COMSOL Multiphysics™

Solver Error Messages
These error messages can appear during solution and appear on the Log tab in the
Progress window.
TABLE 2-7: SOLVER ERROR MESSAGES IN LOG WINDOW
SOLVER ERROR MESSAGE
Cannot meet error
tolerances. Increase
absolute or relative
tolerance.
Error in residual
computation
Error in Jacobian
computation
Failed to find a solution
Failed to find a solution
for all parameters, even
when using the minimum
parameter step
Failed to find a solution
for initial parameter
Failed to find consistent
initial values
Ill-conditioned
preconditioner. Increase
factor in error estimate
to X
EXPLANATION
The time-dependent solver cannot solve the model to the
specified accuracy.
The evaluation of the residual or the Jacobian generated an
error during a time-dependent solution. An additional
message states the direct error. Some possible reasons are
division by zero, range and overflow errors in mathematical
functions, and interpolation failure in coupling variables
with time-dependent mesh transformation.
The nonlinear solver failed to converge. An additional
error message gives some more details. See the description
for that message.
During a parametric solution, the nonlinear iteration did
not converge despite reducing the parameter step length
to the minimum allowed value. The solution may have
reached a turning point or bifurcation point.
The nonlinear solver failed to converge for the initial value
of the parameter during a parametric solution. An
additional error message gives some more details. See the
description for that message.
The time-dependent solver could not modify the initial
conditions given to a DAE system to satisfy the stationary
equations at the initial time. Make sure the initial values
satisfy the equations and boundary conditions. In many
cases, this can be achieved by solving for only the algebraic
variables using a stationary solver before starting the
time-dependent solver.
The preconditioner is ill-conditioned. The error in the
solution might not be within tolerances. To be sure to have
a correct solution, open the Linear System Solver Settings
dialog box from the General tab of Solver Parameters.
Select Linear system solver in the tree, and increase Factor
in error estimate to the suggested number X. Alternatively,
use a better preconditioner or tune the settings for the
preconditioner.
ERROR MESSAGES | 421