bootloading doesn't starts

Altera_Forum · ‎05-12-2009

I've have a system in CycloneIII EP3C40 with, NIOS + CFI_Flash + ....

I want to write in flash .sof & .elf files to boot entire system from flash memory.

My application is running fine if I program .sof from quartus and application under NIOS IDE -> Run as hardware.

I've been trying to use Flash programmer from NIOS IDE.


# !/bin/sh
# 
#  This file was automatically generated by the Nios II IDE Flash Programmer.
# 
#  It will be overwritten when the flash programmer options change.
# 
cd E:/GIF/Projects/CycloneIII_3c40_DSP_Setelsa/software/CycloneIII_3c40_DSP_Sete
lsa/Debug
#  Creating .flash file for the FPGA configuration
"$SOPC_KIT_NIOS2/bin/sof2flash" --offset=0x0 --input="E:/GIF/Projects/CycloneIII
_3c40_DSP_Setelsa/CycloneIII_3c40_DSP_Setelsa.sof" --output="CycloneIII_3c40_DSP
_Setelsa.flash" 
Info: *******************************************************************
Info: Running Quartus II Convert_programming_file
Info: Command: quartus_cpf --no_banner --convert E:/GIF/Projects/CycloneIII_3c40
_DSP_Setelsa/CycloneIII_3c40_DSP_Setelsa.sof CycloneIII_3c40_DSP_Setelsa.rbf
Info: Quartus II Convert_programming_file was successful. 0 errors, 0 warnings
    Info: Peak virtual memory: 54 megabytes
    Info: Processing ended: Tue May 12 12:05:38 2009
    Info: Elapsed time: 00:00:00
    Info: Total CPU time (on all processors): 00:00:00
#  Programming flash with the FPGA configuration
"$SOPC_KIT_NIOS2/bin/nios2-flash-programmer" --base=0x00000000 --sidp=0x12003d18
 --id=1003684756 --timestamp=1241541969 --instance=0 "CycloneIII_3c40_DSP_Setels
a.flash"
Using cable "USB-Blaster ", device 1, instance 0x00
Resetting and pausing target processor: OK
Reading System ID at address 0x12003D18: verified
              : Checksumming existing contents          
00060000      : Verifying existing contents             
00080000      : Verifying existing contents             
000A0000      : Verifying existing contents             
000C0000      : Verifying existing contents             
000E0000      : Verifying existing contents             
00100000      : Verifying existing contents             
00120000      : Verifying existing contents             
00000000      : Reading existing contents               
00020000      : Reading existing contents               
00040000      : Reading existing contents               
Checksummed/read 780kB in 19.3s                                        
00000000 ( 0%): Erasing                                 
00020000 (33%): Erasing                                 
00040000 (66%): Erasing                                 
Erased 384kB in 1.2s (320.0kB/s)                       
00000000 ( 0%): Programming                             
00020000 (10%): Programming                             
00040000 (21%): Programming                             
00060000 (32%): Programming                             
00080000 (32%): Programming                             
000A0000 (32%): Programming                             
000C0000 (32%): Programming                             
000E0000 (32%): Programming                             
00100000 (32%): Programming                             
00120000 (32%): Programming                             
Programmed 1164KB in 4.9s (237.5KB/s)                      
Device contents checksummed OK
Leaving target processor paused
#  Creating .flash file for the project
"$SOPC_KIT_NIOS2/bin/elf2flash" --base=0x00000000 --end=0x7ffffff --reset=0x0 --
input="CycloneIII_3c40_DSP_Setelsa.elf" --output="EXT_FLASH.flash" --boot="C:/al
tera/80/ip/nios2_ip/altera_nios2/boot_loader_cfi.srec"
#  Programming flash with the project
"$SOPC_KIT_NIOS2/bin/nios2-flash-programmer" --base=0x00000000 --sidp=0x12003d18
 --id=1003684756 --timestamp=1241541969 --instance=0 "EXT_FLASH.flash"
Using cable "USB-Blaster ", device 1, instance 0x00
Resetting and pausing target processor: OK
Reading System ID at address 0x12003D18: verified
              : Checksumming existing contents          
00000000      : Reading existing contents               
00020000      : Reading existing contents               
00040000      : Reading existing contents               
Checksummed/read 89kB in 2.2s                                        
00000000 ( 0%): Erasing                                 
00020000 (33%): Erasing                                 
00040000 (66%): Erasing                                 
Erased 384kB in 1.0s (384.0kB/s)                       
00000000 ( 0%): Programming                             
00020000 (33%): Programming                             
00040000 (66%): Programming                             
Programmed 296KB +88KB in 5.0s (76.8KB/s)                  
Device contents checksummed OK
Leaving target processor paused

After completion, i remove USB blaster and power, and I applied power again but FPGA doesn't starts.

Any suggestion???

Altera_Forum · ‎05-13-2009

What version of tools are you using? There is a problem with the 9.0 version of the flash programmer, at least when using C3 and an EPCS.

Altera_Forum · ‎05-14-2009

I'm using Quartus II 8.0sp1, I tried to write .sof and ,elf in flash, but now I've programmed .sof within epcs memory and it works.

Altera_Forum · ‎05-14-2009

Hi rbarnes,

what kinds of problems there are with the flash programmer?? I use the programmer with several boards and I updated the Quartus 2 version few days ago! The service pack 1 solve this issues??

Altera_Forum · ‎05-14-2009

It seems that with Quartus 9, the programmer doesn't put the software correctly in the EPCS device when used with a Cyclone III, preventing the Nios to boot.

This is not corrected in SP1, but should in SP2. There is a thread on the subject in the Nios forum.

Altera_Forum · ‎05-14-2009

Daixiwen describes the problem well. Below is the info I received from Altera tech support. The workaround corrected the problem for me.

>

> This is a bug of Nios II flash programmer tool v9.0. The behavior of this bug is that NiosII on Cyclone III does not boot up from EPCS if you

> programmed SOF and ELF with v9.0 Flash Programmer.

>

> The workaround:

> replace 90\nios2eds\bin\sof2flash.jar with 81\nios2eds\bin\sof2flash.jar

>