Memory on Graphic card

MrZangief · 03-31-2007, 08:10 AM

Hi!

Can any expert please help me understand this?

I have a Acer Ferrari 1000 with an ATI Radeon Xpress 1150 chipset.
The Laptop is supposed to have "up to" 512 MB Graphic memory.

In the Bios I can set it to maximum 256 MB, so I am guessing that there is a software parameter that can make it leech 512MB from the RAM?

Anyway... I installed Catalyst in hope of finding any tune options for this with no luck. But when I look in the information Center it tells me this:
Memory size: 895 MB
Memory Type: HyperMemory
Core Clock in MHz: 401
Memory Clock in MHz: 401

So what is it? DO I have 895 MB on the graphic? I guess not since it is still showing 256 on the boot screen.

I am all confused

reidy- · 03-31-2007, 10:01 AM

865 is you'r system RAM

256 is the onboard RAM
and another variable amount (upto 256) is taken from you'r RAM

in this case 1024 - 865 = 159

so ou'r card is using 159MB of you'r computer's RAM well thats the way i see it anyway

Felix · 04-02-2007, 06:52 AM

Correct, ATI uses "HyperMemory" to steal or access the ram on your motherboard. nVidia uses TurboCache, which is the same thing.

**Gabriel Torres** · 04-02-2007, 10:48 AM

Hi,

HyperMemory and TurboCache are technologies for desktop video cards. They don't apply for laptops, because on these two technologies the video card has a small amount of RAM and then "steals" the rest from the system RAM, even though "HyperMemory" is listed on the video driver.

What happens on laptops and motherboards with on-board video is that they use an architecture called UMA (Unified Memory Architecture), where the chipset steals part of the system RAM to be used as video memory.

The limit, however, will depend on how much RAM you have. For example, if you laptop has 512 MB RAM you won't be able to configure it to use 512 MB as video memory, otherwise it wouldn't be RAM left for the system itself.

For the data you posted, it seems that you system has 1 GB RAM installed and your video is configured to "steal" 128 MB from the RAM memory to be used as video memory (1024 - 128 = 896 MB).

Maybe the "512 MB" option is available only when you install more than 1 GB. Maybe.

Cheers
Gabriel.

03-31-2007, 08:10 AM	#1
MrZangief Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 1	Memory on Graphic card Hi! Can any expert please help me understand this? I have a Acer Ferrari 1000 with an ATI Radeon Xpress 1150 chipset. The Laptop is supposed to have "up to" 512 MB Graphic memory. In the Bios I can set it to maximum 256 MB, so I am guessing that there is a software parameter that can make it leech 512MB from the RAM? Anyway... I installed Catalyst in hope of finding any tune options for this with no luck. But when I look in the information Center it tells me this: Memory size: 895 MB Memory Type: HyperMemory Core Clock in MHz: 401 Memory Clock in MHz: 401 So what is it? DO I have 895 MB on the graphic? I guess not since it is still showing 256 on the boot screen. I am all confused

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03-31-2007, 10:01 AM	#2
reidy- Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 367	865 is you'r system RAM 256 is the onboard RAM and another variable amount (upto 256) is taken from you'r RAM in this case 1024 - 865 = 159 so ou'r card is using 159MB of you'r computer's RAM well thats the way i see it anyway

04-02-2007, 06:52 AM	#3
Felix Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Texas Posts: 36	Correct, ATI uses "HyperMemory" to steal or access the ram on your motherboard. nVidia uses TurboCache, which is the same thing.

04-02-2007, 10:48 AM	#4
Gabriel Torres Administrator Join Date: Oct 2004 USA Posts: 2,553	Hi, HyperMemory and TurboCache are technologies for desktop video cards. They don't apply for laptops, because on these two technologies the video card has a small amount of RAM and then "steals" the rest from the system RAM, even though "HyperMemory" is listed on the video driver. What happens on laptops and motherboards with on-board video is that they use an architecture called UMA (Unified Memory Architecture), where the chipset steals part of the system RAM to be used as video memory. The limit, however, will depend on how much RAM you have. For example, if you laptop has 512 MB RAM you won't be able to configure it to use 512 MB as video memory, otherwise it wouldn't be RAM left for the system itself. For the data you posted, it seems that you system has 1 GB RAM installed and your video is configured to "steal" 128 MB from the RAM memory to be used as video memory (1024 - 128 = 896 MB). Maybe the "512 MB" option is available only when you install more than 1 GB. Maybe. Cheers Gabriel.