Out of memory error

[Altera_Forum]

following is the error i'm getting when i run fitter. 

"Out of memory in module quartus_fit (2147 megabytes used) while running 32-bit Quartus II 32-bit on a 64-bit OS platform. Please use the 64-bit Quartus II 32-bit to increase memory capacity. [mohat3@north phy1]$ "   I've attached a screenshot of it too.,   COULD anyone tell me if it is because of the processor (data width) or the RAM, I am asking this cause I am able to run it successfully sometimes but not always.   It's kinda urgent PLZ help.

[Altera_Forum]

Why not try reading the error? you need the 64-bit edition of quartus.

[Altera_Forum]

@TRICKY  

ofcourse i understand the msg., but my question is why is it that i'm not getting this error always. I am using the same file the same constraints and the qsf too., if it was a processor related error then it shouldnt be ever possible to run it right?

[Altera_Forum]

if you dont have the minimum required memory available (3GB for larger Arria2 and smaller Stratix4, and more for larger devices) you just have to cross your fingers.

[Altera_Forum]

I am targetting it to a stratix 5 device., i have to meet around 220MHZ for the design., so wat is the minimum RAM space i need to have?? 

and if i can add more ram to the system then can i continue using the 32bit version??

[Altera_Forum]

No you will need a 64-bit OS if you want to use more than 3Gb of memory. What Stratix5 device are you targetting? The bigger the device the more RAM you need.

[Altera_Forum]

ok thank you :) 

I am targetting it to 5SGXEA7 series,

[Altera_Forum]

32-bit Quartus 2 can only access 4gb of ram, regardless of how much there is available. 

 IIRC, the larger Stratix 5 devices need 12GB of ram mimum.

[Altera_Forum]

ok thanks a lot :)

[Altera_Forum]

you can find RAM requirements here: 

 http://www.altera.com/literature/lit-qts.jsp  in:  Quartus II Software version 11.1 SP 1 Device Support Release Notes

[Altera_Forum]

Remember that everything in your PC is memory mapped. So with a 32-bit OS it has a total of 4GB to work with. All the little controllers on the motherboard, registers of your drives, PCI/PCIe cards including graphics, etc... all get placed in that 4GB address space. So to compile for large FPGAs you need a substantial amount of memory and a 64-bit OS (and 64-bit processor) to make sure it's addressable. 

 You are probably on the hairy edge of running out of addressable memory when the compile does complete. For a Stratix V design you are going nowhere using a 32-bit OS in my opinion.