Which ISE for AVNET Spartan 3A kit

I suspect it is only supported by the old Xilinx (Webpack) ISE. To run that may need Windows 7 in a virtual machine as it is known to have issues with modern versions of Windows.

Perhaps not worth the hassle for some, but it's probably still a decent FPGA for simple tasks.

For Spartan 3-A, I recommend using Xilinx ISE Webpack 12.2 or 12.4.  The last time I looked (many years ago), the Xilinx web site had legacy versions of their software available for download.  I think they have both Windows and GNU/Linux versions.

I have found it best to use Xilinx software that was current when your FPGA family was first released.  Xilinx has many parts, and it's not practical for Xilinx to test all their old parts with each new software release.  So you see regression, where things that used to work don't any more.  It you use the software that was current when your FPGA was released, that software was extensively tested with the new FPGA family.

I really like the Spartan-3A.  It's a very clean architecture -- much easier to understand than Spartan-6 and later.  It would be nice if you can keep using the old board.

If you are just looking to learn Verilog, VHDL, or FPGA design techniques, then any tool and any board will do. However, the tools have changed pretty dramatically since Spartan-3A. If you want to take advantage of Vivado, Vitis, or any of the latest machine learning examples, then it is well worth updating your board. If you choose to update, I suggest the Ultra96-V2. We have a workshop coming up in August that would help jumpstart you.

Ultra96-V2 Workshop: Session 1: Setup with Xilinx Tools

If you decide to move forward with the Spartan-3A, then

• Go to www.xilinx.com/download
• Select ISE archive
• Select ISE 14.7 Windows 10
• Download the 15.52 GB archive, decompress, and install

Bryan

Thanks for your helpful answer!  Is there a middleway kit between spartan 3 and this Ultra96-v2?  With some useful course available if possible.

There is a lot of ground between Spartan 3 and Zynq ZUxx.

What do you want to learn?

The Digilent ARTY-S7 might be something to consider. It hosts a Spartan-S7 FPGA and was roadtested (twice) here on E14. Those roadtests work very well as tutorials because people tend to write unbiased about issues and always have good examples going on.

The Spartan S7 FPGA is a much more advanced FPGA design compared to the Spartan3 series and is at least similar to the logic section of the 1st generation Zync devices. 

It seems I can't make this work. There is no AVProg utility available anymore.

It is getting similar with Spartan 6. The Xilinx IDE stale. Many kits aren't supported any longer. Examples and bitstream loaders are disappearing from the internet.

I'm certain that I have a copy of AVPROG archived somewhere, but that honestly may be more trouble than it is worth. AVPROG was created as an alternative before the Xilinx iMPACT tools advanced further. You can use Xilinx tools through a standard JTAG cable and bypass the AVPROG. If you really want to try AVPROG, let me know and I will find a spot to upload it for you.

For the cost of a MiniZed or PYNQ-Z2 or Ultra96-V2, you may find that a small investment saves you a lot of headaches and time as you begin the learning process.

Bryan