Thinkpads Forum

Hello TPFreaks!
Yesterday I was using my little free time and played some world of tanks on my Late Production (August 2008) T61 with a OCed nVidia GPU.
It has all the specs listed below my sig.
Suddenly i got a blue screen with the below stated error.....NO DUMP FILE.....

NMI: Parity Check / Memory Parity Error
http://cdn-ak.f.st-hatena.com/images/fo ... 213015.jpg

I restarted and let the Lenovo Toolbox / PC-Doctor do it's job.
I checked RAM, HDD, CPU, VRAM and ALL the other stuff + I stressed the GPU for hours......it didn't happen again........it still bothers the crap out of me.
I did update my 496AGN drivers though cause i read in some forums that wifi cards can cause it.
Any ideas what can cause this?
Caould this be a bad GPU symptome?
(BTW i run Fan Control on MAX 24/7 and even under extreme 3 stressing for gours temps max at 79*C)

Any1 experienced this b4?
did it happen repeadetly or did it disappear?

TY

run memtest86+ to test your memory modules.

one is maybe going bad.

thanks for the reply!
I currently don't have any empty CD's on me so Im gonna go run MemTest throughout the night.

I checked ~ 3.8GB/4GB Ram 5 tiimes over night and switched ram modules in the morning and tested 3 times again - no errors......no idea what caused it

Any other ideas?

then your video overclock is too high, which I believe I have mentioned before.

miro_gt wrote:then your video overclock is too high, which I believe I have mentioned before.

it used to be higher without any problems. [CORE @ 750MHz MEM @1100MHz SAHDER @1700MHz]
Now i run at Core @700MHz MEM@990MHz Shader @1600MHz
I ran Furmark and played BF3 for hours and couldn't make the Error appear again :/

you cant run that high without expecting problems kid, get used to it.

miro_gt wrote:you cant run that high without expecting problems kid, get used to it.

im an adult...... and i have bin overlclocking for years....and my vcore is modded [1.25V].....so yes i can
and if furmark over night doesnt find a wekspot in OCing the GPU then nothing does haha
the GPU has bin Hard Modded / OCed since months

Memories and processors are designed to be run at specific maximum rates by their manufacturers. They only support proper operation of the components at those limits. Once you exceed them, expect to get transient errors no matter how much testing you do. In fact, those errors can even occur during in-spec operation. Memory can have "soft errors"; a failure to properly store a bit that's not due to some physical defect in the memory array but one caused by a random alpha particle (i.e., radiation) or power supply fluctuations.

That you got a "parity check" error, probably means the source is from the video memory. The main memory system in the T61 does not support parity, otherwise you would be using ECC memory modules. And if the laptop was using ECC memory, then you probably wouldn't get any parity errors from the main memory as the error correction routines would handle most of the soft errors.

rkawakami wrote:Memories and processors are designed to be run at specific maximum rates by their manufacturers. They only support proper operation of the components at those limits. Once you exceed them, expect to get transient errors no matter how much testing you do. In fact, those errors can even occur during in-spec operation. Memory can have "soft errors"; a failure to properly store a bit that's not due to some physical defect in the memory array but one caused by a random alpha particle (i.e., radiation) or power supply fluctuations.

That you got a "parity check" error, probably means the source is from the video memory. The main memory system in the T61 does not support parity, otherwise you would be using ECC memory modules. And if the laptop was using ECC memory, then you probably wouldn't get any parity errors from the main memory as the error correction routines would handle most of the soft errors.

It underwent 6 hours of video memory testing @ 990MHz while running furmark at the same time.
I mean if this means that it was a 1 time problem, then it's not that big of a deal....considering the max temps have increased by 2*C compared to the Original clock.
And the G84/G6 cores are considered to be 1 of the best chips to overclock. (debatable though)

If the OP wants to fry his T61 by continuously overclocking it, let him.

Jeez, I thought this overclocking nonsense went away with the pentium 1 & 2 era...

cadillacmike68 wrote:If the OP wants to fry his T61 by continuously overclocking it, let him.

Jeez, I thought this overclocking nonsense went away with the pentium 1 & 2 era...

^ That doesn't make any sense.....
How can I fry a chip that does not show any signs of instabillity / overheating [after 6 hours of stress testing] and has a lower temp OCed than most T61's withstock clock out there? [52*C-79*C]
And why not OC if you know you have a "safe" unit with a chip that is famous for it's OC capabillitys?
AND why not enjoy the extra 3000 3D mark 03 points and a the sweet 35 frames/sec in GTA4?

Please explain.

Two facts to consider, OP:

1) From Ray's (rkawakami) profile:

Occupation: Memory Test Engineer

2) While I occasionally have public disagreements (in a respectful manner on both sides by all means) with miro_gt, the fact of the matter is that he's one of the very few people who have managed to run an overclocked nVidia-based T61 for five years without frying the planar, so apart from sheer luck (in obtaining a better-than-average unit in the first place), he's gotta know something about the matter at hand...so if he's advising you to "get used to it" I'd take these words into consideration...

Personally, I was never a fan of overclocking laptop circuitry, but that's me.

