Windows 7 (64 bit), Windows Vista (64 bit) and Windows XP (64 bit) operating systems do not support ByteBlaster cables. To use the Intel FPGA Download Cable II on Windows XP, you must update Windows XP to SP2 or later. A driver is required if the T-guard is connected to a parallel port other than LPT1. (Get additional information.). Windows Altera Usb Blaster free download - Sound Blaster Audigy DriverPack (2000/XP), HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool, USB Network Gate, and many more programs.

I started playing around with FPGA development using the Terasic DE0 development board recently and the first problem I encountered was the installation of the USB blaster driver. As far as I know there is no problem in installing the driver on Windows 7 but if you are using Windows 8 or 8.1 then you probably ran into the problem of Windows not allowing you to install unsigned drivers. I lost a significant amount of time to make the driver work on Windows 8.1 so to speed things up for you, here is what you do.

First, you need to obtain the driver to be installed. You probably already have it if you installed Quartus II, it comes with the installation. On my system it is located in:

C:altera15.0quartusdriversusb-blaster

Now, if you follow the instruction from Altera USB blaster install you probably get to step 8 of the instructions after which you are not prompted with a window mentioned on step 9. This is due to the fact that Windows 8 doesn’t allow you to install unsigned drivers by default so you need to disable this security option.

press Windows key and type in “Change advanced startup options”, and enter the options. You should see the following window (click on the picture to enlarge)

Advanced startup options – Recovery – Advanced startup

Go to Recovery and under Advanced startup locate Restart now. Before you click on it save whatever stuff you need to save since the restart is (almost) immediate. After you click on the button you will be prompted with a window providing you with a few options. Choose:

Troubleshoot -> Advanced options -> Startup Settings -> Restart

After restarting you will be prompted with another window that will provide you some other options. Choose:

7) Disable driver signature enforcement

Having all that in mind, now press the Restart now button from the screenshot above.

After restart try to install the USB blaster driver. Plug in the device, fire up Device Manager, locate the USB-blaster device and click on Update Driver Software.

On the new window that opens choose Browse my computer for driver software.

Choose to manually install the driver

In the next window, locate the driver and click Next.

Enter/browse for the location of the USB blaster driver. It’s in the Quartus II installation folder.

After the Window successfully finds the driver you should be prompted with the window:

Click on Install. When the driver installs you should see it installed in the Device Manager:

To check that Quartus II can now use the driver, open up Quartus II and go to:

Tools -> Programmer

Altera Usb Blaster Ii Driver Windows 10

A window will open. Click on Hardware Setup:

A new window will open. In the drop down menu choose USB blaster.

Quatus II – Programmer – Hardware setup window

Altera Usb Blaster Driver Win 10

Click Close. In the Programmer window you should now see the USB blaster selected as a programmer.

Quartus II – Programmer window with USB blaster selected

That’s it! The driver is installed and you can now program the FPGA board.

Altera Usb Blaster Driver Windows 10