While working with Power BI, you might encounter memory allocation failure which can be frustrating and time-consuming to troubleshoot. However, there are several steps you can take to identify and fix the memory allocation error in Power BI.
This error is one of the most common issues faced by Power BI users. It often occurs when the Power BI application runs out of memory to allocate for a specific task, especially when analyzing large datasets.
In this article, I will walk you through the troubleshooting process and explore solutions to solving the memory allocation failure error on Power BI Desktop.
Let’s go!
Understand the Causes of Memory Allocation Failure
Before you can fix memory allocation failure in Power BI Desktop, you need to understand its causes. This error occurs when the application runs out of memory while trying to complete a task.
This can happen for different reasons, such as loading large amounts of data or running complex calculations.
Also, it can be caused by insufficient system resources, such as low Random Access Memory (RAM) or a slow processor of your computer.
Hence, by identifying the root cause of the issue, you can take steps to fix this error, or prevent it from happening in the future.
Now that you have understood the possible causes of the memory allocation error in Power BI, the following are a few things you can try to fix the error in Power BI:
Increase the Memory of your Computer
One of the ways to fix memory allocation failure error in Power BI is to increase the memory capacity of the computer. You can do this by adding more RAM to your computer or upgrading to a computer with a higher memory capacity.
Also, you can fix this error by closing other applications and processes to free up memory for Power BI.
Hence, by increasing the memory of your computer, you can provide more resources for Power BI to use, which can improve performance and reduce the risk of memory allocation errors.
Optimize your Data Model
Another common cause of memory allocation failure in Power BI Desktop is an inefficient data model. If your data model is too complex or contains unnecessary data, it can put a strain on your system resources and cause the application to crash.
To optimize your data model, start by removing any unnecessary columns or tables. You can also try splitting large tables into smaller ones or using filters to limit the amount of data that is loaded into memory.
Additionally, consider using calculated columns instead of measures, as they are less resource-intensive, which can improve performance and reduce the risk of memory allocation failure.
Use a 64-bit version of Power BI
If you are using a 32-bit version of Power BI, you may want to switch to the 64-bit version which can access more memory.
It is also important to ensure that you are using the latest version of Power BI, as software updates may include performance improvements and bug fixes that can help prevent memory errors.
Consider using Power BI Premium
Finally, if you are working with large Power BI datasets, you may want to consider using the Premium version, as it offers higher memory limits than the standard version of Power BI.
Conclusion
The memory allocation failure error can be a frustrating issue for Power BI users, especially when dealing with large datasets. However, there are several solutions available to fix this issue as explained in this article.
By learning and implementing these solutions, you can avoid memory allocation failure error and create insightful reports and visualizations with ease.
I hope you enjoyed reading this article. You can also read about the common causes of broken custom themes in Power BI and how to fix them.
Happy analyzing!