Flash "error bit is set to 1 in status register" problem on Spartan III / OP5142

Question:

When I try to flash my Spartan III card found on a TestDrive card or to flash the OP5142 of my simulator, I get this error after accepting to flash by pressing "y":

*Error bit is set to 1 in status register <2f800100>   Exiting.

The same problem can show a behavior where one of the TestDrive card (except the Base Module (BM) and the OP6228) always has the red LED on. Swapping the Spartan III mezzanine from one TestDrive card to another shows that the problem follows the Spartan III.

When I do a flash_update -bim, the card is detected as:

          R: VendorId             = 504f
          R: ProdMinorId       = 5
          R: ProdMajorId       = 7ff   (this is the important thing, the ProdMajorId is given as 7ff)
          R: DeviceRelease = 4
          R: SlotId                   = 3
          R: ChassisId          = 6
          R: CableId               = 1f
          R: NodeId                = 3

Finally, when looking at the Spartan III while it is powered, I see the following LED sequence:

LED1 & LED11 : Red

LED7 & LED14 : Green

LED9 : Yellow (blinking)

All other LEDs are off.

Please consult this KB article for a global description of each LED: http://www.opal-rt.com/kb-article/op5142-leds

What can I do?

Answer:

This problem can be related to a missing jumper on the Spartan III / OP5142 board. You must verify that JUMP3 jumper is set in position 2-3. For your reference, pin 1 is marked with a small white dot on the PCB. Add this jumper and try to flash the card again.