Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 (Tek) 9/28/84 based on 9/17/84; site dadla.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxt!houxm!mtuxo!mtunh!mtung!mtunf!ariel!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!tektronix!teklds!dadla!jamesa
From: jamesa@dadla.UUCP (James Akiyama)
Newsgroups: net.micro.pc
Subject: Re: Parity Check 1  message
Message-ID: <315@dadla.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 7-Jul-85 04:18:29 EDT
Article-I.D.: dadla.315
Posted: Sun Jul  7 04:18:29 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 8-Jul-85 01:06:47 EDT
References: <205@geowhiz.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: Tektronix, Beaverton OR
Lines: 51

> Has anyone ever had this message pop up on your screen in about
> 20 point high letters.  After which you must hard reboot?
> 
> dit dit dit dahhh:
> 
> 	PARITY CHECK 1
> 
> What does this mysterious message mean, these crashes seem to happen
> randomly, but I'm sure there related to something we can fix.
> The grubby details:
> 
> 	1) PC with Enhanced color, 8087, 256Kb.
> 	2) Kinetic Systems Camac interface card (2925)
> 	3) 50 wire cable to the camac crate controler (also Kinetic)
> 
> We are trying to narrow this thing down, it could possably be the 
> 2925 card, but it seems unlikely as in operation it works beautifully.
> However when I run the diagnostics provided with the pc, and enter
> 0 for run diagnostics, the disk just spins and spins, but if I take the
> card out, Hunky Dory, any ideas?
> 
> I thougth that the location was bad and we were getting rf interference,
> but that does not seem to be it.  Could glitches comming through the
> cable cause this kind of crash?
> 
> I realize that this probably isnt enough to go on to really solve the 
> question, but I would even be gratefull for a partial list of things
> that cause that parity check message.  I can not find it anywhere in my
> documentation (I dont have the Tech Ref manual yet).
> 
> Please respond by mail.
> uwvax!geowhiz!schuh
> 
> 		thanks in advance
> 		dave
> 		Working for High Energy Physics, UW Madison.
> 		uwvax!geowhiz!schuh

Normally, parity check messages from an IBM PC should be of the form:

	PARITY CHECK X
	YYYYY

where X is:
	1 if the error occurred in system board memory
	2 if the error occurred in expansion board memory

and YYYYY indicates the bank of failing memory.  This is determined by scanning
to see if a failing address can be identified.  If it can be identified, the
address appears as a five-number code.  If the failing address couldn't be
identified, five question marks should have been displayed.