"usb bulk write failed" errors flashing Tang Nano 9k

[silversquirl]

This definitely worked a few months ago, but I've changed laptops since then and now it doesn't:

$ openFPGALoader -b tangnano9k --verbose-level=2 build/counter.fs
empty
Jtag frequency : requested 6.00MHz   -> real 6.00MHz  
Raw IDCODE:
- 0 -> 0x1100481b
- 1 -> 0xffffffff
Fetched TDI, end-of-chain
found 1 devices
index 0:
        idcode 0x100481b
        manufacturer Gowin
        family GW1N
        model  GW1N(R)-9C
        irlength 8
File type : fs
Parse file Parse build/counter.fs: 
checksum 0x76e7
Done
DONE
bitstream header infos
CRCCheck: ON
Compress: OFF
ConfDataLength: 712
LoadingRate: 2500000
ProgramDoneBypass: OFF
SPIAddr: 00fff000
SecurityBit: ON
idcode: 1100481b
before program sram: displayReadReg 0003f020
        Memory Erase
        Gowin VLD
        Done Final
        Security Final
        Ready
        POR
        FLASH lock
Erase SRAM before erase sram: displayReadReg 0003f020
        Memory Erase
        Gowin VLD
        Done Final
        Security Final
        Ready
        POR
        FLASH lock
pollFlag: 3f0a0 (80)
pollFlag: 3d080 (0)
pollFlag: 3d080 (0)
pollFlag: 3d080 (0)
pollFlag: 390a0 (20)
after erase sram: displayReadReg 000390a0
        Memory Erase
        System Edit Mode
        Gowin VLD
        Ready
        POR
        FLASH lock
pollFlag: 39020 (0)
Load SRAM before write sram: displayReadReg 00039020
        Memory Erase
        Gowin VLD
        Ready
        POR
        FLASH lock
mpsse_write: fail to write with error -1 (usb bulk write failed)
mpsse_write: fail to write with error -1 (usb bulk write failed)
mpsse_store: fails to first flush -1 usb bulk write failed
mpsse_write: fail to write with error -1 (usb bulk write failed)
mpsse_store: fails to first flush -1 usb bulk write failed
mpsse_write: fail to write with error -1 (usb bulk write failed)
mpsse_write: fail to write with error -1 (usb bulk write failed)
mpsse_store: fails to first flush -1 usb bulk write failed
mpsse_write: fail to write with error -1 (usb bulk write failed)
mpsse_store: fails to first flush -1 usb bulk write failed
mpsse_write: fail to write with error -1 (usb bulk write failed)
mpsse_write: fail to write with error -1 (usb bulk write failed)
mpsse_store: fails to first flush -1 usb bulk write failed
mpsse_write: fail to write with error -1 (usb bulk write failed)
mpsse_store: fails to first flush -1 usb bulk write failed
mpsse_write: fail to write with error -1 (usb bulk write failed)
mpsse_write: fail to write with error -1 (usb bulk write failed)
mpsse_store: fails to first flush -1 usb bulk write failed
mpsse_write: fail to write with error -1 (usb bulk write failed)
mpsse_store: fails to first flush -1 usb bulk write failed
mpsse_write: fail to write with error -1 (usb bulk write failed)
mpsse_write: fail to write with error -1 (usb bulk write failed)
mpsse_store: fails to first flush -1 usb bulk write failed
mpsse_write: fail to write with error -1 (usb bulk write failed)
[... continues indefinitely ...]

