Question about configuring Cyclone device

[Altera_Forum]

Hi, 

 I have a cyclone3 chip and tried to download sof file into the chip. My problem is that the code run only after configuration, while when I power off and then power on FPGA board, the system will not run automatically. It seems that each configuration through programmer can't stay in my chip once the chip is power-off. I am just wondering what the source of this problem is...Thanks  Xuemeng

[Altera_Forum]

This is absolutly normal. 

Cyclone FPGA are SRAM based and have no nonvolatile stuff inside (like other devices) thats why you need external configuration devices. Just check this about Cyclone 3 family http://www.altera.com/products/devices/cyclone3/cy3-index.jsp and this pdf explaining the configuration http://www.altera.com/literature/hb/cyc3/cyc3_ciii51016.pdf

[Altera_Forum]

Thanks a lot. I've used max before and it can store sof inside. This is my first time to use cyclone 3, so I dont know this difference. 

 Thanks, Xuemeng