Intermittent NMI Parity Error BSOD's on an XPS700

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Sparky Spartacus - 08 May 2007 19:49 GMT

The subject pretty much says it all. I can take 2 hits in a day or go
weeks without one. I ran memtest for hours (plus PC memory isn't parity
checked anyway) without a pee, as well as Dell's diagnostics. I
suspected my video card based on some posts I Googled on the 'Net, but I
switched that out 3 months ago and the NMI hits stayed with the 700. The
hits happen mostly (but not exclusively) when Studio is open (and not
doing anything). Latest change was to replace the PCI TV capture card
with a USB unit - nothing so far but it's been only 2 weeks. I've also
removed & reseated both DIMMs (1gb each).

Anyone have any experience with this or suggestions on how to pin it down?

TIA

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S.Lewis - 08 May 2007 23:52 GMT

> The subject pretty much says it all. I can take 2 hits in a day or go
> weeks without one. I ran memtest for hours (plus PC memory isn't parity
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
>
> TIA

I think you're headed in the right direction focusing on the cards. No more
cards other than the graphics card and TV tuner?

You may have already cured it with your last move.

Stew

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Sparky Spartacus - 09 May 2007 16:36 GMT

>> The subject pretty much says it all. I can take 2 hits in a day or go
>> weeks without one. I ran memtest for hours (plus PC memory isn't parity
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
>
> You may have already cured it with your last move.

I hope so, Stew, ask me again in a couple of months. The only card in
the 700 is the video card, I'm using the integrated sound and a USB
device to capture video. I'm thinking about calling Dell to get
something on record while it's still under warranty.

OTOH, with the motherboard swap plan the new mobo may be the ultimate
cure (I've seen lots of threads in the Dell Forum about NMI problems
being cured by a new mobo).

Thanks for your feedback.

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S.Lewis - 09 May 2007 18:40 GMT

>>> The subject pretty much says it all. I can take 2 hits in a day or go
>>> weeks without one. I ran memtest for hours (plus PC memory isn't parity
[quoted text clipped - 26 lines]
>
> Thanks for your feedback.

Sparky -

Interesting you mention the systemboard as I've seen the "NMI parity"
problems come from boards that had improper contact with screws/tabs/rear
EFI metal causing them to short or ground intermittently.

I've seen that less often than card issues, but it can still be a cause.

Stew

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Sparky Spartacus - 10 May 2007 14:24 GMT

<snip>

> Sparky -
>
> Interesting you mention the systemboard as I've seen the "NMI parity"
> problems come from boards that had improper contact with screws/tabs/rear
> EFI metal causing them to short or ground intermittently.

Hm, interesting, but I think I'll see how the current configuration
does. I'm pretty certain Dell's mobo upgrade for the 700's is set for June.

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Tony Harding - 30 Jul 2007 00:17 GMT

> <snip>
>
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> Hm, interesting, but I think I'll see how the current configuration
> does. I'm pretty certain Dell's mobo upgrade for the 700's is set for June.

Now Dell's the mobo upgrade program for the XPS700's will start 08/11/2007.

Anyone else planning to upgrade their 700?

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Ron Hardin - 09 May 2007 02:24 GMT

I'd guess NMI means non-maskable interrupt, which suggests a device,
I guess, but the syntax isn't very helpful even if that's right, as
to what the parity error is in, and what the interrupt has to do with
it.

Or maybe NMI means something else today.

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Ron Hardin
rhhardin@mindspring.com

On the internet, nobody knows you're a jerk.

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