my laptop cant recognize USB blaster even in device manager.

[Altera_Forum]

I have a problem regarding the DE2 board. I got 1 DE2 board borrow from my faculty, when i wanna load some program into the DE2 board then i realized that there is no USB blaster detected even in device manager. i think there is a problem with the USB blaster (driver is already installed so i believe this is not related to driver issue). Hope you can give me some solution in order to solve this problem.Thank you.

[Altera_Forum]

--- Quote Start ---  I have a problem regarding the DE2 board. I got 1 DE2 board borrow from my faculty, when i wanna load some program into the DE2 board then i realized that there is no USB blaster detected even in device manager. i think there is a problem with the USB blaster (driver is already installed so i believe this is not related to driver issue). Hope you can give me some solution in order to solve this problem.Thank you.  --- Quote End ---    The USB-Blaster circuit includes an FTDI FT245 USB-to-FIFO interface controller. Can you see this device in the "Device Manager" GUI? If you can, then I can help you reprogram the FTDI EEPROM so that it is correctly recognized as a USB-Blaster (I recently answered this question in another thread).  Cheers, Dave

[Altera_Forum]

There is nothing recognized by my laptop, sadly to say that i tried another DE2 board then its work.  

However, my DE2 board blue colour LED on LOAD keep light up but my friend DE2 board no. i dun know that indicate what. i think is the blaster port problem.  Now i am in terrible mood due to this DE2 is borrowed from my University. anyways , thx for ur comment^^

[Altera_Forum]

--- Quote Start ---  There is nothing recognized by my laptop, sadly to say that i tried another DE2 board then its work.   --- Quote End ---   Ok. It does not sound like this is a USB-Blaster issue, but a DE2 board issue. I'm pretty sure the FTDI chip is powered by the USB interface, so it should always be detected. You should look at the schematics of the DE2 board to be sure.     --- Quote Start ---   However, my DE2 board blue colour LED on LOAD keep light up but my friend DE2 board no.   --- Quote End ---   The blue LED from the USB-Blaster indicates that the output enable bit has been set in bit-mode. It will not be on until the USB-Blaster is detected and in-use.    --- Quote Start ---   i dun know that indicate what. i think is the blaster port problem.  Now i am in terrible mood due to this DE2 is borrowed from my University. anyways , thx for ur comment^^  --- Quote End ---   Does anything happen with your DE2 board? Eg., does a default program load and start blinking LEDs or something?  Perhaps there is a power supply issue. If the MAX II asserts the reset on the FTDI device, then it will not show up on your laptop.  Use a voltmeter and probe some of the voltages on the GPIO header and see if they are all present.  Cheers, Dave

[Altera_Forum]

Hello, 

 I had the same problem. Try the standalone programmer provided by Altera. It will solve your problem I guess. Here's the link:  http://dl.altera.com/?product=qprogrammer#tabs-4  Regards

[Altera_Forum]

It may be possible that the FTDI devices' EEPROM has been corrupted. That would result in it not being recognised as a USB-Blaster, but it should still show up as an unrecognised device in device manager. Is that the case? Connect it to the PC with the DE2 powered and device manager open. Device manager should update as soon as it detects the device. If it doesn't it may point to a more fundamental problem with the DE2 or FTDI device. 

 Another tact is to download FTDI's FT_PROG utility: http://www.ftdichip.com/support/utilities.htm (http://www.ftdichip.com/support/utilities.htm) and use it to scan for FTDI devices. (This does rely on a 'positive' outcome from step 1 above). Assuming the FTDI device is powered and undamaged it should find the one on your DE2 board. You can also use this utility to reprogram it so it is recognised as a USB-Blaster (as Dave has already suggested can be done).  Cheers, Alex

[Altera_Forum]

Hi Dave,  

Happy new year!  My DE2 everything seems normal except cant detect the USB blaster.  the default program is running, LED also blinking. about the power issue, actually i did tried to supply different DC volt to the DE2 board. normally is 9 V, i tried 7.5V and 12V too. don't know maybe the problem is due to this or not.   Hi Canonind,  Happy new year! i downloaded the standalone programmer n SignalTap already but seems can't detect the USB blaster too. BTW, thanks for your kindness.   Hi Alex, Happy new year! There is nothing shown on my device manager, it can't even detect any unrecognized device.  Thank you SlowWalker.

[Altera_Forum]

--- Quote Start ---   My DE2 everything seems normal except cant detect the USB blaster.    --- Quote End ---    Did you look at the schematic and the user manual?  According to the user manual:    --- Quote Start ---   Turn the RUN/PROG switch on the left edge of the DE2 board to RUN position; the PROG position is used only for the AS Mode programming  --- Quote End ---    So do you have the selector in the RUN position?  Cheers, Dave

[Altera_Forum]

Hi, Dave. 

 Yup, it is in the RUN position already but still cant detect any USB blaster.  Thank You, WOO CHEE YOONG

[Altera_Forum]

--- Quote Start ---   Yup, it is in the RUN position already but still cant detect any USB blaster.   --- Quote End ---   Actually, I don't think the RUN switch should matter. In either case a USB-Blaster should be detected, but in RUN position it should operate in JTAG mode, and in PROG operate in AS mode.  You pretty much need to probe around the USB-Blaster circuit and determine what is wrong. You indicated your system worked with another DE2, so compare the signals on both boards and see what you find different.  Use the standard debug sequence;  1. Check power supplies 2. Check clocks 3. Check resets  Then for your DE2 debugging, look at the FTDI FT245 signals.  Cheers, Dave