APEX Nios Dev kit

[Altera_Forum]

[list][*]The factory default demo doesn't work at all.  

 [*]When I download the new Nios project to Apex, It doesn't work ,either. But the project can work properly in another same dev kit.  [*]But I can download a project excluding Nios to APEX, and it work finely ! [/list] Folks,  Help me....

[Altera_Forum]

What release are you using? 

I'm also confused. At the end of your post it says that Apex is working, while at the beginning it says that the factory default is not working.  Should I take this as the factory default does not work, but another design does?  Please note that we use the factory default image frequently for APex, there are no known issues. But maybe if you tell me what you're doing step by step I can figure out where you went wrong.

[Altera_Forum]

Sorry, just re-read your post. Please tell me what you're doing specifically to get the factory default on the board.  

  Kerri

[Altera_Forum]

Kerri, Thank u for tracking my topic, I tell more about the problems: 

1.  The Dev Board  I use Nios Embedded Processor Development Board http://www.altera.com/products/devkits/alt...a/kit-nios.html (http://www.altera.com/products/devkits/altera/kit-nios.html) http://www.altera.com/literature/ds/ds_nio...pex_20k200e.pdf (http://www.altera.com/literature/ds/ds_nios_board_apex_20k200e.pdf)  Notice: P16 Table 2. Factory-default APEX device configuration and "Altera recommends that users avoid overwriting the factory configuration data." Maybe someone in my lab overwrote the factory configuration data.  2.  Step by step  I step by step my first Nios 32 project following "Nios Tutorial" http://www.altera.com/literature/tt/tt_nio...pex_20k200e.pdf (http://www.altera.com/literature/tt/tt_nios_hw_apex_20k200e.pdf)  At last when I download the project to Apex, It didn't work. But the project worked properly   in another same dev board.(We have 5 boards in My lab)  3.  Test Apex  To test whether Apex is damagered or not, I download a project, which simply input from SW1   and ouput to LED1 and LED2 without any Nios, and it worked finely !  In my opinion, the hardware including devices and connecting wires do not damagered, but the data in flash is not correct. So I wonder how to reload the factory flash data to Flash device. Do you agree with me? What's your opinion,please?

[Altera_Forum]

Hello mountain8848, 

 Restoring the Factory Default Configuration is described in the Nios Hardware Tutorial (tt_nios_hw_apex_20k200e.pdf, Page 64) which is included in your Nios package.  Bye, niosIIuser

[Altera_Forum]

to niosIIuser: 

 As the Nios can&#39;t work, so GERMS can&#39;t work,either. As a result I can&#39;t download Factory Default Configuration to flash.   And, I doubt whether the factory-logic in MAX_EPM7064 was re-programed ? But I can&#39;t find the factory-programmed project to re-program to factory-logic now. Last year , I have found it somewhere. :-( http://forum.niosforum.com/work2/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/huh.gif

[Altera_Forum]

Hello mountain8848, 

 1. Reprogram the CPLD with the file config_controller.pof which is in the following directory: nios/examples/vhdl/nios_apex_20k200/ EPM7064_flash_config_controller. You can reprogram your CPLD with this file and the Quartus software. 2. After reprogramming the CPLD you have to config the FPGA with standard_32.sof as described in the Nios Hardware Tutorial (tt_nios_hw_apex_20k200e.pdf) at page 64. The standard_32.sof includes a simple Nios with the GERMS Monitor which should now be ready to program the on-board flash. Please follow the steps described at page 64 exactly.   Bye, niosIIuser

[Altera_Forum]

I&#39;ve been waiting to see if the above suggestion worked. If you ae still having problems, post a mesage, or email me. I re-flash Apex boards daily, I should be able to figure out where this one is going wrong.

