Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 beta 3/9/83; site utecfc.UUCP Path: utzoo!utcsri!utai!uthub!utecfa!utecfc!manson From: manson@utecfc.UUCP (Bob Manson) Newsgroups: net.micro.pc Subject: Re: IBM-PC MEMORY PROBLEM Message-ID: <63@utecfc.UUCP> Date: Wed, 19-Feb-86 17:23:52 EST Article-I.D.: utecfc.63 Posted: Wed Feb 19 17:23:52 1986 Date-Received: Wed, 19-Feb-86 20:45:20 EST References: <1113@ihlpa.UUCP> Reply-To: manson@utecfc.UUCP (Bob Manson) Distribution: net Organization: Engineering Computing Facility, University of Toronto Lines: 61 Summary: Several months ago, someone asked what a PARITY CHECK 2 error was. I replied directly, but I don't know if the information was ever received (I may not have included a return address). Since someone else has a memory problem, I thought that I would simply post my answer. An item in the User-to User column in the 30 October 1984 issue of PC Magazine gave a description of what a parity check error is and how to identify the chips associated with the error. Basically, a PARITY CHECK 1 error means that you have a problem with the memory on the mother board. PARITY CHECK 2 would indicate a problem with the memory on an expansion card. Along with the PARITY CHECK error message, apparently an address code is also displayed. According to the man who wrote the letter(Wesley K. Merchant), if you can't read the address code, (the error message will, in the case of failure during diagnostics, scroll past fairly rapidly) you should obtain a copy of the IBM advanced diagnostics, enable the error logging and loop on the memory test. (Diagnostic programs are sometimes included when you buy expansion boards). When the memory failure occurs, the address code--in the form XYZZ 201, where 201 would indicate a memory error--can be deciphered using the following table: The "X" portion of the address identivies which 64K bank is failing. 0YZZ = 1ST 64K BANK (0-64K) 5YZZ = 6TH 64K BANK (320-384K) 1YZZ = 2ND 64K BANK (64-128K) 6YZZ = 7TH 64K BANK (384-448K) 2YZZ = 3RD 64K BANK (128-192K) 7YZZ = 8TH 64K BANK (448-512K) 3YZZ = 4TH 64K BANK (192-256K) 8YZZ = 9TH 64K BANK (512-576K) 4YZZ = 5TH 64K BANK (256-320K) 9YZZ = 10TH 64K BANK (576-640K) The "Y" portion of the address is NOT important unless you have the old 16K chips. It will identify the failing 16K bank. X0ZZ = 1ST 16K ROW X8ZZ = 3RD 16K ROW X4ZZ = 2ND 16K ROW XCZZ = 4TH 16K ROW The "ZZ" portion of the error message is the BINARY number of the 64K chip in the indicated 64K bank XY00 = PARITY CHIP XY10 = DATA BIT 4 XY01 = DATA BIT 0 XY20 = DATA BIT 5 XY02 = DATA BIT 1 XY40 = DATA BIT 6 XY04 = DATA BIT 2 XY80 = DATA BIT 7 XY08 = DATA BIT 3 XYAA = EMPTY BANK-CHECK SWITCHES XYFF = EMPTY BANK-CHECK SWITCHES I hope this helps. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Bob Manson University of Toronto Department of Civil Engineering Toronto, Ontario