Issue after upgrading my Nios V SoC project from 23.1std to 24.1std

[Benitez__Domingo]

I developed a Nios V/m-based SoC for a Terasic De0-Nano board using Quartus Prime Standard 23.1. The provided .sof file was used to configure the FPGA via the Nios V Command Shell in Quartus 23.1 standard. A simple 'Hello World' C program was compiled, linked, and downloaded into the main memory. Finally, the message was displayed on a Nios V Command Shell terminal for Quartus 23.1 using the juart-terminal.exe program.

This software project can also be compiled and linked using Nios V Command Shell for Quartus 24.1 standard.

However, if the .sof file from Quartus Prime Standard 23.1 is used to configure the FPGA running Nios V Command Shell for Quartus 24.1 standard, the 'Hello World' message is displayed.

Additionally, when I configure the FPGA using the .sof file provided by Quartus Prime Standard 24.1 after an IP upgrade and hardware compilation, juart-terminal.exe hangs, and the message does not appear on the display.

It was also found that this error occurs when the 24.1std version of the .sof file and the 'niosv-download.exe' program are used to configure the FPGA and main memory, respectively.

The following error occurred while searching for sources of errors when the 24.1std version of the .sof file and the 'niosv-download.exe' program were used to configure the FPGA and main memory, respectively:

-----

INFO: Found gdb port 50972
INFO: Starting gdb. Running "riscv32-unknown-elf-gdb -batch -ex set non-stop on -ex set arch riscv:rv32 -ex set remotetimeout 60 -ex target extended-remote localhost:50972 -ex load build/app0.elf -ex set $mstatus &= ~(0x00000088) -ex continue&".
The target architecture is set to "riscv:rv32".
warning: No executable has been specified and target does not support
determining executable automatically. Try using the "file" command.
warning: No executable has been specified and target does not support
determining executable automatically. Try using the "file" command.

Program received signal SIGINT, Interrupt.
0x00005474 in ?? ()
Loading section .exceptions, size 0x29c lma 0x0
Load failed
[Inferior 1 (Remote target) detached]

----

However, when the 23.1 std version of the .sof file and the 24.1 std "niosv-download.exe" program were used to configure the FPGA and the main memory, respectively, the following messages were displayed:

-----

INFO: Found gdb port 51185
INFO: Starting gdb. Running "riscv32-unknown-elf-gdb -batch -ex set non-stop on -ex set arch riscv:rv32 -ex set remotetimeout 60 -ex target extended-remote localhost:51185 -ex load build/app0.elf -ex set $mstatus &= ~(0x00000088) -ex continue&".
The target architecture is set to "riscv:rv32".
warning: No executable has been specified and target does not support
determining executable automatically. Try using the "file" command.
warning: No executable has been specified and target does not support
determining executable automatically. Try using the "file" command.

Program received signal SIGINT, Interrupt.
0x09000004 in ?? ()
Loading section .exceptions, size 0x29c lma 0x0
Loading section .text, size 0x6660 lma 0x29c
Loading section .rodata, size 0x128 lma 0x68fc
Loading section .rwdata, size 0x1ba8 lma 0x85cc
Loading section .entry, size 0x20 lma 0x9000000
Start address 0x000002d0, load size 34284
Transfer rate: 44 KB/sec, 6856 bytes/write.
[Inferior 1 (Remote target) detached]

-----

In this case, everything is fine and the 'Hello World' message is displayed correctly.

Could you please provide any hints on how to solve this problem when using Quartus Prime Standard version 24.1?

Regards.
Domingo.

[RolandoS_Altera]

Hello Domingo

The problem seems to be that for some reason  jtag is getting disconnected from the board.

We are trying to replicate the issue. We have a question: when you were testing the 24.1 sof file with the 24.1 Nios V Command shell, the BSP and ELF that you used were the ones generated with 23.1 or you regenerated them with 24.1?

Thanks

Rolando

[Benitez__Domingo]

Hello,

I tryed both options for generating BSP and ELF files: 23.1 std and 24.1 std.

In both cases, the output message is displayed only when the .sof file was obtained with 23.1std. When the .sof file was generated with 24.1std, the output message is not displayed for BSP and ELF files generated by both, 23.1std and 24.1std.

Regards,

Domingo.

[Benitez__Domingo · Accepted solution]

Hello,

This issue was fixed.

There is no issue when all files (SOPCINFO, SOF, BSP, ELF) were generated by the same Quartus Prime version, 23.1std or 24.1std.

Use cases:

--> Using Nios V Command Shell 23.1std
- NO-issue: all files were generated with the same 23.1 or 24.1 version.
- FAIL: SOF files generated with 23.1 and SOPCINFO+BSP+ELF files generated with 24.1std.
- FAIL: SOF files generated with 24.1 and SOPCINFO+BSP+ELF files generated with 23.1std.

--> Using Nios V Command Shell 24.1std
- NO-issue: all files were generated with the same 24.1std or 23.1 version.
- FAIL: SOF files generated with 24.1 and SOPCINFO+BSP+ELF files generated with 23.1std.
- FAIL: SOF files generated with 23.1 and SOPCINFO+BSP+ELF files generated with 24.1std.

I have run both Quartus Prime Standard versions 23.1 and 24.1 on the same computer using Windows 10. The DE0-Nano board is connected to the computer via a USB interface.

Regards,
Domingo.

[RolandoS_Altera]

Hi Domingo

I am glad that the issue got solved by using all the files from the same Quartus version. Normally, this is what we recommend to our customers.

Thanks

Rolando

[BoonBengT_Altera]

Hi @Benitez__Domingo,

Great! Good to know that you managed to overcome the challenges, with no further clarification on this thread, it will be transitioned to community support for further help on doubts in this thread. 

Please login to ‘ https://supporttickets.intel.com/s/?language=en_US’, view details of the desire request, and post a feed/response within the next 15 days to allow me to continue to support you. After 15 days, this thread will be transitioned to community support. The community users will be able to help you on your follow-up questions.

Thank you for the questions and as always pleasure having you here.

Best Wishes

BB