Community Newsletter: Q&A: 8/12/05 New PCs: what does shared memory for video mean?
- 8/11/05 5:18 PM
addition to merryoboe's methods
by garyofcourse - 8/12/05 10:39 AM In reply to: Shared memory? by merryoboemerryoboe is absolutely right. the methods he lists for finding out if you have shared ram or not are perfect. i just wanted to add another: you could go into you BIOS when starting the computer. since memory sharing can be controlled from there, it should tell you whether sharing is enabled or not.
Gary.
Re Merryobo
by Daviddude - 8/13/05 7:38 AM In reply to: Shared memory? by merryoboeThanks, I called the manufacture and the video memory is shared. Strange thing though - the first 'page' of my computer properties says that I have 504 MB RAM installed - the RAM is 512 MB. So the shared 64 MB isn't recorded there. Another thing, I checked my BIOS and it says I have 64 MB and 8MB buffer. That is what the my computer properties # is using. Very strange indeed.
Thanks for your reply.
don't bother with shared video memory
by napsterlover2375 - 8/12/05 7:25 AM In reply to: 8/12/05 New PCs: what does shared memory for video mean? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Although you may save a little money now buying a computer with shared video memory and other low specs, you'll regret it later. You will probably have the computer for 3-5 years,so get the most computer you can afford to ensure future usability.
What about "Virtual Memory?"
by Eman - 8/12/05 8:01 AM In reply to: 8/12/05 New PCs: what does shared memory for video mean? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Does my "shared" or dedicated" memory have anything to do with how I should set my Virtual Memory? My desktop system is: AMD XP 3000+, 1 Gig RAM, nVidia 5200 vidio card (128 Mb) 120G 7200 HD. Further, if you have a video card with dedicated memory like I do, how do you know if your computer is still not set to "share" some of the installed RAM?
virtual memory is a very different thing
by garyofcourse - 8/12/05 8:28 AM In reply to: What about "Virtual Memory?" by Emanvirtual memory is a totally different thing. when windows realizes it doesnt have enough ram for its tasks, it takes a little space from your harddisk and uses it as additional memory. this is called virtual memory. this memory is not as good as ram because it it is a very different material/system. hard drives are rom (read only memory) and although windows is temporarily using it as a substitute for ram, it is far slower since it takes longer to access a hard drive than to access ram. also material will be exchanged between virtual memory and system ram constantly, which slows down the process further.
if you have a lot of system ram, the necessity to use virtual memory diminishes.
shared memory on the other hand is actual system ram memory that is being used for multiple tasks. thus shared memory and virtual memory are completely different things.
one way to find out if your computer is sharing ram is to go into the bios. thats where you usually enable/disable sharing.
Quick question on Virtual Memory
by MrFletch - 8/12/05 10:20 AM In reply to: virtual memory is a very different thing by garyofcourseWhere on the hard drive does virtual memory store its information?
I can run games like Need for Speed Underground 2 and Halo but i cant run games like Doom 3 or Richard Burns Rally. My system is bordering minimum requirements. Because of this i am assuming my computer may be using Virtual Memory sometimes. I dont know if the hard drive space virtual memory uses, remains there or if it is erased after. I have a problem with free space on my hard drive, so im always looking to free up more space.
it takes up space but you can change how much
by garyofcourse - 8/12/05 11:26 AM In reply to: Quick question on Virtual Memory by MrFletchThe virtual memory is stored on your hard drive in a file C:\pagefile.sys
This is known as the paging file in windows xp, 2000 and NT. (It was previously known as the swap file on windows 95 and win 3.x).
Being a system file it is invisible in windows explorer. You can make it visible in windows explorer by going to tools->folder options and then unchecking the box that says 'hide system files'.
By default the paging file keeps getting resized by windows according to its need. There is always some space reserved for it.
It is possible to make changes to the amount of virtual memory your computer allows.
Go to the Control Panel.
Open System Properties.
Under the Advanced tab you will see Performance. Hit the Settings button in the Performance section.
The Performance Options will display.
Choose the Advanced Tab.
You will see a section at the bottom called Virtual Memory.
Here you will be able to change the size of the paging file. If you have low system RAM, and want to use memory intensive applications, I would suggest increasing the size of the paging file.
I write on mine!
by Olifrench - 8/13/05 12:48 AM In reply to: virtual memory is a very different thing by garyofcourse"hard drives are rom (read only memory)"
That's a new concept! 
Xmdia GeForce FX 5500 / 256MB DDR / AGP 8x /
by Sirius Darkamber - 8/12/05 8:25 AM In reply to: 8/12/05 New PCs: what does shared memory for video mean? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Xmdia GeForce FX 5500 / 256MB DDR / AGP 8x / DVI / VGA / TV-Out / Video Card (TC3H-1023) from tiger direct, an online sales site of computer components, $87.99 cnd. Good video cards with lots of ram are no longer that expensave... this is just one of the cards i have found, futureshop has the same card on for a bit more, but still less than $105, and i beleave the Geforce comes in the 7800 model now boasting 512MB DDR onboard ram. As always, shop around for the best deal... and remember, no matter what, whatever you buy will be old the day you buy it.
