Core Issue
The following are the two types of parity errors:
- Soft parity errors - These occur when an energy level within the chip (a one or a zero, for example) changes. When referenced by the CPU, these errors cause the system to crash if the error is in an area that is not recoverable. In case of a soft parity error, there is no need to swap the board or any of the components.
- Hard parity errors - These occur when there is a chip or board failure that causes data to be corrupted (not bad all or most of the time). In this case, re-seat or replace the affected component, usually a memory chip swap or a board swap.
Studies have shown that soft parity errors are 10 to 100 times more frequent than hard parity errors. Therefore, waiting for a second parity error before replacing anything is highly recommended, as it greatly reduces the impact on your network.
Resolution
Replace the DRAM.
For more information, refer to Processor Memory Parity Errors (PMPEs).
