*** Hardware Malfunction *** NMI - Parity Check / Memory Parity Error

The Dell Diagnostics should be on the Resource CD that came with your computer.  If you can find that, you can download a version that will create the Diagnostics on a set of floppy disks -

Steve

Did you find an answer to this problem?

On and off (5 or 6 times) since March I have received the same error message on my 8100.  In March I installed a clean version of XP on reformatted HD.  Is this another case of the E button, which only afflicted Dimenson 8100 computers (no other make or model of computer affected) when XP is installed?

I have run the diagnostic disks CD110910.exe (The Diagnostic CD issued with the computer, would not function) with no memory problems being highlighted.

So which is to be believed the Error Message or the Diagnostics Check?

Derek Nicholson

Hi,

A cheap way to test rdram is buy 2 continuity modules...

ie. 128mb ram in slot 1 & 2, and a continuity module in 3 & 4, trying a different configuration each time until the error's gone

You could buy them Direct from Dell, or the cheapest would be to buy them off Ebay...

heres the link

http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?cgiurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcgi.ebay.com%2Fws%2F&krd=1&from=R8&MfcISAPICommand=GetResult&ht=1&SortProperty=MetaEndSort&query=continuity+modules

hope this helps :)

My problem is intermittent.  Therefore, it is unlikely that the problem is present at the time of running the maintenance disks.

I tried the suggestion of entering the BIOS setup and pressing Alt+E while the Scroll, Caps and Num lock lights were illuminated.

This appears to worked, however I am a belt and braces man. Therefore I have removed the memory modules and gently cleaned the contacts with a soft cloth, in any case removing and re-inserting these modules will clean the contacts.

Derek Nicholson

Update on my last post.  After removing and re-iserting my memory modules the problem persisted.

I replaced my 256 MB memory with 512 MB (Modules purchased from Dell, using my TAG number so are of the correct type, speed etc.).  Surprise!Surprise!! "NMI - Parity Check / Memory Parity Error"  problem persists.

Since the trouble only began after upgrading my OS from ME to XP Home ( clean installation, HD reformatted), I find it difficult to believe it is a hardware problem.

The error message only appears occasonally when I shut the computer down, otherwise the computer performs nomally.  So it looks as if I will have to live with this anomaly until some bright Dell contributer finds a solution.

Derek Nicholson

This is a good free utility for checking your memory.

http://www.memtest86.com/

I think I have now resolved my problem.  When I changed from ME to XP (clean installation, reformatting the HD) I understand that the Dell chipset driver was removed.  After re-installing the Dell chipset driver, the  NMI - Parity Check / Memory Parity Error problem on shutdown appears to have ceased.

Derek

Enter to BIOS SETUP with F2 and go to VIDEO OPTIONS and select de PEG option. SAVE AND QUIT!!