Why does Vista Allocate 256MB of sys RAM to Video Card?

Why does Vista Allocate 256MB of sys RAM to Video Card?, I had an X800 XT 256 and dxdiag showed it as 511MB, I now have a Radeon HD 2900 XT 512MB and it shows as 768MB why? and is there a way of turning it off, i only have 1gb of system ram.

 

I believe you will find that your graphics card has a rating as mine does according to the amount of physical memory installed - so, it will make use of its capabilities, depending on physical ram, but I believe it uses virtual memory (Windows) - perhaps someone else from majorgeeks, with more technical knowledge could clarrify this.

 

I found something while searching the web.

http://forums.nvidia.com/index.php?showtopic=36160&pid=199165&mode=threaded&show=&st=&

"All graphics cards have shared memory in Vista. There is some extra information on how much that should be in the driver release notes. "

Now is there any way of turning it off?

 

I'm wondering if you could change that setting in bios? I've done it with XP but not sure about Vista.

 

No, that would be becaue ur motherboard has an intergrated video card. Thus you can change it in the BIOS, Vista is is allocating the memory itself and I'm assuming its your system RAM not the Pagefile (due to transfer rates). So anybody out there know how to turn it off?

 

Yes, but I'm currently using an AGP video card and there are adjustments for it as well as the integrated video in the BIOS. I actually had to adjust them when I upgraded to the AGP card from the integrated video.

That's why I was curious about your situation. confused

Could there be a service for it?

 

From my recolection is it isnt BIOS related and onlyhappened when iupgraded to vista maybethere is a service i just dont know of it yet

 

I am sorry that I was not on the ball with your question -
---Anyone know how to turn off/change the settings for graphics card in Vista.--

Apparently Vista can be tweaked from the registry with the old--run, regedit, but you have to look harder. However I have been unable to find a way of
stopping Vista commandearing memory, as it needs it, for graphics -- unless you can find something in the bios.
By the graphics card capability,I meant that if your card is rated at say 512, then often, the card will run from 256, to 512 depending on the ram you have installed- more ram, more mb of graphics.
I see many references to vram (video ram) and (wram) Windows ram, in grahics searching.
Vista is a graphics hungry operating system, and the card you have suits it, but your memory is too low to appreciate it, fully, that would be why it (the ram) is showing low, compared to your graphics.
It should only use the extra memory when you are running an application, or, more especially a game, and giving you the best effects for the card + ram installed.
Obviously, you can switch off some of aero (or, avalon ) graphics capabilities, if you do not want/need them.

Unless someone can give you more, I thought that the information following might be useful, as I am not a games person.

Just to try to explain more ,
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/video/display/vista-performance-preview_3.html

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/video/display/vista-performance-preview_5.html
from the above link, it seems:_
Graphics memory virtualization is used to avoid problems with low graphics memory
and a more efficient distribution of available resources
The memory virtualization technique is like the memory paging mechanism in XP,
but works with the graphics card. It apportions graphics memory for data needed
at any moment and unloads unnecessary data into system RAM or,
if there is no free space in system RAM, to the hard drive
.... similar to the GART mode of the AGP bus that allowed storing textures
in system memory rather than in the graphics card’s onboard memory.

http://www.vistabase.co.uk/kb/graphics

Review on your card, and from what I have seen it is best to use at least 2gb of ram,(Ram is so cheap, now) and that card you have probably cost more than another 2 gb Ram- with Vista for the best aero performance, as in this review.

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/video/display/radeon-hd-2900-games.html

If no one else helps, I will keep looking for you.

 

Thanks, Halo, I could not find that one - those few words explain it all, so plainly.

Snipergod87, I hope Halo's input explained it better.:wave

 

Thanks for the help guys, it makes sense now. I know i need more ram im just upgrading in peices