Help please. Laptop has got sick.

vicwatson

Dell Inspiron XPS M1710

Battery had been failing.

All of a sudden when I went to switch it on last night the screen started acting up. lines going across it and colours were weird. Finally it came too but the fonts etc weren't as they had been.

Tried to boot it today and a screen is coming up via the lines saying something like device driver problem. Its hard to see.

Decided to take out battery as thought it might have something to do with it and tried to boot it with the ac cord. it started ok but then went back to lines across screen etc then goes blank so I can't even log on.

Any help appreciated.

vicwatson

Its now saying

Hardware Malfunction

Call your hardware vendor for support

NMI: Parity Check / Memory Parity Error

*** The system has halted ***

Wtf is going on please?

ressem

Probably a dislodged or failing memory stick.

Your laptop might be be able to run the pre-boot diagnostics.
Can you power on the laptop while holding down the FN button, and see whether it lets you run a series of tests, including memory march tests to look for problems?

If you've a small philips screwdriver and willing to take a hatch off the bottom of the laptop, there's a possibility that removing and re-inserting the memory DRAM might allow the laptop to work again.

The service manual is available that describes how to recognise the part and where to look
http://www.dell.com/support/home/ie/en/iedhs1/product-support/product/xps-m1710/manuals
Page 12 Removing the Memory Module, Replacing the Memory Module.

If you have only one Memory module stick, then
1) try just reseating it in the same socket
2) if that has no effect, try reseating it in the other socket.

If you've two Memory module sticks, then try running the laptop with one chip in place and the other removed. Then try with only the other chip installed.

vicwatson

Well for some reason my laptop has co operated and booted as normal (well, not like pre trouble normal).

I am trying to get off what I can to an external hard drive before problemm occur again.

I need a solution though, any help as to what's happening? Something is failing somewhere but what? TIA

65535

As ressem says - it's a memory problem.

Bring it to someone who knows about laptops and so on and ask them to check the memory plug in modules

vicwatson

Ok, so it's definitely to do with the memory?

I plan on buying a new machine but want to get off as much as possible off this one.

ressem

Memory Parity Error
means that when the laptop writes information to RAM memory, it runs a little sum on the data and stores that also (a parity bit).
Then when it's reading that data back, it's finding that the information no longer matches the sum.

Once could be a stray bit of radiation flipping bits on the RAM chip.
Happening repeatedly suggests that either the RAM or the RAM socket is malfunctioning when it tries to store or recover information.

If it comes to it, memory can be replaced by buying from Dell or Crucial
http://eu.crucial.com/eur/en/compatible-upgrade-for/Dell/xps-m1710

But reseating memory in case its just a bit of oxide on the electronic contact points would definitely be worth a try first.

ressem

If all goes bad,

You don't know whether you bought that laptop with 2 internal 2.5" drives in a RAID 0 high speed setup?
(Might tell you this on the invoice, or by putting the laptop's specific service tag into Dell's support page.)

If not, you or a third party can get all the data from the laptop by removing the 2.5" hard drive and attaching it as an external usb drive to your new computer.

vicwatson

ressem wrote: »

If all goes bad,

You don't know whether you bought that laptop with 2 internal 2.5" drives in a RAID 0 high speed setup?
(Might tell you this on the invoice, or by putting the laptop's specific service tag into Dell's support page.)

If not, you or a third party can get all the data from the laptop by removing the 2.5" hard drive and attaching it as an external usb drive to your new computer.

Anything here that would indicate it?

XPS M1710 Core 2 Duo Processor T7400 (2.16 GHz, 4 MB L2 cache, 667 MHz
FSB)
1 S
17" UltraSharp Wide Screen WUXGA (1920 x 1200) Display with TrueLife 1 S
Promo Hard Drive Upgrade SATA 120GB(5400) - SATA 160GB(5400) 1 S
Save Euro 150 ex vat 1 S
English - System Documentation 1 S
UK/Ireland - Power Cord 1 S
MS Logo Label for Win XP 1 S
Inspiron Resource DVD - (Diagnostics & Drivers) 1 S
4GB 667MHz Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM (2x 2G) 1 S
Hard Drive 320GB SATA (5400rpm) 1 S
Fixed Internal 8X DVD+/-RW Drive including software 1

ressem

Yes, while it looks like there are two hard drives, since they are different sizes they won't be in a RAID 0 array made by Dell.