Sirius
VRAM is not that much of an issue..
by Zippy - 8/12/05 1:38 PM In reply to: Xmdia GeForce FX 5500 / 256MB DDR / AGP 8x / by Sirius DarkamberThe GPU is what counts the most when you buy a video card. As long as you get 128 MB VRAM on your card, that should be enough. Really the main thing that VRAM improves is resolution, and if you do not have a GPU that can handle high resolutions, the VRAM is worthless, even if you have 512 or 256
Keep your options open...
by ViRaL1 - 8/12/05 8:29 AM In reply to: 8/12/05 New PCs: what does shared memory for video mean? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
If you're looking to save money while keeping your options open, consider getting a system (or a motherboard) with integrated video to keep costs down up front, but one that includes either an AGP slot or an 8x or 16x PCI-E slot. This way you'll get a system that's more than adequate to meet your present needs yet still capable of handling what you throw at it in the future. As far as system memory goes, especially if you're opting for shared (on board) video memory, I'd recommend no less than 512MB (or 1GB if the price difference isn't huge). In most cases it's cheaper to get all 512MB up front, but sometimes you can find a 512MB stick online cheaper than what some companies charge for the upgrade from 256MB to 512MB, and then you'll have an extra 256MB of RAM. As far as video memory on a graphics card, I'd recommend nothing less than 128MB. With all the new graphics cards, 128MB cards have dropped quite a bit, so you should be able to find one relatively cheap when you do decide you're ready for games. Although Windows Vista is still on the horizon (no pun intended), some early reports state that having only integrated video may limit your ability to take full advantage of their new graphical interface. That's not to say that you won't be able to run the OS as intended, just that some graphical features may be limited.
As a side note to the original reply...1GB - 128MB = 872MB??? 1GB is still 1024MB regardless of what the hard drive manufacturers tell you. 
More on dedicated system RAM vs. integrated.
by trmptr4484 - 8/12/05 8:44 AM In reply to: 8/12/05 New PCs: what does shared memory for video mean? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
As a system bulider I try to stay away from integrated video with shared system RAM. Mainly because the only advantage is cost savings; however I do not think that the cost savings out-weigh the disadvantages.
These include:
1. Less RAM for other applications. Currently to run most applications I recommend 512MB of system RAM for a Windows XP system. This includes basic Office apps (Word, Excel, etc.) and internet browsing. Why 512? Because Windows takes up a large amount (anywhere between 64-256MB of RAM) well that's a large hunk gone already. Then other little apps like AIM take up a lot of RAM. AIM take about 18MB of RAM. Followed by other programs, it adds up fast.
2. Upgradability. Many integrated video solutions (especially in store bought machines) can't be disabled. This means that if and when you decide to upgrade the video card you can't. Some can which is good, while other can be disabled however you'll only get a regular PCI slot, again not a good choice for a modern day video card.
3. Speed! System RAM is accessed through the Northbridge Chipset, which dedicated video RAM resides directly on the card. Basically, dedicated video RAM is faster to access and use for the video card. Along with this there are many non-integrated cards that are a great deal MORE powerful than the currently integrated solutions.
In conclusion, I would highly recommend a dedicated graphics card with its own video RAM. The only exception is small-form laptops. I have Dell 700m along with my 600m and Dual G5 Desktop. The 700m has a shared video RAM and for basic apps its fine (I also have 1 gig of RAM in the computer). However I wouldn't dream of using it for video editing, extensive photo editing and/or gaming. These are the tasks for my Dell 600m notebook (with 64MB Radeon 9000) and Dual G5 PowerMac.
Shared memory
by Jellyroll - 8/12/05 9:15 AM In reply to: 8/12/05 New PCs: what does shared memory for video mean? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
the answer you gave was a good one. It was clear and easily understandable. The only complaint I have about computer vendors that use shared video memory, are the ones which don't leave the ability in BIOS to disable the onboard video so that you can use an updated and new graphics card that suits you needs.
(almost) absolutely right
by wresnick - 8/12/05 9:40 AM In reply to: 8/12/05 New PCs: what does shared memory for video mean? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
The advice was good, but memory is not really all that expensive. 1GB of primary storage should not set a user back very much.
I remember when 256MB of primary storage for a mainframe cost several hundred thousand dollars, and I remember when PC memory dropped to $35 per meg. These days, an extra 512MB can set you back as little as $39 depending on your machine.
It used to be that adding a 250MB hard drive was a $400 decision, and it seemed cheap at the time compared to the 40MB hard drives of just a few years earlier. These days, the prices of everything have dropped.
So the bottom line is that while it's not a major decision any more, it's also likely to continue to get cheaper. If you're not afraid to open a case and pop something into a slot, the best bet is to start off with what you think you need, and then add more later, since the prices are only going to go down.
Not all video memory is created equal.
by nsns - 8/12/05 10:49 AM In reply to: (almost) absolutely right by wresnickWhen buying a video card, memory is not the only thing you should consider. 128mb cards range from 50-200 dollars or more. Do you really think the 50 dollar card is as good as the 200 dollar card? There are 128mb video cards that are much, much better than 256mb cards. Research before you buy. Xmdia GeForce FX 5500 / 256MB DDR is not a very good card. Just a warning.
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