NMI: Memory Parity Error using Cardbus Slots

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ThinkGeek · #1 Post by **ThinkGeek** » Mon Apr 09, 2007 2:14 pm

I've tried to use two different PCMCIA cardbus cards in my T60 and both cause my computer to hang with the BSOD. The cards both work fine on other laptops. Without the cards, the T60 works just fine, but then I don't have the functionality I'm trying to get with the cards!

Searching around it seems that many of these BSOD are not due to hardware errors but to driver issues. Has anyone else had trouble using their cardbus slot on the T60?

Suggestions for possible fixes would be appreciated.
Patrick

WPWoodJr · #2 Post by **WPWoodJr** » Mon Apr 09, 2007 3:08 pm

I have had the exact same problem. I actually had two different blue screens, and I believe I have resolved both.

The first would occur when using a PCMCIA adapter for my camera's SD card. The message on the blue screen said that there was a stop in the driver called dne2000.sys. This turned out to be a file associated with Cisco VPN, and I've resolved this by installing the latest Cisco VPN software.

The second would occur fairly randomly and may not have been associated with my use of the CardBus slot. You can find the solution in this thread, it is the last link in the first post and points you to a driver update which prevents the "NMI: Parity Check/Memory Parity Error" blue screen of death (BSOD).

ThinkGeek · #3 Post by **ThinkGeek** » Mon Apr 09, 2007 6:36 pm

Oh, I had high hopes for this one, but the wireless BSOD driver update didn't change a thing. Still get the same BSOD everytime I try to install the card.

Patrick

WPWoodJr · #4 Post by **WPWoodJr** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 9:58 am

Are you getting the NMI: Parity Error BSOD? If not what does it say?

Are you using the large slot or the small one?

Are you using a CARDBUS 32 card?

ThinkGeek · #5 Post by **ThinkGeek** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 11:29 am

The error message is as follows: NMI: Parity Check/Memory Parity Error
I'm using the old (large) PCMCIA slot for cardbus adapters, NOT the newer express card slot and as for the card, it is a 32-bit Type II PCMCIA CARDBUS card.

WPWoodJr · #6 Post by **WPWoodJr** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 12:11 pm

OK, this gets more interesting because I have a 32-bit CF adapter that has been causing me problems, although I cannot specifically tie it to the NMI: Parity Error problem.

I like to keep the adapter in the PCMCIA slot even when the CF card is in my camera, and did this with no issues on my previous laptop, a T42p. However, my T60p is a different story. I found that just taking the adapter out and putting it back in again (without the CF card in it) could cause the laptop to simply halt, as in shutdown, black screen, no BSOD. Needless to say, I have not experimented too much with this and have decided not to keep the adapter in the laptop without the CF card in it. I have theorized that the issue is caused by static electricity discharge, similar to the problems people have had with the docking stations shutting down their machines due to static electricity (and recently resolved by Lenovo with conductive rubber caps). I have not tried to reproduce the shutdown since applying the wireless driver upgrade.

Have you ever experienced this behavior? I have not actually had any problems loading pictures from the CF card via the adapter, I just avoid pulling the adapter in and out of the slot without the card in it.

ThinkGeek · #7 Post by **ThinkGeek** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 12:48 pm

Ya, that is pretty strange behaviour with your CF card. There is a little bit of similarity with my situation, in that another card that I am trying to use (an audio cardbus - Indigo I/O) shows similar results upon installation. The card install goes okay, drivers are recognized and loaded, but then the card gives a Code 10 error in Device Manager (there's a problem with it and it will not start).

If I then remove the card from the laptop and reinsert, the computer instantly hangs and on one occasion I got a blue screen with the NMI:Parity Check/Memory Parity Error message. That's what led me to try another card (USB 2.0 CardBus adapter) and this card is recognized, drivers begin to load, and then I get the blue screen with the NMI:Parity Check error everytime. So, long story short, I cannot get either card to run on my system.

At least your card works, if you don't take it out. In my situation, I'm not so sure about static electricity as it seems that I have a relatively reproducible error with two different cards. Note that both cards work fine in any other laptop I've tried, including a T43 and a Dell.

I'm stumped and dread having to get service, but it looks more and more like the route I have to take.

WPWoodJr · #8 Post by **WPWoodJr** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 1:36 pm

Good luck, please keep me posted.

NMI: Memory Parity Error using Cardbus Slots

NMI: Memory Parity Error using Cardbus Slots

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