Shared memory with graphics card

Don't know if this helps you but I've got a 64bit Vista system with a 768MB
graphics card, my figures are:-

Total graphics memory 2814MB
Dedicated graphics memory 768MB
Dedicated system memory 0MB
Shared system memory 2046MB

I believe, although I'm not sure about this, that Vista allocates a large
block of memory for the use of the video drivers but that it's still
available for use by programs if the video isn't actually using it.

I expect someone more knowledgeable than me about Vista, DX10 and video
drivers can explain better what Vista is using it for

Peter Lawton

"Gudmund Liebach Nielsen" <liebach@noreply.dk> wrote in message
news:FF2603D5-740E-45BC-8658-78C1FE45A9B3@microsoft.com...
> Ok, but how do I see if it is affecting system performance?
>
>
> "DP" <nospam@nospam.com> skrev i meddelelsen
> news:%23DC1rxr9HHA.1204@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>> Maybe a video driver got updated or maybe a general Windows update did
>> it.
>> If it's not affecting system performance, I wouldn't worry about it.
>>
>>
>>
>> "Gudmund Liebach Nielsen" <liebach@noreply.dk> wrote in message
>> news:BC4C920E-A003-45A4-AC0D-EACD73F7DFF1@microsoft.com...
>>> Before something happened (don't know what) the shared memory was
>>> reported as 256MB.
>>> I don't know what has happened since the shared memory now is 767MB.
>>>
>>> "DP" <nospam@nospam.com> skrev i meddelelsen
>>> news:Oa642Hr9HHA.1204@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>>>>I would tend to agree, though I'm certainly not close to being an expert
>>>>on graphics issues.
>>>> You've got a 256 mb memory card. It's "borrowing" 767MB of system
>>>> memory. 767 + 256 = 1023.
>>>>
>>>> Question for the OP: Where did you get the information that tells you
>>>> "My card is supposed to share only 256MB of the system memory"?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> "Synapse Syndrome" <synapse@NOSPAMgomez404.elitemail.org> wrote in
>>>> message news:%23gr$01p9HHA.600@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>>>>> "Spirit" <unknown@lost.info> wrote in message
>>>>> news:OQrjQwp9HHA.4612@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>>>>>> The programmers got the wrong data in the columns which is
>>>>>> pretty easy to do.....
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> But it doesn't look like that, as the figures all tally with
>>>>> eachother.
>>>>>
>>>>> ss.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>
>

Just found an MS document about it:-

http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/device...icsmemory.mspx

"Peter Lawton" <dummy@dummy.domain> wrote in message
news:uPD9BNs9HHA.1208@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> Don't know if this helps you but I've got a 64bit Vista system with a
> 768MB graphics card, my figures are:-
>
> Total graphics memory 2814MB
> Dedicated graphics memory 768MB
> Dedicated system memory 0MB
> Shared system memory 2046MB
>
> I believe, although I'm not sure about this, that Vista allocates a large
> block of memory for the use of the video drivers but that it's still
> available for use by programs if the video isn't actually using it.
>
> I expect someone more knowledgeable than me about Vista, DX10 and video
> drivers can explain better what Vista is using it for
>
> Peter Lawton
>
> "Gudmund Liebach Nielsen" <liebach@noreply.dk> wrote in message
> news:FF2603D5-740E-45BC-8658-78C1FE45A9B3@microsoft.com...
>> Ok, but how do I see if it is affecting system performance?
>>
>>
>> "DP" <nospam@nospam.com> skrev i meddelelsen
>> news:%23DC1rxr9HHA.1204@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>>> Maybe a video driver got updated or maybe a general Windows update did
>>> it.
>>> If it's not affecting system performance, I wouldn't worry about it.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> "Gudmund Liebach Nielsen" <liebach@noreply.dk> wrote in message
>>> news:BC4C920E-A003-45A4-AC0D-EACD73F7DFF1@microsoft.com...
>>>> Before something happened (don't know what) the shared memory was
>>>> reported as 256MB.
>>>> I don't know what has happened since the shared memory now is 767MB.
>>>>
>>>> "DP" <nospam@nospam.com> skrev i meddelelsen
>>>> news:Oa642Hr9HHA.1204@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>>>>>I would tend to agree, though I'm certainly not close to being an
>>>>>expert on graphics issues.
>>>>> You've got a 256 mb memory card. It's "borrowing" 767MB of system
>>>>> memory. 767 + 256 = 1023.
>>>>>
>>>>> Question for the OP: Where did you get the information that tells you
>>>>> "My card is supposed to share only 256MB of the system memory"?
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> "Synapse Syndrome" <synapse@NOSPAMgomez404.elitemail.org> wrote in
>>>>> message news:%23gr$01p9HHA.600@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>>>>>> "Spirit" <unknown@lost.info> wrote in message
>>>>>> news:OQrjQwp9HHA.4612@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>>>>>>> The programmers got the wrong data in the columns which is
>>>>>>> pretty easy to do.....
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> But it doesn't look like that, as the figures all tally with
>>>>>> eachother.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> ss.
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>
>

