USB-Blaster™ and USB-Blaster II Drivers for Windows XP

You must install the Intel® FPGA USB-Blaster or Intel FPGA USB-Blaster II download cable driver before you can use the cable to program devices with Quartus® II software.

The first time you plug in the USB-Blaster or USB-Blaster II download cable, the Windows XP Found New Hardware Wizard prompts you to install the driver. (Note: Do not use the Add Hardware Wizard from the Control Panel.)

The Intel FPGA on-board USB-Blaster II cable appears as Intel FPGA USB-Blaster (unconfigured) when first attached to your system. After it has been configured by the Quartus II software, it will appear as Intel FPGA USB-Blaster II (JTAG interface), and then Intel FPGA USB-Blaster II (SystemConsole interface). You may need to install drivers for each of these interfaces in the same was as described below.

You must have system administration (Administrator) privileges to install the USB-Blaster or USB-Blaster II download cable driver.

Driver Installation for All Versions of Quartus II Software Except Versions 6.1 to 7.2

1. Plug the USB-Blaster or USB-Blaster II download cable into the PC. The Found New Hardware Wizard appears.
2. If you are prompted to answer a question about Windows XP Update, choose No, not this time and click Next.
3. Select Install from a list or specific location (Advanced) and click Next.
4. Select Don't search. I will choose the driver to install and click Next.
5. If you are prompted to Select a hardware type, keep the default selection Show All Devices, and click Next.
6. Select Intel FPGA USB-Blaster from the wizard list of hardware devices, then click Have Disk... If the device is not available in the list, click Have Disk... without selecting any device from the wizard list.
7. Click Browse... and browse to the <Path to Quartus II installation>\drivers\<cable type> directory. For USB-Blaster cables the driver is in the usb-blaster directory and for USB-Blaster II cables the driver is in the usb-blaster-ii directory.
8. Select the *.inf file in the driver directory: usbblst.inf for USB-Blaster and usb-blaster2.inf for USB-Blaster II.
9. Click Open.
10. If the hardware Intel FPGA USB-Blaster appears in the Model list, select the device.
11. Click Next in the wizard.
12. Click Continue Anyway in the warning dialog box.
13. Click Finish.
14. To complete your installation, set up programming hardware in the Quartus II software.

Driver Installation for Quartus II Software Versions 6.1 to 7.2

1. Plug the USB-Blaster or USB-Blaster II download cable into the PC. The Found New Hardware Wizard appears.
2. If you are prompted to answer a question about Windows XP Update, choose No, not this time and click Next.
3. Select Install from a list or specific location (Advanced) and click Next.
4. Select Don't search. I will choose the driver to install and click Next.
5. If you are prompted to Select a hardware type, keep the default selection Show All Devices, and click Next.
6. Select Intel FPGA USB-Blaster from the wizard list of hardware devices, then click Have Disk... If the device is not available in the list, click Have Disk... without selecting any device from the wizard list.
7. Click Browse... and browse to the <Path to Quartus II installation>\drivers\<cable type> directory. For USB-Blaster cables the driver is in the usb-blaster directory and for USB-Blaster II cables the driver is in the usb-blaster-ii directory.
8. Browse to the \x32 directory (Windows 2000/XP standard 32-bit) or \x64 directory (Windows XP 64-bit).
9. Click Open. The wizard automatically chooses the required file.
10. If the hardware Intel FPGA USB-Blaster appears in the Model list, select the device.
11. Click Next in the wizard.
12. Click Continue Anyway in the warning dialog box.
13. Click Finish.
14. To complete your installation, set up programming hardware in the Quartus II software.