General
Using GCC with MinGW for the GeMRTOS Windows Simulation
Last Updated: August 12, 2026GeMRTOS ships a Windows simulation layer that runs the same kernel sources as the FPGA target, so you can explore the API, the scheduling behaviour and the example catalogue without a board. Building it on Windows needs GCC from MSYS2 — and it needs the 32-bit toolchain specifically. This is the step most often gotten...
Error (16031): Current Internal Configuration mode does not support memory initialization or ROM. Select Internal Configuration mode with ERAM.
Last Updated: September 21, 2026This error appears when compiling a MAX 10 design whose on-chip memory has initialised contents — which is the normal case for a GeMRTOS system, because the processors’ program memory is initialised from the compiled software image. MAX 10 devices store their configuration in internal flash. Only some internal configuration modes reserve the extra flash...
newlib Thread Safety in GeMRTOS Nios V Multiprocessor RTOS
Last Updated: June 1, 2026In GeMRTOS on Altera FPGA platforms with Nios V processors, newlib functions are reentrant — but reentrancy does not guarantee thread safety. In uniprocessor multiprocessing systems, _impure_ptr is used to give newlib functions per-task reentrancy state, making them effectively thread-safe through context switching. However, in multiprocessor systems, this approach breaks down: multiple tasks can execute...
Set Up Questa-Intel FPGA Edition License for GeMRTOS Nios V
Last Updated: June 1, 2026The Questa-Intel FPGA Edition software is the simulation tool required for verifying GeMRTOS designs on Altera FPGA platforms with Nios V processors. Before launching Questa, the license must be configured using the Siemens EDA license daemon mgcld and the MGLS_LICENSE_FILE environment variable. This guide covers both supported license configuration methods: a local license file and...
Installing Nios II Software Built Tools (SBT) for Eclipse in Quartus Prime starting from version 19.1
Last Updated: May 26, 2025from https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/programmable/articles/000086893.html Description Nios® II SBT for Eclipse is not included starting from Intel® Quartus® Prime Pro and Standard Edition Software version 19.1 onwards. Resolution To install the Nios® II SBT for Eclipse, follow the steps below: 1. Download CDT 8.8.1 which is Eclipse C/C IDE for Mars.2 Note: Try the mirror links if the main source link doesn’t work. 2. Extract the downloaded...
Fix Quartus Prime 23.1 Fatal Error When Creating ALTPLL IP
Last Updated: June 1, 2026In Quartus Prime Standard Edition v23.1, a fatal error occurs when attempting to create an ALTPLL IP using the MegaWizard Plug-In Manager. This is a known bug in v23.1 that affects GeMRTOS Nios V FPGA design flows relying on PLL IP generation. Intel has released a patch to resolve it. Issue Description Due to a...
Fix Missing SDRAM Controller IP in Quartus Prime for GeMRTOS
Last Updated: June 1, 2026The altera_avalon_new_sdram_controller IP for the DE2-115 board was removed from Quartus Prime starting with version 18. If your GeMRTOS Nios V or Nios II project uses this SDRAM controller in a Qsys (Platform Designer) system, compilation will fail even if the IP component folder is present in the project’s /ip directory. Issue Description The altera_avalon_new_sdram_controller...
GeMRTOS Nios: Fix 256MB Compile Boundary with -relax-all
Last Updated: June 1, 2026When building a GeMRTOS project with the Nios II toolchain, the linker may fail if functions are located in memory addresses more than 256MB apart. This occurs because the Nios II compiler uses the call instruction, which has a 256MB address boundary limitation. The fix is to use the -relax-all option, which switches to the...
Questa Simulation Setup for GeMRTOS Nios V: Two Common Fixes
Last Updated: June 1, 2026Since Quartus Prime version 22, Questa has replaced ModelSim as the simulation tool in the Quartus Prime Suite. While NativeLink simulation techniques are the same as ModelSim, two common issues arise when first setting up Questa for GeMRTOS Nios V FPGA simulation on Windows. Issue 1: Questa Requires a License Questa software requires a valid...
Quartus Warning 113015: mem_init.hex Width Mismatch BSP Fix
Last Updated: June 1, 2026When building a GeMRTOS Nios V/II project, Quartus may emit Warning (113015) during compilation if memory initialization files generated by the mem_init_generate make target have a record length that does not match the memory data port width. The fix requires a one-line change to the BSP’s mem_init.mk file. Issue Description This warning appears when using...
GeMRTOS Secondary Processors Not Booting: nios2-download Fix
Last Updated: June 2, 2026In GeMRTOS multiprocessor RTOS systems on Altera FPGA platforms with Nios V processors, you may find that only processor ID=1 starts correctly after downloading software with nios2-download, while all other processors fail to launch. This is a known boot sequence issue caused by how nios2-download handles the CPU reset across multiple processors. Root Cause Prior...
Fix Quartus Prime System Console: jvm.dll and awt.dll Errors
Last Updated: June 1, 2026After installing Quartus Prime on Windows, the System Console may fail to launch with errors referencing jvm.dll or awt.dll. This happens because the Visual C++ runtime DLLs required by Quartus Prime’s embedded JRE are not in the search path that System Console uses when loading its libraries. The fix is a one-time manual copy of...
Eclipse does not start after full Quartus Prime instalation
Last Updated: October 28, 2024The following instructions are also included in the <Intel Quartus installation directory>/nios2eds/bin/README QUARTUS ECLIPSE MANUAL INSTALLATION