Error:No Nios II target connection paths were located.

[Altera_Forum]

Hi! Everytime i am trying to run my NIOS application on the Cyclone III, EP3C25F324C8NES I am getting this Error. 

 /****************************/ No Nios II target connection paths were located. Check connections and that a Nios II .sof is downloaded. /****************************/  but not getting the reason why m getting so. plz help.

[Altera_Forum]

Did you configure the board with a sof file? Which one?

[Altera_Forum]

Thanx for replying me. 

I m using the following sof file,  CIII_NiosII_Small.sof  the example file i got with CD.  But i have installed Quartus 9.1 but the example is of Quartus 7.1  if this can be a problem. do i need to install Quartus 7.1 ?  regards

[Altera_Forum]

Are you using an Altera development kit? Was that sof file distributed with the kit? 

IIRC the sof files given with the Cyclone III starter kit have different names.

[Altera_Forum]

yes i m using its development kit, Cyclone III EP3C25F324 FPGA one.

[Altera_Forum]

On the files that Altera distribute for the Cyclone III starter kit, there is one design example with a Nios CPU, and the sof file is called cycloneIII_3c25_start_niosII_standard.sof 

 Are you sure that the sof file you have is designed for the kit you have?

[Altera_Forum]

Did you ever find a solution to your problem? I am having the same problem on the BeMicro board.  

 I started the project in Altera 9.1 both Quartus and eclipse and it worked fine I was able to find the device, program, and debug.  I then updated Quartus to SP1 and started back into the software side of things I was able to use Quartus to download to the BeMicro but eclipse would not find the target. I then upgraded both Quartus and eclipse to sp2 still no dice. I've even reloaded the drivers for the BeMicro. any ideas?  thanks Steve

[Altera_Forum]

--- Quote Start ---  I've even reloaded the drivers for the BeMicro. any ideas?  --- Quote End ---    In the bemicro download there is a folder called "programmer" that includes the file "setup.exe". You have probably already run it and placed the DLL in the "C:\altera" folder as the instructions state, but it needs to be in "C:\altera\91sp2\quartus\bin" for SP2. Probably similar folder for SP1.