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
2,492 Views

Hi 

 

I am also facing the same problem. There is no error in program. I have tried with version - 10.1,11,12.0,12.1 and 13.1. I have also tried with the demo program and My_First_niosII program and followed the instruction. Lastly I have tried using NiosII command shell. Still no success. Its really disappointing. I have attached the screenshot of of output from NiosII command shell. 

 

Please somebody help us... 

 

Thanks 

Rupok
Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
2,492 Views

Did your design meet timing? Are you using SDRAM?

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Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
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Hi 

My design does not contain SDRAM. Its a simple design. Now I have changed the quartus ii version to 10.0. Design is done in SOPC. Still no success.I have attached here. 

 

Thanks 

Rupok
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Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
2,492 Views

Can you attached your Qsys design and Quartus project? I can't really see from your thumbnails (blurry)

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Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
2,492 Views

Hi 

I have attached the a zip file here. File size becomes too large so I could not zipped all file. But you will find all necessary files here. I have tried here with quartus 13.1 version. All version must not create problem and I have tried several times and found most of the time its the matter of On_chip_memory2 although the connection seems working. Looking forward to hearing from you soon. I would be really happy to know where I am mistaking. 

 

Thanks 

Rupok
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Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
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Your Qsys system looks fine.  

 

However, I noticed that the CLOCK_50 pin assignment is missing from the Nios_led.qsf. You will need to set the pin to the correct clock pin on CYCLONE IV E. 

 

Also you can try to run simulation as well.
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