An error occurence in a computer system that is caused by the failure of a memory chip. Hard errors can appear like chip-level soft errors, but the difference is that the hard error is not rectified when the computer is rebooted. The solution to a hard error is to replace the memory chip or module entirely. Operating a system beyond the speed capacity of its memory and subjecting the system to charges of static electricity are two common causes of hard errors.
Contrast with soft error.
