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    Hardware Malfunction Error Message

    Discussion in 'Dell' started by mrs_crane, Jan 28, 2011.

  1. mrs_crane

    mrs_crane Newbie

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    I have a Dell Inspiron 9300 laptop and the other day after my computer had hibernated because I was running on battery power. When I plugged my computer back in and turned it on while it was starting up I got this message:
    *** Hardware Malfunction
    Call your hardware vendor for support
    *** The system has halted ***
    NMI: Parity Check / Memory Parity Error
    on a blue screen.

    I can sometimes use the computer for 10 minutes at a time and then the computer will freeze, mouse and all. Once I was able to be on it for 40 minutes or such but as soon as I plugged it in it froze.

    And then when I plugged it in my computer started making a staticy noise and was wondering if maybe my AC adapter is bad and that is what is causing the hardware manfunction. Otherwise I'm not really sure what to do and my computer is no longer under warrenty.
     
    mrs_crane, Jan 28, 2011
    #1
  2. michael_recycled

    michael_recycled Notebook Deity

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    Hi,

    this could be a bad memory stick. Grab the service manual for your laptop model from Dell support website which is helpful to locate the memory modules. If there are two modules installed in your laptop, then you can remove one and see if the problem persists.

    Michael
     
    michael_recycled, Jan 28, 2011
    #2
  3. Tsunade_Hime

    Tsunade_Hime such bacon. wow

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    What I would do;

    Remove all memory sticks and test with a known good stick of memory and run Prime95.

    Also you may want to view your temperatures while doing so, overheating can cause issues, and the Inspiron 9300 is known for overheating GPUs.
     
    Tsunade_Hime, Jan 28, 2011
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