# memory parity error



## deki

Dell tech support is useless and their forum is impossible to even make an account in so i come to you guys.

Basicaly my computer crashes and i get the following error message on a blue screen when i play the game STALKER shadow of chernobyl for longer then 10 minutes:

***Hardware Malfunction
Call your hardware vendor for support
NMI: Parity Check/Memory Parity Error
***The System has Halted***

Like i said i have a dell laptop (inspiron 9400), specs:
1GB RAM
Intel Core 2 Duo 1.83GHz
GeForce Go 7900GS 256MB
Windows XP


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## MunkyPhil

Take a look at THIS.

Hope it helps


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## TheMatt

Hi, :wave:

Try running the laptop with only one RAM stick, and then the other. It could be a bad DIMM.


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## deki

I ran a dell diagnostics test. Thats a test thats preinstalled on all dell computers to determine errors and i got about 25 errors that all go something like this:

Error Code: 5300:0119
Msg: Detected a failure while writing and reading video memory. Video Mode: 4h (320x200x4). Address BA66Ch, expected to read FFFFFFFFh, but read FFFFFBFFh instead.

Any ideas?


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## TheMatt

Try what I posted in my previous post. :wink:


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## deki

I only have one 1GB memory stick but i tried to put it into the other slot, it didnt help.


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## DellCA

deki, with the errors from the Dell diagnostics it sounds like the video card itself is the problem. (BTW, thank you for posting the entire error message! makes it so much easier to diagnose that way ).

If you haven't already checked, I will be more than happy to see if the system is still under warranty. If it is, then it will be a simple matter for me to have the video card replaced. Feel free to send me a PM on this and I'll help you in any way I can.


Larry
Dell Customer Advocate


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## gerrtt06

I am having the same problem, just started two days ago somewhat randomly. 

I've tried all the usual stuff but I'm starting to think checking the RAM would be a good idea after what I have read on various self-help forums. I'm going to run the memtest when I get back home tonight but if it came down to opening up my computer and moving things around I'm not sure how I would feel. I've done that sort of thing before with a desktop but I the computer I am having trouble with is a laptop...not really familiar with that sort of thing.

Is there a good walkthrough I could maybe take a look at to help ease my discomfort about disecting my baby?


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## DellCA

gerrtt06, If your computer is a Dell then you can get the service manual from the Dell support website (http://support.dell.com). The service manuals have instructions for full teardown and part replacement for any Dell computer.

Larry
Dell Customer Advocate


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## gerrtt06

Thanks for that, I'll take a look and maybe print some relevant parts while I'm at work.

Turns out I had the same error report as the other guy when I did a dell diagnostics check, so it looks like I'll be needing a new video card. 

Do they tend to be able to be replaced in laptops or are they affixed permanently to the motherboards?


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## TheMatt

For the most part yes the video cards are integrated into the motherboard in which case it is usually most cost effective to replace the laptop. There are a few instances where the video card is of a modular design and/or uses an industry standard (MXM) and can be replaced or even upgraded.

What model computer do you have?


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## gerrtt06

Dell Inspiron e1705.

The service manual seems to imply that the video card can be removed, albeit with a bit of work.


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## TheMatt

You can replace it then, however the tough part will be finding a replacement part. eBay would probably be your best bet.


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## gerrtt06

Can I not just buy a new graphics card?


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## TheMatt

Yes, however you will need to find it first. The special modular video cards are not easy to find.


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## DellCA

The E1705 systems were sold with integrated Intel or discrete (removable) mobile versions of the ATI X1400, nVidia 7800, 7900 and possibly 7950 cards. Those are the versions that will have drivers from Dell for your system. While other cards should work (assuming they are the correct form factor and connection) they have not been tested by Dell so there is a chance they would not.

If you did upgrade please keep in mind that the warranty for the system would not cover the new video card since it is not the one that shipped from Dell. The one exception to this would be if you purchased the replacement card from Dell (I can get you the number for our spare parts sales department if you need it). If purchased from Dell for the system then it would have either its own warranty (usually 90 days) or the warranty of the system, whichever is longer.

Larry
Dell Customer Advocate


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## gerrtt06

OK, I haven't done anything yet because I haven't been able to get online lately. The warranty on my system is gone so I'm not really worried about that.