Hard Drive 320GB SATA (5400rpm) 1 S
Promo Hard Drive Upgrade SATA 120GB(5400) - SATA 160GB(5400) 1 S

They can be removed and connected to a cheap device like
http://www.dabs.ie/products/startech-com-usb-to-sata-external-hard-drive-dock-2-5--sata-6Q9K.html?q=usb%20to%20sata&src=16

or for portable usage,
www.dabs.ie/products/startech-com-esata-usb-to-sata-hddenclosure-6606.html?q=usb%20to%20sata&src=16

vicwatson

Is it simply a matter of opening the laptop, taking out the drives, how do they connect, how can I use them?

Does this mean I can literally access them from a new laptop?

Thanks very much for all your help so far.

ressem

Laptop drives of that time have a SATA interface.

Those adapters mentioned earlier have a SATA connection and a USB connection.

So the old SATA drive is attached to the SATA side of the adapter and the USB connected to your other computer.

Then your C: drive on your current computer will appear as an E: drive (or F: or whatever the next free letter is).

A USB backup drive that you'd buy from the shop looks the same when you open them up.

You can't Boot windows from it without heavy technical expertise though.

Removing it is described on page 8 of the service manual mentioned earlier.
ftp://ftp.dell.com/Manuals/all-products/esuprt_laptop/esuprt_xps_laptop/xps-m1710_Service Manual_en-us.pdf

And according to the manual, there is actually only one hard drive bay, not two that I mistakenly thought I remembered these as having.

65535

Remove the Hard Disk (carefully and don't drop it/keep it away from magnets)
Bring it to PCWorld/Maplin or similar (Maybe even Harvey Norman)
Ask for a case and connector for to enclose it. (Cheapest one will do/Request shop assistant to fit it even)

It is also possible to get connectors without the enclosure which are cheaper.

When all setup plug it in to any power that is required and also plug it in to the USB on another PC to get your files.

It should show up as a separate Hard Disk in your Windows Explorer

vicwatson

ressem wrote: »

Laptop drives of that time have a SATA interface.

Those adapters mentioned earlier have a SATA connection and a USB connection.

So the old SATA drive is attached to the SATA side of the adapter and the USB connected to your other computer.

Then your C: drive on your current computer will appear as an E: drive (or F: or whatever the next free letter is).

A USB backup drive that you'd buy from the shop looks the same when you open them up.

You can't Boot windows from it without heavy technical expertise though.

Removing it is described on page 8 of the service manual mentioned earlier.
ftp://ftp.dell.com/Manuals/all-products/esuprt_laptop/esuprt_xps_laptop/xps-m1710_Service Manual_en-us.pdf

And according to the manual, there is actually only one hard drive bay, not two that I mistakenly thought I remembered these as having.

65535 wrote: »

Remove the Hard Disk (carefully and don't drop it/keep it away from magnets)
Bring it to PCWorld/Maplin or similar (Maybe even Harvey Norman)
Ask for a case and connector for to enclose it. (Cheapest one will do/Request shop assistant to fit it even)

It is also possible to get connectors without the enclosure which are cheaper.

When all setup plug it in to any power that is required and also plug it in to the USB on another PC to get your files.

It should show up as a separate Hard Disk in your Windows Explorer

Great help thank you both.

So in effect I can access all my files that are on the c: drive on my current laptop via a usb connection on my new laptop.

Would that include itunes, photos, videos etc etc etc etc

ressem

For the vast majority of files.

Most programs will have to be re-installed on the new laptop to put their settings in the windows registry.

There might be some iTunes DRM purchased and encrypted (with an extension .m4p) music files that require your new computer to be authorised before they will work.

If you've revenue or band of ireland banking online certificates, they'll need to be re-applied.

vicwatson

So no need to take emails bookmarks etc etc off old laptop?

65535

Well most email's now are on-line like gmail or outlook 365 so you just need your log on details for those
Bookmarks can be exported if you use the likes of Firefox or Chrome then re-imported to another machine.

ressem

vicwatson wrote: »

So no need to take emails bookmarks etc etc off old laptop?

Too many possibilities in etc etc.

Bookmarks.
Depends on the browser. Chrome's are stored in your \AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default

Emails.
Depends on the email program / service or if using Outlook, whether you use archive files.

If you use a cheap POP service for mail + MS Outlook desktop program, then exporting as a PST would be essential.

If you use gmail, business exchange or a modern mail service then all of the contacts and mail should be kept on the remote server, and you'll likely be able to confirm this using the web interface / mobile phone interface to the service.

brianwalshcork

I wouldn't recommend just copy the data that you think of/ think you'll need, there's a good chance you'll forget something..

you've got relatively small hard disks by todays standards...

If I was changing that laptop, I'd get a 500 GB external USB drive for €40ish, and then use disk2vhd (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/ee656415.aspx) to make a virtual hard disk file for each of the drives.

