A hard error is an irreversible fault caused by physical damage to a component, such as a burned-out transistor, a blown fuse, or a ruptured dielectric. Unlike temporary glitches caused by radiation or voltage spikes, a hard error permanently alters the logic state or function of the circuit. The affected component or board must be physically replaced to restore operation.
Heard on the job
The memory controller threw a hard error on bank two, so we've to pull the DIMM and replace it before bringing the server back online.
Also heard as
- hard fault
Do not mix it up with
- Soft error: A soft error is a temporary data corruption that vanishes after a reboot, whereas a hard error is permanent physical damage.