[silversquirl]

If left alone for several minutes, it finally does actually stop and print this:

mpsse_store: fails to first flush -1 usb bulk write failed
mpsse_read: fail to store with error: -1 (usb bulk write failed)
mpsse_write: fail to write with error -1 (usb bulk write failed)
mpsse_store: fails to first flush -1 usb bulk write failed
mpsse_write: fail to write with error -1 (usb bulk write failed)
mpsse_store: fails to first flush -1 usb bulk write failed
mpsse_write: fail to write with error -1 (usb bulk write failed)
mpsse_store: fails to first flush -1 usb bulk write failed
mpsse_write: fail to write with error -1 (usb bulk write failed)
mpsse_store: fails to first flush -1 usb bulk write failed
mpsse_read: fail to store with error: -1 (usb bulk write failed)
mpsse_write: fail to write with error -1 (usb bulk write failed)
mpsse_store: fails to first flush -1 usb bulk write failed
after write sram: displayReadReg 00000000
FAIL
mpsse_write: fail to write with error -1 (usb bulk write failed)
mpsse_store: fails to first flush -1 usb bulk write failed
mpsse_write: fail to write with error -1 (usb bulk write failed)
mpsse_store: fails to first flush -1 usb bulk write failed
mpsse_read: fail to store with error: -1 (usb bulk write failed)
Loopback failed, expect problems on later runs -1
unable to config pins : -1 unable to configure bitbang mode. Perhaps not a BM/2232C type chip?

I've tried with multiple different known-good cables, so it's unlikely to be that. Not really sure how to debug this.

[loopj]

I'm seeing this exact same issue on an M2 Macbook Air and openFPGALoader v0.11.0

[trabucayre]

Could you paste dmesg output when you plug the device? This problem seems related to low level layer.

[loopj]

This seems to be related to using a usb hub, plugging into the computer directly with a known good cable solves the issue.

[trabucayre]

Weird: I have bought an 9k to do some tests. I have a long USB extender and and usb switch + usb cable and not seen anything like that. Problem is definitively related to hardware...

[hackguy25]

I'm having the same issue on the Raspberry Pi 4 with 64-bit Raspberry Pi OS. I tried different USB cables and flashing fails in a similar manner on all of them. I will try with a laptop instead, and post an update.

[trabucayre]

Could you share dmesg output. By the past FTDI implementation was really unstable with raspberryPI.

[hackguy25]

Sometimes it works:

[  172.736329] usb 1-1.3: new full-speed USB device number 3 using xhci_hcd
[  172.838286] usb 1-1.3: not running at top speed; connect to a high speed hub
[  172.846288] usb 1-1.3: New USB device found, idVendor=0403, idProduct=6010, bcdDevice= 5.00
[  172.846308] usb 1-1.3: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
[  172.846321] usb 1-1.3: Product: JTAG Debugger
[  172.846331] usb 1-1.3: Manufacturer: SIPEED
[  172.846340] usb 1-1.3: SerialNumber: FactoryAIOT Pro
[  172.973783] usbcore: registered new interface driver usbserial_generic
[  172.973831] usbserial: USB Serial support registered for generic
[  172.983869] usbcore: registered new interface driver ftdi_sio
[  172.983939] usbserial: USB Serial support registered for FTDI USB Serial Device
[  172.984059] ftdi_sio 1-1.3:1.0: FTDI USB Serial Device converter detected
[  172.984246] usb 1-1.3: Detected FT2232C/D
[  172.989666] usb 1-1.3: FTDI USB Serial Device converter now attached to ttyUSB0
[  172.989880] ftdi_sio 1-1.3:1.1: FTDI USB Serial Device converter detected
[  172.989931] usb 1-1.3: Detected FT2232C/D
[  172.993157] usb 1-1.3: FTDI USB Serial Device converter now attached to ttyUSB1

Sometimes it errors out:

[  488.070602] usb 1-1.2: new full-speed USB device number 4 using xhci_hcd
[  488.172511] usb 1-1.2: not running at top speed; connect to a high speed hub
[  488.176511] usb 1-1.2: config index 0 descriptor too short (expected 55, got 9)
[  488.176518] usb 1-1.2: config 1 has 0 interfaces, different from the descriptor's value: 2
[  488.179767] usb 1-1.2: string descriptor 0 read error: -75
[  488.179774] usb 1-1.2: New USB device found, idVendor=0403, idProduct=6010, bcdDevice= 5.00
[  488.179779] usb 1-1.2: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
[  488.180760] usb 1-1.2: can't set config #1, error -75

I used a different USB port here, but it doesn't seem to be linked to a specific USB port.