[Altera_Forum]

hi, NiosIIuser 

 1.  My work system: SW: Quatus II 3.0 + Nios 2.0 (CygWin+ Excalibur Nios 2.0)  2.  In the directory of Nios 2.0 : c:\altera\excalibur\sopc_builder_2_5\examples\vhdl, there are sub dir.: 80_mhz_32 minimal_16 minimal_32 minimal_dma_32 minimal_no_uart_32 minimal_sdram_32 standard_16 standard_32 standard_custom_instruction_32 standard_debug_32   I can&#39;t find nios_apex_20k200 and config_controller.pof   maybe you are using Nios 1.0 (SDK+HDK)   Would you like to send this project to me ( other1999@163.com -----Max. 8M attachment )  //---------------------------  To Kerri:  Thank you very much. I will deal with the problem untill it works.  Mountain

[Altera_Forum]

To all of You: 

 I find MAX_7064_FLASH_config_controller !!!!   //---------------------------  1.  Nios_16 is working !! Demo the Hello_nios.c lcd_demo.c   Nios_16=<Nios 2.0>\excalibur\sopc_builder_2_5\examples\vhdl\standard_16. I just download standard_16.sof to APEX by ByteBlaster MV.  2.  But the Nios_32 can&#39;t work! I type nr -t , I can&#39;t oberseve anything. And look below:  [nios]$ nr hello_nios.srec  nios-run: Ready to download hello_nios.srec over COM1: at 115200 bps  : Press SW3 (CLEAR) on target board to begin download  : Type Control-C to exit the program nios-run: Waiting for target............... .  I think the Nios_32 doesn&#39;t begin to work at all.  3.  IN my opinion, the version of quartus and nios should be work together properly.  Maybe Quautus 2.0 +nois 2.0  what about your versions?

[Altera_Forum]

That&#39;s because the 16 bit and 32 bit run out of different memory. 

Did you follow the instructions in the board manual?  OK, From memory, open an sdk shell. type ns recovery_configuration_apex_20k200.sof after it has downloaded... type nr default_board_image_apex_20k200.flash  Then unplug and re-plug your board. (powercycle it).THen all should be well.  You should also be on a later version of Quartus AND Nios! Nios 2.0 still had no problems with the Apex design, but Nios and Quartus are numbered differently. If you look in the readme.txt you will see what version of Quartus your Nios kit was tested with.    Kerri

[Altera_Forum]

To Kerri: 

 I&#39;m a Newbie. And the board doesn&#39;t work in my hands after I obtained the board, maybe someone in my Lab made a mistake to the board.   1.   in the <nios 2.0> kit, I finds   standard_32_devboard.flash (552 KB (565,257 Byte))  standard_32.sof (238 KB (243,757 Byte)) but it doesn&#39;t work. I wonder whether the following files are created by yourself ?  recovery_configuration_apex_20k200.sof  default_board_image_apex_20k200.flash Would you like to send these files to me ( other1999@163.com -----Max. 8M attachment ) and " ns " is not a command !!! Download *.sof by Byteblaster???  2.  http://www.altera.com/literature/ds/ds_nio...pex_20k200e.pdf (http://www.altera.com/literature/ds/ds_nio...pex_20k200e.pdf)  P15 Table 2. Flash Memory Allocation : 0x100000-0x17FFFF(512KBytes) Nios instruction and nonvolatile data space.   How do the Nios fetch the instruction in the flash? How can I find more detail about the flash allocaton?  3.  Kerri, do you do experiments in the Apex Board wiht Quartus 1.1 and Nios 1.0?  Is it wise enough to buy a latest Cyclone(Stratix) Nios II dev. kit , as I finds more information is based on these kits. Or I get the Nios II + Nios II IDE CDs and begin to applicate them in the Apex.

[Altera_Forum]

Hi all. 

 as far as I&#39;m aware NiosII doesn&#39;t support Apex........

[Altera_Forum]

OK, I realised late last night that you were on a really old version (2.5 years old and 8 + releases). And that it probably didn&#39;t have ns in it. ns is not a published command, it was put there to help us who work on it all day long. 

 We did test Nios 1.0 and Q 1.1, but again, that was so long ago I don&#39;t remember specifics. I don&#39;t ever remember an issue with the default image flash files being bad.  People are raving about Nios II, so if you are willing to get a stratix or cyclone board, then you could definately use it. And I think you might be happier.  You could also see about upgrading your 2.0 kit to 3.2. Then use the Quartus 1 year free license to use the latest Quartus/sopc builder.  Sopc Builder is now part of Quartus.  But if you don&#39;t want to do that. Lets try to get your board up and running. I&#39;ll email you at the email address and see what we can get going. I&#39;ll post the final result here.