Unexpected error in JTAG Server

[Altera_Forum]

I was wondering if any has run into this problem. I'm using the JTAG server to program the FGPA's on my board. When start the Programmer I keep getting this error at random "Error: Unexpected error in JTAG Server - error code 2".  

 Does any know what this error means?  Thanks in advance Rob Morley

[Altera_Forum]

i used to see this a long time back if I had 2 versions of Quartus running at the same time, the two programmers conflict for JTAG server access. not sure if that's what you are seeing here.

[Altera_Forum]

I only have one version of quartus on that computer and it is version 7.1 sp1.

[Altera_Forum]

Are you getting this error consistently or the error code gets changed in every attempt made in using the JTAG port? There may be issue with poor electrical connectivity. Are you using Byte Blaster II or USB Blaster? If you are using a Byte Blaster II cable, give USB Blaster a try or vice versa.

[Altera_Forum]

The error seems to change from error 2 to error 7 to error 33 and not in that order. There does not seem to be any pattern to the error codes.  

 However I was wondering if anyone knows anything about the begining of the scan squence, or were to find the information?   If I knew more about how the prgramming sequence started I would be able find out what is happening.

[Altera_Forum]

Seems like there may be issues with signal integrity or electrical connectivity of the JTAG lines. Are the JTAG lines connected straight away with the JTAG port as is recommended by Altera?

[Altera_Forum]

Is there a difference in behaviour when you use Byte Blaster II v/s USB Blaster?

[Altera_Forum]

There are three devices in the chain: MAXII, Stratix GX and Stratix II. Each connected in that order in the chain. The MAXII device is less than 350mils from the jtag connector.  

 Unfortunatly I only have the USB Blaster for programming (first revision).

[Altera_Forum]

When you perform Autodetect, are you able to detect all of the 3 devices successfully? Or put better way, out of 3, if few are getting detected successfully and few shows erroneous behaviour?

[Altera_Forum]

Last week I was able to detect the whole chain and program the devices. This week I have not been able to detect any of the devices in the chain. I am not sure what changed between now and then. I think it may be my USB Blaster, I have the initail release of the USB Blaster and the cable length on that programmer is long and may not be helping the problem. I have order new USB Blasters that should be here next week. Hopefully the flex cable on the lastest revision will help solve the problem however in the mean time I want see if there is anything else I can do to fix the problem. It may not be a signal integrity problem.

[Altera_Forum]

I have had the same error ( '33' ) (I have 4.2, 5.1, 6, 6.1, 7.0 and 7.1installed) It has happened with both rev B Byteblasters and the Terasic Blaster I have. 

 Re-plugging the USB seems to fix it, other problems have stopped me from investigating further :)  Its always worth checking your task manager for processes like jtagserver.exe and killing off any duplicates - Various Nios-IDEs have caused me much grief by not shutting down their terminal windows properly.  I stopped using the LPT byteblaster MV the day I started using NIOS - its simply not up to it, especially when you get to debug or signal tap. I have heard nothing but bad things about the first rev A blasters.  The latest revision byteblaster is rev C, but they are like hens teeth atm!   hth  P.S. the terrasic blasters are very cheap, look almost identical (but different pcb inside ;) ) and I have found it to work a bit better than rev B byteblasters - maybe down to the different cable (IDE ribbon) and different driver chips inside.

[Altera_Forum]

hi, 

have your problem solved? i do face asimilar thing. i have 3 altera stratix ii devices in chain for jtag. jtag server says NOT ABLE TO DETECT THE DEVICES IN CHAIN. hence not confoguring.

[Altera_Forum]

I have not found a solution to my problem because of the design of the board. However I did find this link http://www.xjtag.com/sup-kb-q3.php (http://www.xjtag.com/sup-kb-q3.php) useful in debug the jtag chain.  

 Hope this helps Rob

[Altera_Forum]

ravindrasor 

 If you have a dev board or some other Altera device and you can program that ok, then It's probably something to do with the board or how you have connected the JTAG chain up.  I have never used more than two devices in a chain (flex 8k), and then I used a micro to configure them.   You could try 'disconnecting' each stratix in turn and try to configure them independently to start with....  HTH

[Altera_Forum]

HI, 

I have this problem. I have set up the interface of programming BYTEBLASTER. It recognizes the connected CPLD but when I go to program they give me this error: error: unexpected error in jtag server -- error code 35 you help me please!!!

[Altera_Forum]

Maybe you have install firewall software, disable it.