Why does the QSPI_ERASE or AsmiSectorErase command fail with error 0x3FF when issued through the Mailbox Client Intel® Stratix® 10 FPGA IP or Intel Stratix 10 Serial Flash Mailbox Client Intel FPGA IP respectively?

Due to a problem with the  Mailbox Client Intel® Stratix® 10 FPGA IP and Intel Stratix 10 Serial Flash Mailbox Client Intel FPGA IP in the Intel® Quartus® Prime Pro Edition Software version 18.1 Update 1, issuing a QSPI_ERASE or AsmiSectorErase command in the respective IP might fail with error 0x3FF.

To work around this problem, use the opcode to perform a sector erase. The following script is an example flow using TCL:

# Enable “Write Enable”

master_write_32 $m $AsmiWrEnable 0x1

# Write 4 byte (depending on the byte addressing)

master_write_32 $m $AsmiNumbByte 0x4

# Write the control (opcode) – Opcode varies for different flash devices. Check the flash datasheet to get the correct opcode. An incorrect value may result in a corrupted flash.

set control 0xDC000021

master_write_32 $m $AsmiControl $control

# Write address to perform sector erase to the lower 4 data

master_write_32 $m $AsmiWriteData0 $addr

This problem is fixed starting from Intel® Quartus® Prime Pro Edition Software version 19.1.