Accessing SheevaPlug Serial (JTAG) Console from Windows7

[nhoeller]

I needed to get the serial console (JTAG) working to resolve a SheevaPlug problem but had recently upgraded to Windows7 Pro 64-bit.  The TeraTerm drives provided on the SheevaPlug CD did not work - although they installed, I was not able to get the drivers to start. 

I found instructions at http://apvsbr700.blogspot.ca/2010/04/connecting-to-sheevaplug-using-windows.html that pointed me in the right direction.  I downloaded the 2.08.28 setup executable from http://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/VCP.htm.  It contains both the 32-bit and 64-bit drivers and installs them in the correct place where Windows will find them.  I connected the JTAG cable to a USB port.  Windows recognized the USB devices (JTAG1.jpg in attached ZIP), checked Windows Update for drivers and then loaded the correct drivers installed earlier (JTAG2.jpg).  The Device Manager showed USB devices USB Converter A and USB Converter B along with USB Serial Port COM11 (JTAG3.jpg).  The serial port may be different depending on your system configuration.  The instructions above indicated that USB Converter B needed to have Load VCP enabled in Properties/Advanced, but this option was already enabled in my case.

I was able to successfully access the SheevaPlug using Putty: Serial connection, COM11, speed 11520 (JTAG5.jpg).

It is a good idea to set up serial console access before you actually need it.  In my case, the SheevaPlug was constantly rebooting causing the JTAG port to 'flap'.

[odoll]

Any idea how to get the driver working with W8 Prof 64b?!

I had JTAG working with W7, but I recently upgraded to W8. As the system found no appropriate driver I was 'clever' enough ;-) to find the site http://www.ftdichip.com/Products/ICs/FT2232D.htm myself and download the file "CDM 2.08.28 WHQL Certified.zip" and tried to apply the drivers from this source.

But again no luck. While further digging into the issue I noticed that the *.inf files in the "CDM 2.04.16_SHEEVA" package also list the devices

ftdibus.inf:
%USB\VID_9E88&PID_9E8F.DeviceDesc%=FtdiBus.NT,USB\VID_9E88&PID_9E8F
%USB\VID_9E88&PID_9E8F&MI_00.DeviceDesc%=FtdiBus.NT,USB\VID_9E88&PID_9E8F&MI_00
%USB\VID_9E88&PID_9E8F&MI_01.DeviceDesc%=FtdiBus.NT,USB\VID_9E88&PID_9E8F&MI_01
[...]
USB\VID_9E88&PID_9E8F.DeviceDesc="USB Serial Converter"
USB\VID_9E88&PID_9E8F&MI_00.DeviceDesc="USB Serial Converter A"
USB\VID_9E88&PID_9E8F&MI_01.DeviceDesc="USB Serial Converter B"

ftdiport.inf:
%VID_9E88&PID_9E8F.DeviceDesc%=FtdiPort2232.NT,FTDIBUS\COMPORT&VID_9E88&PID_9E8F
[...]
VID_9E88&PID_9E8F.DeviceDesc="USB Serial Port"


Thinking being 'clever' again I simply added those entries to the *.inf files of the "CDM 2.08.28 WHQL Certified.zip" package.

I seem to be one step further as W8 start the installation of the drivers, now, but it stops a bit later with a message complaining that the hash values of the files don't match (as they may have been [illegally] modified -and the may be right here ;-)

Unfortunately I'm stuck at this point. Any idea who to correct this or how to get hold of a working driver which supports the SheevaPlug and Windows 8!?!

[odoll]

PS: I sent the following email to Future Technology Devices International Limited (support1@ftdichip.com) in the UK:

Am 24.03.2013 21:14, schrieb odoll:
> To Whom it may concern,
>
> I'm owner of GlobalScale SheevaPlug and was able to use the "FTDI CDM
> Drivers 2.04.16 Revision" driver "CDM 2.04.16_SHEEVA" to access the
> device via JTAG with Windows XP and Windows 7.
>
> However I recently upgraded to Windows 8 Prof 64b and I found the above
> driver no longer working.
>
> Looking for a recent driver I ran into your "CDM 2.08.28 WHQL Certified"
> version, which should support W8, but it doesn't work neither.
>
> Looking into the INF files (and comparing the VID & PID #s) I see the
> new version does not list those related the SheevaPlug any longer.
>
> May I kindly ask if you would be able (and willing to provide a W8
> compatible driver which also still supports the SheevaPlug with the
>
> \VID_9E88&PID_9E8F&MI_00\6&1D9A809B&0&0000
> \VID_9E88&PID_9E8F&MI_01\6&1D9A809B&0&0001
>
> As we still have a big group of people using the SheevaPlug for some
> time I think this would be very much appreciated by the community.

[nhoeller]

@odoll, I had a lot of problems on Win7 trying to update the drivers from the ZIP file.  The installer at http://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/CDM/CDM20828_Setup.exe worked a lot better.  I removed all instances of the old drivers, removed the JTAG cable, ran the setup and then inserted the JTAG cable.  After checking Windows Update, Windows eventually found the pre-installed drivers.  I do not have Win8 so have not been able to test whether this works.

[odoll]

Tried that one as well - and did it again, just now - maybe still doing something wrong (!?), but no, doesn't work for me. If I unpack the EXE the package contains the same INF-Files as the 2.08.28 ZIP file. BUt my W8 system reports the SheevaPlag devices as

VID_9E88&PID_9E8F&MI_00\6&1D9A809B&0&0000
VID_9E88&PID_9E8F&MI_01\6&1D9A809B&0&0001

which are not included.