Where do you reccomend me getting a new part? Should I just call dell and see if I can order a new part from them or should I just try eBay and stuff like that?

The graphics card I have now is a GeForce GO 7900.


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## DellCA

gerrtt06 said:


> OK, I haven't done anything yet because I haven't been able to get online lately. The warranty on my system is gone so I'm not really worried about that.
> 
> Where do you reccomend me getting a new part? Should I just call dell and see if I can order a new part from them or should I just try eBay and stuff like that?
> 
> The graphics card I have now is a GeForce GO 7900.


The official answer is, of course, that you should purchase the card through Dell to ensure it works properly with the system. Unofficially, as long as you make sure it is the correct card it should work properly no matter where you end up getting it.

If you order from Dell you will have a 90 day warranty on the card itself (or 45 if you purchase a refurbished one) from Dell, however, the versions I listed in my previous post will be the only options that we will sell you for that system. The limitation is both good and bad, as on the one hand you are sure to get a card tested for your system, but on the other hand you are limited to only a minor upgrade from the card you have now (assuming the 7950 is an option, and I'm not positive of that).

In the long run, the decision of what card to get and where to get it is entirely up to you.

Larry
Dell Customer Advocate


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## joshK

Hi I was just wondering, could it be that your bios is out of date? Is it a 100 % chance that your Video card is mal functioning? Or that it is a problem with software?
See the thing is that I have the same problem and don’t know what to do and I have heard something about renewing the Bios would fix this problem. I have a Dell XPS M1710. And I get the same message as you do. To make the Matter more freaky I recently installed STALKER and I get the same thing with the same message. So by reading your options I could find answers to my problems which is the same as yours.


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## gerrtt06

I tried that last night and after re-installing the graphics card it still did not work. I'm pretty sure it's just the graphics card.

One question I do have though, relating to how the graphics card might get corrupted in the first place, is as follows.

My roommate recently had his sound card corrupted and he lost his sound card. We are on the same network, and shortly after he had his problem my problem started. Is it safe to assume that whatever caused his problem could have gone through our network and caused mine as well?


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## DellCA

While it is possible, from the problems you are describing I think it is unlikely. If it was something to do with being on that network the cause would most likely be some kind of power surge (which I have seen happen over network connections before). However, the network card on at least one effected system would be more likely the fail than any other component since that is the first part of the computer the surge would "see". Is anyone else on the network having computer problems? If not then the most likely answer is an unhappy coincidence of failure.

Larry
Dell Customer Advocate


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## joshK

Hi I own a Dell XPS M1710 for a year and a half now, but I’ve been having problems with it since the very beginning. I ran the dell diagnostics tool and only the Video card memory test did not pass. It says:
Error code : 5300: 0119 
Msg : detected a failiure while writing and reading video memory, video mode Dh(320×200×16), addresses A6024h expected to read FFFFFFFFh but read FFFFFFFDh instead.

The pc has a Geforce GTX 512 video card and I have just recently updated the driver with a newer one via the nvidia website. This has not fixed the problems witch mostly occur during gaming where the pc freezes and gives me the blue screen of death saying hardware or software malfunction.
The pc uses the Microsoft windows XP media center version 2005 with update roll up2, could it be that it is this version of operating system that is causing to problems? During the reformat procedure, I receive and error message saying that the ngen library files of the video card is not located or something likes that, thus I have changed the operating system with Microsoft windows XP home edition service pack 2.

So I am truly lost now, is my video card messed up? Or is it just a software issue.
Please helppppp I really don’t know what to do anymore. I need step by step instructions how to fix this and how to use and select the right updates from dell support website.
Hope to get a reply soon tc.


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## gerrtt06

DellCA said:


> While it is possible, from the problems you are describing I think it is unlikely. If it was something to do with being on that network the cause would most likely be some kind of power surge (which I have seen happen over network connections before). However, the network card on at least one effected system would be more likely the fail than any other component since that is the first part of the computer the surge would "see". Is anyone else on the network having computer problems? If not then the most likely answer is an unhappy coincidence of failure.
> 
> Larry
> Dell Customer Advocate


Aside from my roommate and I, no, nobody else is having problems. There are two other people who use our network (we are all connecting wirelessly except my roommate). So far the only people who have had someting happen to them are me (corrupted video memory) and my roommate (corrupted sound card). 