^ Thank you for the reply!
Im running mine for 1 year now OCed (08/08 unit).
also with copper shims attached to the gddr3 chips and a custome cooling heatsink.
and a custome vcore [stabillity purposes.
Eating a crap load of power but hey - need every bid of it for 3D projects.

here's couple more things to consider:

- dont count that you have a "safe" machine, that's how you can get over-confident and mess up things;
- you got BSOD, so how many hours you have ran Furmark is irrelevant;
- you have increased video core voltage, but I highly doubt that you've done so with the video memory chip;
- one time problem only shows that there is a problem, do not disregard it;

to solve the problem, lower the video memory clock.

on a side note, I'm interested to see your custom video memory chip cooling solution - post a picture if you have one. The chip itself will not heat up as much so that it would need cooling though, much like regular DDR3 RAM (for newer laptops) working at 1,600 MHz and up.

miro_gt wrote:here's couple more things to consider:

- dont count that you have a "safe" machine, that's how you can get over-confident and mess up things;
- you got BSOD, so how many hours you have ran Furmark is irrelevant;
- you have increased video core voltage, but I highly doubt that you've done so with the video memory chip;
- one time problem only shows that there is a problem, do not disregard it;

to solve the problem, lower the video memory clock.

on a side note, I'm interested to see your custom video memory chip cooling solution - post a picture if you have one. The chip itself will not heat up as much so that it would need cooling though, much like regular DDR3 RAM (for newer laptops) working at 1,600 MHz and up.

I don't count on it....thats why I did some cooling procedures and improvements before OCing including having a second Intel Motherboard on hand incase the something goes wrong.
Also reading for hours on forums and looking at some tutorials and tests helps alot and gives you a good overview.

infact just found out it was my wifi card - i just figured out that when ever i would use the wireless switch, it would BS on me -I put in a differenct 4965AGN from my R61 and voila problem solved.....was the last thing that i would have suspected.

-no i did not increase vram voltage - core ONLY, since I didn't eperience any stabillity issues even at 1.1GHz VRAM so there is no need at now 975MHz
-i have seen many different BS that appeared once and never came back - of course that doesn't mean to just ignore it

@chip cooling - i attach some of these http://www.ebay.com/itm/2PC-1-2M-HP-LAP ... 4abcaa3fca but smaller to all chips that are too hot to the touch. [only if it does not cripple ventilation]
and taking my t61 appart is fun and stuff but i don't do that just for a picture - look up pictures showing the bottom and top of the motherboard - there you will see memory chips - i attached .5mm copper pads to most of em [including the 1s coverred under the black static protection foil.

cadillacmike68 wrote:If the OP wants to fry his T61 by continuously overclocking it, let him.

Jeez, I thought this overclocking nonsense went away with the pentium 1 & 2 era...

hoax32 wrote:^ That doesn't make any sense.....
How can I fry a chip that does not show any signs of instabillity / overheating [after 6 hours of stress testing] and has a lower temp OCed than most T61's withstock clock out there? [52*C-79*C]
And why not OC if you know you have a "safe" unit with a chip that is famous for it's OC capabillitys?
AND why not enjoy the extra 3000 3D mark 03 points and a the sweet 35 frames/sec in GTA4?
Please explain.

Well, how about the NMI you got earlier which prompted this whole series of posts? It's your machine and your money when you eventually do fry it. Do have fun with it though.

As for me, I'd rather be overclocking my Platinum ed NorthStar STS on the interstate, or turning all heads in my 1968 DVC than watch anything on a computer screen.

cadillacmike68 wrote:
As for me, I'd rather be overclocking my Platinum ed NorthStar STS on the interstate, or turning all heads in my 1968 DVC than watch anything on a computer screen.

And i got to do both while on leave for a few days back hone BTW, DVC stands for DeVille Convertible. Quite the distinctive road machine.

cadillacmike68 wrote: BTW, DVC stands for DeVille Convertible. Quite the distinctive road machine.

It most certainly is.

One of my favourite American cars. Enjoy it. I know I would...

Well, this thread is now officially hijacked. As soon as the OP actually fries his mobo, we can go back to the original topic.

I got the DVC up about 100 - it needs a timing adjustment, knocks even with 93 Octane fuel. I need to having the timing set back and the springs in the mechanical advance adjusted. I don't want to damage the overhauled engine.

The STS is another matter. With the rear drive V8 NorthStar it flies. C&D or R&T (can't remember) listed the 2004's top end at 156 MPH - drag induced, meaning at the speed the car's HP is unable to overcome the increased wind resistance. Mine is a 2009 Platinum edition with larger tires (& factory 18" chrome wheels ). I have it on good authority that is easily goes to 142 on a straight part of interstate before catching up to some congestion Wife's CTS is no slouch either it's a V6 but with only a few lower HP and it's s few hundred pounds lighter. Reports are that one has hit 133 easily, but needs a long straight empty road to really test it out. Of course I'll have to wait 8 more months until i get back home.

The '96 Fleetwood should be super fast as well, but it is governed to 108. But all hope is not lost. There is a tuner specializing on is correcting this "error" in the car's PCM. I'd need to find some H rated whitewalls to really test it out though.