Memory Parity Error

Hey guys.

Well I decided a long time ago, no more PC gaming as it was to much of a hassle tweaking and keeping everything at it's best which is why I got a PS3 (not to mention a lot more inexpensive ). but lately I got bit with the bug, and started installing some of my very old and relatively (last year) new titles again and played around with them.

Everything runs perfectly and exceptionally well, besides for one so far.

Unfortunately, one of my favorite classic titles that I played religiously online, a RTS by the name of Starwars Galactic Battlegrounds, won't work. It works but not for long and the system quickly crashes to a BSOD showing a memory parity error.

I did pretty much everything I could dig up on a Google Search. Ripped the machine apart, rebuild it to ensure everything was seated and cooled properly, watching my temperatures (no issues), updated my drivers from the chipset to the cdrom and wireless card, everything that needed updating. Pretty much covered everything besides reformatting.

I just spent my weekend reformatting the computer, got it all updated. Funny thing is, when I have no Nvidia drivers installed - the game works perfectly, extremely well actually not so, laggy. I've tried varied version of Nvidia drivers. The ones that came with my laptop, the ones that windows update suggested, 191.07 and 179.28.

Believe it or not, they all yield different results. Some freeze the computer, other BSOD, and others just stop the game from working and go to the desktop.

Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions? Damn I just wanna play my favorite classic and going without video drivers is a bit of a stretch for a hassle. I'm stumped, exhausted all my experienced knowledge to the bone.

Laptop in signature - Inspiron 1520, running Vista 32Bit and XP32bit on a dual boot. Both OS's yield the same results more or less.

Thanks guys.

 

You must learn a skill: TROUBLESHOOTING, aka, the process of elimination.

It will save you a lot of time in the long run. I don't know why you spent hours working on a general solution by nuking everything and starting from scratch, given that the error indicates a memory problem. Therefore, testing the RAM modules for any problems is probably the best place to start.

For Vista: Start > search for "memory" > select the Memory Diagnostic Tool and run it

Let the computer reboot and do it's thing. The utility will check your RAM SODIMMs for any hardware problems.

 

I'm quiet honest less than enthused by your posts comments and lack for attention to actually reading what I've wrote - I'm quiet aware of the skill, I had to go through it to come to the conclusion it's the nVidia drivers - nothing else. So excuse my frustration with your comments but perhaps you need to learn the skill of comprehending what you read.

If you read my original post I did the following based off everything I've read on this issue:

- Reseated all the ram, and graphics card
- Check temperatures through-out different stages
- Ran tests
- Updated drivers
- Formatted
- Alternated with different driver versions

Like I said, if I run Windows without nvidia drivers, the game operates flawlessly - no problems. I install the Dell nvidia drivers and the computer freezes, I install a newer version of the Dell nvidia drivers, and the game closes and it goes to the desktop, I try anything recent, say 17x.xx and up and I get the BSOD. ALL different results based entirely on the driver version - hence the problem. Lastly the game works in all cases for 5-15 minutes before something happens.

In addition, it's the ONLY game that has issues, it's not 3D, it's all 2D, think Roller Coaster Tycoon graphics. Games like Bioshock, UT3, COD 1 and MW, CS-S, HL2, they all work perfectly fine on all the drivers versions.

I believe I've established what the issue is, as the results speak for their self.

What I'm seeking is help on driver options or suggestions to tackling this situation, perhaps I overlooked a nvidia driver setting, or something small.

Now, can anyone offer anything of help or any thoughts?

 

Have you tried running memcheck on the vram? Not sure what app is out there... but there has to be something. Also, is your RAM ECC? If it is, have you tried disabling ECC/parity in the BIOS and seeing what happens?

 

I think it's because the game is old.

Try older Nvidia drivers.

 

What? How would an old game generate memory parity errors when a new game wouldn't?

 

No idea. But it is.

 

Nor am I enthused about your lack of attention to begin with; reseating the DIMMS eliminates one possibility, but mentioning that you "ran tests" is vague and may as well say nothing at all. In fact, your original post doesn't even mention that. Pardon me if I can't read your mind, but you're going to have to be more specific.

Btw, my original suggestion still stands. Run the memory check; you likely have a malfunctioning SODIMM. If you don't want to run a memory check, then remove the modules one at a time and run the games.

 

All these hostile responses. :cry:

 

Kay guys,

played around with this off and on all day. Thought I had some results but nothing.

Had the original 1GB (2x 512's) that came with the laptop laying around and tossed those in. Toss in one of the new ones, one at a time same results, did a bunch of configurations with the 4 sticks I have all the same deal.

Did every test I could with the Microsoft and Dell solutions I have, nothing yielded any errors. Cracked out Spinrite and checked my hard-drive for good measure as suggested - no issues.

Running out of ideas. Anyone suggest a version of drivers, older ones were mentioned, specific versions?

 

I know it stinks, but some titles are just not compatible with new operating systems. Sometimes games have a dedicated group of followers that continue to update code many years after the game is release. (Example Oblivion) Many of these supporters are folks that participated in creating or developing the game. I dont know what type of following Galactic Battlegrounds has on PC or if others have had problems on Vista. Do you have a way of installing XP to see if that works for you? I wish you the best of luck. I think we all have our old favorites that we like to break out from time to time. Best Wishes, Stevenx just a quick thought... have you tried different versions of directx by chance? Maybe an older version of directx like 7 or 8?

 

Thanks for the best of luck and good wishes.

I've tried both on XP and Vista 32Bit, all running the same versions of drivers, those that came with my laptop on purchase and those that I just recently updated too. What's odd is, the game worked when I purchased the laptop back 3 years ago now (wow time fly's) on Vista.

I posted this issue on another forum just to broaden the verity of ideas and suggestions I got and they've tossed the same ideas.

- Eliminate physical possibilities by running memory and hard-drive error check tools, remove, clean and reinstall all the hardware to ensure proper connections.

One suggested a run time update which I was completely unaware of (windows update never offered it) for Vista. Just installed this now, hopefully it yields some successful results!

This issue definitely has been a pain to say the least - lol!