Your old laptop file structure will always be available as it is now... I like vhds because you can mount them directly from the USB drive under win7 or win8 (on your new laptop)

Bongalongherb

vicwatson wrote: »

Dell Inspiron XPS M1710

Battery had been failing.

All of a sudden when I went to switch it on last night the screen started acting up. lines going across it and colours were weird. Finally it came too but the fonts etc weren't as they had been.

Tried to boot it today and a screen is coming up via the lines saying something like device driver problem. Its hard to see.

Decided to take out battery as thought it might have something to do with it and tried to boot it with the ac cord. it started ok but then went back to lines across screen etc then goes blank so I can't even log on.

Any help appreciated.

To me, it seems that the problem is with the graphics card. You mentioned lines going across it and colours were weird, I do not think it is the ram modules. I think the problem is your graphics card.

vicwatson

Bloody thing booted as "normal" x 2 yesterday and 3rd time just now working away and bang goes the screen blue with lines and that message about parity again. Grrr

RossieMan

What are you doing when you get this?

Could be any number of things.
Is your laptop overheating or very hot when it happens?

vicwatson

brianwalshcork wrote: »

I wouldn't recommend just copy the data that you think of/ think you'll need, there's a good chance you'll forget something..

you've got relatively small hard disks by todays standards...

If I was changing that laptop, I'd get a 500 GB external USB drive for €40ish, and then use disk2vhd (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/ee656415.aspx) to make a virtual hard disk file for each of the drives.

Your old laptop file structure will always be available as it is now... I like vhds because you can mount them directly from the USB drive under win7 or win8 (on your new laptop)

Tks. Link is broken.

I have a 2tb external hard drive.

vicwatson

RossieMan wrote: »

What are you doing when you get this?

Could be any number of things.
Is your laptop overheating or very hot when it happens?

Nothing specific. I was browsing a Web page and it just came up. It couldnt have been that hot as it was running for just about 15 minutes

RossieMan

Very hard to diagnose without actually seeing it.
Dells have a tendency to do this with their network card driver from time to time.
If you could try deleting it completely and downloading the lastest update it might solve it.

As i said, its only a hunch from previous experiences with Dell.

ressem

RossieMan wrote: »

Very hard to diagnose without actually seeing it.

Yep, that's why the first suggestion was to run the pre-boot hardware diagnostics.

Dells have a tendency to do this with their network card driver from time to time.
If you could try deleting it completely and downloading the lastest update it might solve it.

As i said, its only a hunch from previous experiences with Dell.

It's be rare enough for an out-of-date network / wifi card driver to cause a Dell to fail to boot. Especially as the laptop is 6+ years old, it's unlikely to be receiving driver updates.

RossieMan

perhaps, i've only seen it a couple of times and it's been the wifi after i checked everything else.

It could be anything hardware related to be fair, my suggestion was a stab in the dark.

ressem

The NMI Parity error does restrict it. The BIOS or the chipset would be better possibilities for a software fault. But not when it's been stable up until now.

Richard Chen, Microsoft Engineer wrote:

In practice, the only device that generates an NMI (on purpose) is the memory controller, which raises it when a parity error is detected. The non-geek explanation of a parity error: Your memory chips are acting flakey.

Here's what a parity error looks like. It shows up as a mysterious "Hardware Malfunction" error.

Now, it's possible that a device may be generating an NMI by mistake. For example, in Wendy's case, it may have been due to damaged caused by overheating.

If you suspect your memory chips, you can run a memory diagnostic tool to see if it can find the bad memory.

vicwatson

ressem wrote: »

Yep, that's why the first suggestion was to run the pre-boot hardware diagnostics.

How can I do this?

ressem

Power on the laptop while holding down the Fn button. (On the bottom left of the keyboard, beside CTRL).

Page 90 of the Owners manual, Troubleshooting section.
ftp://ftp.dell.com/Manuals/all-products/esuprt_laptop/esuprt_xps_laptop/xps-m1710_owner's manual_en-us.pdf

vicwatson

brianwalshcork wrote: »

I wouldn't recommend just copy the data that you think of/ think you'll need, there's a good chance you'll forget something..

you've got relatively small hard disks by todays standards...

If I was changing that laptop, I'd get a 500 GB external USB drive for €40ish, and then use disk2vhd (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/ee656415.aspx) to make a virtual hard disk file for each of the drives.

Your old laptop file structure will always be available as it is now... I like vhds because you can mount them directly from the USB drive under win7 or win8 (on your new laptop)

Link broken ??