Article ID: 000085020 Content Type: Troubleshooting Last Reviewed: 09/11/2012

Why does Active Serial Configuration of a Stratix III or Cyclone III LS device fail when I use an uncompressed configuration file?

Environment

BUILT IN - ARTICLE INTRO SECOND COMPONENT
Description

You may experience configuration failure with an uncompressed file due to CONF_DONE rising too early in Stratix® III or Cyclone® III LS devices during Active Serial (AS) configuration. This is also referred to as early CONF_DONE failure and this type of failure can be verified by successful configuration with a compressed file. The failure is related to a known issue with the Program Length Count (PLC) settings in the uncompressed programming file.

There are two workarounds to solve this issue:

 

  • Use a compressed file to configure the device or
  • Change the PLC option in Quartus® II software (File>Convert Programming Files>Advanced Option) before converting the programming file. The PLC value has to be adjusted to a negative value with a step size of -8.

This issue has been fixed in Quartus II software version 9.1.

Related Products

This article applies to 2 products

Stratix® III FPGAs
Cyclone® III LS FPGA