NMI error following installation of SP3 (WinXP Pro)

[chermesh]

Hi,
My pc, Lenovo M55e, breaksdown with the following blue screen error message:

*** Hardware Malfunction
Call your hardware vendor for support
NMI: Parity check / Memory parity error
*The system has halted*

The error occurs o n l y in when I try to connect some USB items, an LG external DVD drive or an external WD HD packed in an external enclosure.

I checked my memory cards by replacing them, and they are flawless.

In addition, I have ran a "Repair" installation of a clean streamlined SP3 disk. The disk was prepared by integrating an MS final version SP3 file with my original SP2 disk.

I can connect successfully some USB items, my Nokia cellular or my Brother printer, for example.

The final version SP3 was installed above some beta versions of SP3, which caused no problems. Since SP3 has been installed on my system for quite a long time, whether as beta or final, removal of it and returning to SP2 would be costful.

What can be done to solve this problem.

 

[Tmagic650]

Have you checked for any additional MS Updates?

 

[raybay]

I don't see why removing SP-3 would be costly.
It would be a good test of your system.
You can uninstall SP3, then reinstall it anytime you choose.
As a person who repairs and maintains a great number of Lenovo products, I can tell you we are not seeing problems, generally, in that model.
Have you tried using a powered USB 4-port hub with its own power adapter.

 

[nickc]

also It is best to uninstall the beta of SP3 before installing the final.

 

[Tmagic650]

XP, SP3 is simply a compilation of all the 100+ XP updates to date from the release of SP2... If you maintained installing the Windows Critical updates all along, moving to SP3 should not be that painful. Maybe in chermesh's case, he should apply SP2 first.

nickc, as a general rule with Beta software, it is always best to uninstall Beta software before installing the released version

 

[chermesh]

My system is completely updated

Have you checked for any additional MS Updates?

I'm quite strict with updating. Therefore, my system is updated.

 

[chermesh]

A long set of SP3 beta installations

I don't see why removing SP-3 would be costly.
It would be a good test of your system.
You can uninstall SP3, then reinstall it anytime you choose.
As a person who repairs and maintains a great number of Lenovo products, I can tell you we are not seeing problems, generally, in that model.
Have you tried using a powered USB 4-port hub with its own power adapter.

Since there's no way removing final version SP3, and going back to SP3 beta, uninstalling SP3 would mean uninstalling around 20 pieces of software, that's the warning I got when I checked the implications of uninstalling SP3. I would do my best to avoid it.

As to using a powered USB 4-port hub with its own power adapter, can you elaborate? I've added a USB card to my system, but it doesn't have an independent power adapter.

 

[chermesh]

A sound suggestion but...

also It is best to uninstall the beta of SP3 before installing the final.

There's an old Jewish expression: If I were as smart when I did (or didn't do) whatever was done (or wasn't done) as my wife is today, I would find myself in a wonderful state.
In the future, if I ever install betas, I'll first uninstall former ones. Today, it's to late. The deed has already been done

 

[chermesh]

In spite of this information

XP, SP3 is simply a compilation of all the 100+ XP updates to date from the release of SP2... If you maintained installing the Windows Critical updates all along, moving to SP3 should not be that painful. Maybe in chermesh's case, he should apply SP2 first.

nickc, as a general rule with Beta software, it is always best to uninstall Beta software before installing the released version

You're right, since I keep my system updated, SP3 shouldn't have made any significant good or bad on my system. Still, the fact is it did. How? Next time I meet Bill Gates I'll ask him...