Meaning of Parity Errors In legacy memory systems that implement parity checking, a reported parity error usually indicates faulty memory. True or False?

Introduction / Context:
Parity is an error-detection scheme once common on SIMMs and early DIMMs. Understanding what a parity error implies is important when diagnosing intermittent crashes, data corruption, or boot failures on older platforms and embedded controllers that still use parity or ECC reporting.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Parity checking compares stored parity with computed parity on reads.
• A mismatch indicates a single-bit error was detected.
• We are discussing classic parity (1 parity bit per byte), not modern ECC multi-bit correction.

Concept / Approach:

A parity error typically means the data read back from memory does not match the expected parity, strongly suggesting faulty RAM cells, marginal contacts, or signal integrity problems on the memory path. Although the memory module is often at fault, the error can also be caused by a bad slot, dirty contacts, or motherboard issues.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:

Running memory diagnostics or swapping modules across slots can isolate a failing stick. Consistent errors following a particular module or slot confirm hardware fault.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

False would minimize the diagnostic value of parity errors. While other causes exist, the usual, most actionable interpretation is bad memory or its immediate interface.

Common Pitfalls:

Replacing the motherboard before reseating and testing memory; overlooking oxidation on contacts; ignoring power quality that can exacerbate marginal memory behavior.

Final Answer:

True