17 Board checklist
17.1 The FPGA doesn't configure?
If the FPGA doesn’t configure, check the following:
1. Make sure the board is powered with a correct voltage. You need 5V minimum at the input of your Pluto board. If
you use a TXDI with an integrated 5V regulator, it requires at least 7V to be able to provide 5V to Pluto.
2. Try a known good bitfile file, like LEDblink from the startup-kit.
3. Make sure you are using the right COM port on the back of your PC (or try another COM port in FPGAconf /
Options / COM port).
4. Make sure the voltage on RxD (the white wire) is negative when the RS-232 is idle. If you are using a TXDI/MAX-
232, check that the jumper position is on “bypass”.
5. If you’re using an RS-232 cable, try without it (connect the TXDI/DB9 directly on the back of your computer).
6. Enable the option “Keep COM port open after configuration” in FPGAconf.
7. Disable the option “Turbo Mode” in FPGAconf.
8. Try a different computer, in case your computer has some troubles communicating at 115200 bauds. Also, some
computers RS-232 levels may be too low, but Pluto/Pluto-II can be adapted in such cases by removing a resistor.
17.2 Boot-PROM problem?
1. If you cannot program the FPGA boot-PROM and get an error “No boot-PROM found” or “Error communication
timeout”, check the Boot-PROM requirements in paragraph 4.3.
2. If the boot-PROM programming starts but fails in the verify phase, that's because your RS-232 connection works
unreliably. With laptops, that's usually due to low-level RS-232 signals. The workaround is to use a TXDI/MAX232.
3. If the boot-PROM programming works but the FPGA fails to configure at power-up, make sure you didn't change
the programming option in your Quartus-II project (it should be “Active serial”).
FPGA RS-232 development boards Page 22
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