Ok, seems that Vista allocates a lot of shared memory. I will try to read
the article you point of. Thank you.


"Peter Lawton" <dummy@dummy.domain> skrev i meddelelsen
news:OShTWQs9HHA.5840@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> Just found an MS document about it:-
>
> http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/device...icsmemory.mspx
>
> "Peter Lawton" <dummy@dummy.domain> wrote in message
> news:uPD9BNs9HHA.1208@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>> Don't know if this helps you but I've got a 64bit Vista system with a
>> 768MB graphics card, my figures are:-
>>
>> Total graphics memory 2814MB
>> Dedicated graphics memory 768MB
>> Dedicated system memory 0MB
>> Shared system memory 2046MB
>>
>> I believe, although I'm not sure about this, that Vista allocates a large
>> block of memory for the use of the video drivers but that it's still
>> available for use by programs if the video isn't actually using it.
>>
>> I expect someone more knowledgeable than me about Vista, DX10 and video
>> drivers can explain better what Vista is using it for
>>
>> Peter Lawton
>>
>> "Gudmund Liebach Nielsen" <liebach@noreply.dk> wrote in message
>> news:FF2603D5-740E-45BC-8658-78C1FE45A9B3@microsoft.com...
>>> Ok, but how do I see if it is affecting system performance?
>>>
>>>
>>> "DP" <nospam@nospam.com> skrev i meddelelsen
>>> news:%23DC1rxr9HHA.1204@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>>>> Maybe a video driver got updated or maybe a general Windows update did
>>>> it.
>>>> If it's not affecting system performance, I wouldn't worry about it.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> "Gudmund Liebach Nielsen" <liebach@noreply.dk> wrote in message
>>>> news:BC4C920E-A003-45A4-AC0D-EACD73F7DFF1@microsoft.com...
>>>>> Before something happened (don't know what) the shared memory was
>>>>> reported as 256MB.
>>>>> I don't know what has happened since the shared memory now is 767MB.
>>>>>
>>>>> "DP" <nospam@nospam.com> skrev i meddelelsen
>>>>> news:Oa642Hr9HHA.1204@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>>>>>>I would tend to agree, though I'm certainly not close to being an
>>>>>>expert on graphics issues.
>>>>>> You've got a 256 mb memory card. It's "borrowing" 767MB of system
>>>>>> memory. 767 + 256 = 1023.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Question for the OP: Where did you get the information that tells you
>>>>>> "My card is supposed to share only 256MB of the system memory"?
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> "Synapse Syndrome" <synapse@NOSPAMgomez404.elitemail.org> wrote in
>>>>>> message news:%23gr$01p9HHA.600@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>>>>>>> "Spirit" <unknown@lost.info> wrote in message
>>>>>>> news:OQrjQwp9HHA.4612@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>>>>>>>> The programmers got the wrong data in the columns which is
>>>>>>>> pretty easy to do.....
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> But it doesn't look like that, as the figures all tally with
>>>>>>> eachother.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> ss.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>
>

"Spirit" <unknown@lost.info> wrote in message
news:OQrjQwp9HHA.4612@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> The programmers got the wrong data in the columns which is
> pretty easy to do.....
>
> "Gudmund Liebach Nielsen" <liebach@noreply.dk> wrote in message
> news87205F1-5108-4E4D-82CC-7595A91656BF@microsoft.com...
>>I don't understand that Windows Vista reports the following for my NVIDIA
>>7500 LE Graphics card:
>>
>> Total graphics memory 1023MB
>> Dedicated graphics memory 256MB
>> Dedicated system memory 0MB
>> Shared system memory 767MB
>>
>> My card is supposed to share only 256MB of the system memory.
>>
>
>

They may not have..
my nvidia has 128M dedicated RAM and then another 767M of shared system
memory which it can use for texture maps and stuff like that.

