Computer Memory Troubleshooting

Parity Errors
• Parity errors indicate that memory is bad.

• First if the computer has memory expansion board, determine if the faulty chip is on the memory board or the motherboard.

• If the memory error came up during the RAM check it will stop at the number at which the faulty chip is located.

• If the fault is with the memory card, hopefully a RAM chip testing program will have come with the card when purchased it. This program will locate and often display graphically where the faulty chip is. If you don’t have such a program use the same procedure as outline on the succeeding notes.

• It is hard to track down the exact chip which is bad on the motherboard because each BIOS (which sends the error message) for the clone uses different error message coding. Finding the faulty chip can be a tedious task.

• Take all out memory cards.

• Try pressing down on all the RAM chips on the motherboard, sometimes corrosion will affect the contacts and cause the parity error. Pressing down on the chips helps seat the chips and improve the connections.

• Take out the last bank of chips and change the DIP switches to reflect any changes in the amount of memory installed.

• Replace memory one at a time. Turn the computer after installing each chip to see if a parity error pops up. If it does, you know you have found the bad chip. Replace any bad chip(s) with the new one.(s).

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