I will say, however, that I have noticed our network crashes quite a bit while he is plugged into our router and very seldom if at all when he is not at home. I've tried testing this by plugging my own computer into the router and logging into an internet program, as well as direct connecting to the modem, it did not crash after 12 hours of being connected. It seems to me that his computer is causing something to go on, which makes me glad to say he is moving in a few days.


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## DellCA

gerrtt06 said:


> Aside from my roommate and I, no, nobody else is having problems. There are two other people who use our network (we are all connecting wirelessly except my roommate). So far the only people who have had someting happen to them are me (corrupted video memory) and my roommate (corrupted sound card).
> 
> I will say, however, that I have noticed our network crashes quite a bit while he is plugged into our router and very seldom if at all when he is not at home. I've tried testing this by plugging my own computer into the router and logging into an internet program, as well as direct connecting to the modem, it did not crash after 12 hours of being connected. It seems to me that his computer is causing something to go on, which makes me glad to say he is moving in a few days.


Heh, yeah it definitely sounds like his computer is confusing the router. That could be something as simple as the network card settings, however. On my network at home I had a computer that would not connect until I changed the transmit speed from auto to 100Mbps full (it was a gigabit NIC). Apparently the card sending at 1000Mbps confused my switch, preventing it from getting to the network. Depending on how your router behaves, you could be seeing the same problem.

JoshK, it sounds like part of the video memory on your video card has failed. The only way to fix that is to replace the card (the memory is soldered on). If the system is still in warranty it should be nothing more than a call into tech support to get it replaced. The reason you don't see the problem all the time is that it only causes a problem when something tries to use that specific section of video memory (and even then it might not be a problem, depending on how the failure changes the data stored at that address).

Larry
Dell Customer Advocate


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## joshK

Hey guys thanks for all the helpfull tips
I will send the to dell as soon as possible, my waranty information at the dell website says that i have 216 days remaining so i wil tak eaction ASAP.
I was really hoping that my problem could be fixed by software matters yet I am convinced now that it is my Video card that is messed up. I have to say, that my pc was doing this from from the verry beginning. Also when I ordered the pc, a friend of mine ordered the same pc with me and he was been having the same problems too! A couple of months after the purchase the whole battery recall problem came out. So I wonder could this be a factory failliure which is normal ,nothing is without error. just a tought.


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## DellCA

joshK said:


> Hey guys thanks for all the helpfull tips
> I will send the to dell as soon as possible, my waranty information at the dell website says that i have 216 days remaining so i wil tak eaction ASAP.
> I was really hoping that my problem could be fixed by software matters yet I am convinced now that it is my Video card that is messed up. I have to say, that my pc was doing this from from the verry beginning. Also when I ordered the pc, a friend of mine ordered the same pc with me and he was been having the same problems too! A couple of months after the purchase the whole battery recall problem came out. So I wonder could this be a factory failliure which is normal ,nothing is without error. just a tought.


I am not aware of a factory failure on video cards from Dell, but it is possible.

When you call in, let the tech know the error you get (lock ups in games, etc), that you've already reinstalled the driver, and the fact that you ran the diagnostics, and what it reported (failed memory). He should set up the replacement at that point.

In the future, whether its a Dell system or not, I highly recommend you call in (or email, etc) if you have a problem like this. The sooner you call about such problems, the sooner you will get warranty support for it. Basically, if you don't let the company know there is a problem, they can't fix it.

Larry
Dell Customer Advocate


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## gerrtt06

To everyone who was helping out with my problem:

Thanks! I got a new card and resolved the issue. Installing the new card was a piece of cake thanks to the manual I was directed to at the Dell website. Thanks again!

-Garrett


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## mind

Hello - I have an Inspirion E1705 with the same memory parity error so hoping to find some closure ... I am not playing around with the memory or graphics subsystem in this notebook and it runs absolutely everything else fine.. so wondering if anyone has heard anything new about STALKER since it fails blue screen always after anywhere from 10min to couple hours.. thanks!


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