Possible hardware failure, need second opinion

Question

When I woke up today my computer was sitting at a ***Hardware Failure bluescreen saying 'NMI: PARITY CHECK / Memory Parity Error.  contact your hardware support blah blah blah...it appears a split second after the Windows logo comes on the screen at startup, so I can still get in BIOS and boot menu   So I sat on dell tech support on the phone for like an hour, and the tech had me run all sorts of BIOS tests I didnt know existed and concluded that although the error said hardware failure, the error was caused by windows.  Seems weird to me that it would be casued by windows when my computer has been running just fine since I got it in August, and now it appears for no obvious reason like dusty hardware.   So anyway he recommended I repair or reinstall windows.  I took out my cd drive, dvd drive, hard drive and memory sticks one at a time but still the error would come as soon as windows started loading.  Friends of mine arent convinced it isnt a hardware problem but I wont know until I can wipe my hard drive and reinstall windows.   my computer is a dim 9150 w/ an nvidia 7900gs video, 2-gig RAM, integrated sound card i believe, cd, dvd, no floppys, 1 120gig sata harddrive are the parts i can remember off the top of my head, if it helps at all.   any other opinions/suggestions?   also, how am I supposed to reinstall windows when my Dell came with windows preloaded, and not including any install discs? (I have other windows discs, but I forgot to ask about this on the phone). I got that deal where my whole tower was put together by Dell and they just shipped it to me with everything already installed Message Edited by Uldaman on 11-29-200608:51 PM

DELL-Donald K · Answer

NMI failure is a HARDWARE failure & if RAM replacement doesn't resolve the error, then the motherboard/Processor kit is the next logical step   NMI stands for Non Maskable Interrupt, meaning an interrupt sent from a device that the processor cannot ignore.  If one were to shut off NMI then the the computer boots into Windows just fine (logically so because of the fact that all nonmaskable interrupts are now ignored...not necessarily a good thing).      The most common use of NMI is to signal a parity error from the memory subsystem. This error must be dealt with immediately to prevent possible data corruption.

Uldaman · Answer

the guy on tech support didnt mention that, though Im sure the Dell tech support guys would have me reimage my computer before they suggest replacing hardware?   and I took out my RAM sticks one at a time, and the error still occured with either of them in, or both, so unless BOTH of them are causing the SAME error, i doubt its the RAM

kirkd · Answer

Some web posts indicate the problem is related to some wireless routers.

Dimension 9100
Windows XP SP2 Home
Intel 630 - 3.0 GHz P4/HT
2.0 GHz DDR 4300 RAM
Nvidia GeForce 6800 – O’Clocked to 425/800 MHz
160 GB Samsung SATA II HD
300 GB Seagate SATA II HD
250 GB SimpleTech External HD (WD Drive)
Sony DVD-ROM, Phillips DVD +/- RW
Dell 1901 FP Monitor

x_lab rat · Answer

WXP installations do become corrupt.  I suppose the phone people want to eliminate that as a possible cause before they start dispatching replacement hardware.  Windows' bluescreen errors are seldom if ever definitive.   Corrupt hardware can corrupt software.  If the same problem comes back after reinstall, that points to hardware.  The NMI error points to hardware too.  If hardware is faulty, reinstall will fail and you're only out the time it took to test it.  Reasonable compromise.   If the hardware will still boot (and the partition is still there), there is a restore utility built into the harddrive.  Hit CTRL+F11 at the Dell splash.  This restores the harddrive to when it was shipped (so any new programs will have to be reinstalled and user files backed up).  If it still bluescreens then, there is no question that hardware has failed.

shesagordie · Answer

Uldaman

If you require Dell's XP reinstallation disks, you should be able to obtain them by contacting Dell,

http://forums.us.dell.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=sw_winxp&message.id=204505

Bev.

Please don't send me questions about your system by DCF Messenger.
Post the issue in the appropriate Board, where they will be answered.

Uldaman · Answer

thanks a lot guys for your help.  yeah, the only thing im out here is time, but what a time my computer chose: 1 week away from finals and I have programming projects due :(   say hello to low-grade computer labs, haha

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