"dennis@home" <dennis@killspam.kicks-***.net> wrote in message
news:A44C674F-90AE-4607-8077-D5707C0C4260@microsoft.com...
>
> They may not have..
> my nvidia has 128M dedicated RAM and then another 767M of shared system
> memory which it can use for texture maps and stuff like that.

No, the textures would be placed in the graphics card's fast memory, and
would be the main use of that memory. The system RAM is used to cache
graphics, like windows and those thumbnails on the taskbar. That is why
that shared system memory goes up and down, depending on how much demand
there is for the memory from applications.

ss.

"Synapse Syndrome" <synapse@NOSPAMgomez404.elitemail.org> wrote in message
news:%23C7$WFv9HHA.4612@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> "dennis@home" <dennis@killspam.kicks-***.net> wrote in message
> news:A44C674F-90AE-4607-8077-D5707C0C4260@microsoft.com...
>>
>> They may not have..
>> my nvidia has 128M dedicated RAM and then another 767M of shared system
>> memory which it can use for texture maps and stuff like that.
>
> No, the textures would be placed in the graphics card's fast memory, and
> would be the main use of that memory. The system RAM is used to cache
> graphics, like windows and those thumbnails on the taskbar. That is why
> that shared system memory goes up and down, depending on how much demand
> there is for the memory from applications.

That's not how nvidia describe it.. maybe there are two different types of
shared memory here?

"dennis@home" <dennis@killspam.kicks-***.net> wrote in message
news:BCB83397-A353-49EA-A9F9-8729488C6AD6@microsoft.com...
>
> That's not how nvidia describe it.. maybe there are two different types of
> shared memory here?

nVidia don't have much to do with how Vista caches memory, so you must be
talking about, yes, another type of shared memory.

Onboard graphics solutions on motherboards and laptops, normally do not come
with their own RAM, and use the system RAM instead. Some cheaper discrete
graphics card also do this sometimes to add to the limited amount of RAM on
the card. In these cases the shared system RAM is used for textures, which
is essentially what graphics cards need lots of RAM for.

But this happens in operating systems that use these graphics chips/cards,
and have nothing to do with Vista's caching, which is the basis of this
thread.

ss.

Well, I have written to Nvidia but they response that I have to contact
Microsoft about this issue....


"Synapse Syndrome" <synapse@NOSPAMgomez404.elitemail.org> skrev i
meddelelsen news:%23xPtV4v9HHA.1168@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> "dennis@home" <dennis@killspam.kicks-***.net> wrote in message
> news:BCB83397-A353-49EA-A9F9-8729488C6AD6@microsoft.com...
>>
>> That's not how nvidia describe it.. maybe there are two different types
>> of shared memory here?
>
> nVidia don't have much to do with how Vista caches memory, so you must be
> talking about, yes, another type of shared memory.
>
> Onboard graphics solutions on motherboards and laptops, normally do not
> come with their own RAM, and use the system RAM instead. Some cheaper
> discrete graphics card also do this sometimes to add to the limited amount
> of RAM on the card. In these cases the shared system RAM is used for
> textures, which is essentially what graphics cards need lots of RAM for.
>
> But this happens in operating systems that use these graphics chips/cards,
> and have nothing to do with Vista's caching, which is the basis of this
> thread.
>
> ss.
>

"Gudmund Liebach Nielsen" <liebach@noreply.dk> wrote in message
news:B0F2D52C-AC44-44D0-A8CF-CC035DC6EB4C@microsoft.com...
> Well, I have written to Nvidia but they response that I have to contact
> Microsoft about this issue....

I thought we'd come to the conclusion that there was no issue? It is just
Vista's dynamic caching.

ss.

Yes I think you are right!

"Synapse Syndrome" <synapse@NOSPAMgomez404.elitemail.org> skrev i
meddelelsen news:uerjrl39HHA.4880@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> "Gudmund Liebach Nielsen" <liebach@noreply.dk> wrote in message
> news:B0F2D52C-AC44-44D0-A8CF-CC035DC6EB4C@microsoft.com...
>> Well, I have written to Nvidia but they response that I have to contact
>> Microsoft about this issue....
>
> I thought we'd come to the conclusion that there was no issue? It is just
> Vista's dynamic caching.
>
> ss.
>