You must install the Altera® USB-BlasterTM or Altera USB-Blaster II download cable driver before you can use the cable to program devices with Quartus® II software.
The first time you plug in the USB-Blaster or USB-Blaster II download cable, the Windows XP Found New Hardware Wizard prompts you to install the driver. (Note: Do not use the Add HardwareWizard from the Control Panel.)
The Altera on-board USB-Blaster II cable appears as Altera USB-Blaster (unconfigured) when first attached to your system. After it has been configured by the Quartus II software, it will appear as Altera USB-Blaster II (JTAG interface), and then Altera USB-Blaster II (SystemConsole interface). You may need to install drivers for each of these interfaces in the same was as described below.
May 17, 2019 Altera USB Blaster, USBASP, Disable driver signature enforcement. Yes, hello there, I need help, I want to use altera usb blaster for my projects with FPGA, and it seems the driver is saying 'device descriptor request failure'. I've installed the quartus, and tried to disable driver signature enforcement by going to advanced option by holding. For Windows 10, do the following: Plug the USB-Blaster into your PC. Open the Device and Printers (Control Panel Devices and Printers). Under Unspecified, USB Blaster should be listed. Right mouse click on this and then select Properties. Select the Hardware tab and select Properties. A new window should pop up with the General tab already. Quartus / USB Blaster / Windows 10 blue screen of death. I previously used Quartus II Web Edition 14 on my desktop Win 7 with my clone USB Blaster without issue. Since upgrading to Win 10 I get blue screens when trying to use the Blaster. I've got the latest Quartus Prime Lite 15.1 and still have the same problem with the drivers.
You must have system administration (Administrator) privileges to install the USB-Blaster or USB-Blaster II download cable driver.