Description
Please check the following statement in your <module_name>_sw.tcl:
set_sw_property min_compatible_hw_version <version_number>
The <version_number> would be compared to hardware version instead of Quartus® II version number. The hardware version is assigned in <module_name>_hw.tcl as well as by Version parameter in Component Editor's "Library Info" page.
If the hardware version is less than the <version_number> set in "set_sw_property min_compatible_hw_version <version_number>" statement, alt_sys_init.c will not initialize the device driver automatically. Therefore you will fail to open the device.
Set the device driver minimum compatible version less than or equal to the hardware version.