Ohno writes:
>  I'm using the P55TP4-XE myself, works great. One thing though:
> 
>   get 60ns memory if you're planning on a 100MHz or 133MHz Pentium !!!!
> 
>  Otherwise, you'll be getting internal compiler errors when compiling
> the kernel or /usr/src.

Michael writes:
> My thought on memory parity is that it is a holdover from the dark
> ages of computing and isn't really needed anymore.  I would be
> perfectly happy buying non-parity memory and motherboard at least.

I spent about an hour reading related newsgroups last night to learn
more about the parity issue.   What I found striking was that a *lot*
of people were complaining about memory problems on the P55TP4-XE and
similar Triton-based boards, but nobody seemed to think that parity
would make a difference.

Parity doesn't reduce the likelihood of an error occuring - actually,
one could argue that it increases it by 12.5%.  However, what it does
do is catch a majority of memory errors.  So instead of getting bad
data (e.g., Ohno's compile errors), you get a system crash or a killed
process.  I personally would prefer a system crash to a bad compile,
or, much worse, a bad financial transaction.

The *right* solution to this problem is actually not parity, but
rather ECC memory.   Unfortunately, ECC memory is a bit hard to come
by right now, and boards that support it even more so.   However, I
find it encouraging that Intel is coming out with the Triton II
chipset which supports parity with the Pentium, and also the Orion/P6
chipset which supports both parity and ECC.

On a side note, apparently the SiS chipset on the ASUS PCI/I-P55SP4
does support parity.   I don't know if the board is actually wired to
take advantage of that, but if it is, it sounds like it's worth a try.

			       _MelloN_