Actel Silicon Explorer II User Manual page 34

Appendix D: Troubleshooting
28
• Third-party serial port "enhancers" do not conform to windows
API.
Q: I've got the IDLE message, but when I click on Run, the Silicon
Explorer II window flashes an error message and returns to IDLE.
Why?
A: If the target power is incapable of supplying the necessary current,
then Silicon Explorer II resets and returns to IDLE. Many current-
limiting supplies will trip when set too close to the operating
current.
Q: The Analyze module acquires data and then indicates errors on
read-back. Why?
A: The Analyze module bursts data back in blocks at high speeds,
with built-in retry for a bad block (it uses both checksum and byte
count). Some third-party serial programs block all interrupts,
forcing the analyzer into a retry loop.
Some laptops power down the UART and drop a few characters.
Try disabling "Power Saving" in the CMOS setup menu.
Q: When the Explore window is open, my other Windows programs
run slowly. Why?
A: If the Explore window is open but not connected or powered up,
then the system is constantly timing out looking for a response.
Either close the SE II window or change the COM port to DEMO.
Q: I get a message "Device Timed out" when I try to assign a
particular signal to the Probe pins. Why?
A: This message gives us an indication that the power is not sufficient
for the Silicon Explorer and as a solution you would have to add a
separate power source for the Silicon Explorer. Refer to "Powering
Silicon Explorer II" on page 3 for more information.
Q: I have assigned an internal signal to PRA and PRB but the PRA and
PRB light is not blinking on the Probe Pilot. Is this normal?
A: The PRA and the PRB light on the Probe Pilot are just an indication
of the logic level of that assigned internal signal. If the assigned
internal net is at permanent logic 0, the light on the Probe Pilot for
the corresponding probe will not glow.