WXEDA board question

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One more question, please.

If it is possible - how to program this wxeda board to boot uploaded firmaware 
instead of the default one?
I mean - when i program it via JTAG - everything is ok until i power off the 
board. And then the default firmware starts after powering on. 

Some sources said that it is impossible, others said it is impossible to do via 
JTAG, but possible programming a flash chip on the board... But i have no ideas 
if such chip is exists on wxeda board.

Perfectly to have a possibility to load firmware from the SD card, like 
Speccy2010 does. But it's seems an initial boot process there initiated by 
microcontroller and wxeda board don't have such.

Ideas are welcome! :)

Original issue reported on code.google.com by andy.kar...@gmail.com on 16 Aug 2014 at 5:45

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On the schematic diagram i see a EPCS4SI8N flash. Can we use it ?

Original comment by andy.kar...@gmail.com on 16 Aug 2014 at 5:51

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It definitely should be possible to program the EPCS4 configurator chip via the 
same JTAG chain. Maybe you have to select Active Serial programming mode 
instead of JTAG. 

I tried doing the following:
1) open File->Convert Programming File in Quartus
2) Specify Configuration device = EPCS4, Mode = Active Serial, File name = 
vector06cc.pof
   Select Page_0 and click Add File, add vector06cc.sof
3) Generate, it will create vector06cc.pof

Now in the programmer, open a new window. Select Mode = Active Serial 
Programming. Then Add Device, then Add File and select vector06cc.pof

Now you should be able to program EPCS4 configuration device. However I have 
just tried doing that and did not succeed. I have a very glitchy USB Blaster 
that might be not working well so I can't be sure if it's a board or 
USB-Blaster problem. Tell me how it works for you.

Original comment by svof...@gmail.com on 16 Aug 2014 at 6:05

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I also tried programming EPCS4 via JTAG chain. For that you would need to 
create a JIC file, like in the attached screenshot. It doesn't seem to work for 
me either.

Original comment by svof...@gmail.com on 16 Aug 2014 at 6:28

Attachments:

• epcs4-via-jtag-not-work.jpg

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Here's a related thread:
http://www.alteraforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=43764
Doesn't seem to work for me.

Original comment by svof...@gmail.com on 16 Aug 2014 at 6:29

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I did all what you said - but also unable to upload converted firmware to the 
destination EPCS4 chip: 

Info (210098): Active Serial/Parallel mode CONF_DONE pin error check is disabled
Info (210033): Memory Map File vector06cc_epcs4.map contains memory usage 
information for file vector06cc_epcs4.pof
Info (209060): Started Programmer operation at Sat Aug 16 21:39:00 2014
Error (209025): Can't recognize silicon ID for device 1
Error (209012): Operation failed
Info (209061): Ended Programmer operation at Sat Aug 16 21:39:00 2014

Tried to perform this on 2 different chinese USB-blasters.
One is a big one shipped with wxeda board, and the second one is a $5 usb 
blaster i've bought some times ago.
So, any ideas ? As i see on the schematic diagram, a EPCS4 chip is connected 
directly to the FPGA, so somehow FPGA is a bridge while programming EPCS4N 
chip. 

No ideas what do to next...

Original comment by andy.kar...@gmail.com on 16 Aug 2014 at 6:47

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From your log it seems that you tried the first method that I described, and 
apparently it won't work on this board. The second method with a JIC file 
should work at least in theory. Did you try it too?

Original comment by svof...@gmail.com on 16 Aug 2014 at 6:49

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Found a very interesting discussion: 
http://electronix.ru/forum/lofiversion/index.php/t58789.html
It's seems it can be fake cyclones (i guess) on the wxeda board :)
JIC is not tested yet. One moment, please.

Original comment by andy.kar...@gmail.com on 16 Aug 2014 at 6:56

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Ah yes! Just tried JIC method - it works fine for me! Thank you very much!!!
I think this method should be also described in the project readme.

Original comment by andy.kar...@gmail.com on 16 Aug 2014 at 7:04

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Fantastic! 

I don't think that the Cyclone IV is fake, it's behaving way too much 
CycloneIV-like for a fake, don't you think? Though I can imagine some cloak & 
dagger story of stolen wafers that did not pass 100% of the tests and had to be 
destroyed and ended up getting packaged instead.

Original comment by svof...@gmail.com on 16 Aug 2014 at 7:24

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Yep! Thank you so much for help & support!
Now making an SD card mod to continue playing with my Vector-06c ;)

Regarding fake cyclones or not 100% tested - yes, it could be a truth. I know a 
lot of stories about chinese remarked chips (like 28sf512 eeproms that can be 
programmed only once ;)))

Original comment by andy.kar...@gmail.com on 16 Aug 2014 at 7:43

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Original comment by svof...@gmail.com on 2 Sep 2014 at 7:59

• Changed state: Done