Two Vista related questions

[bob saget]

Originally Posted by Medion

Pretty much figured out my first assumption is correct. It takes a percentage of total system memory (in this case, just over 25%) and allocates it as extra video memory. However, if I need more system memory and less video memory, it re-allocates on the fly. It's a good thing

As for dxdiag, do this. Click start > run (if on Vista, type run into the search box, and click "run" when it comes up). In the run box, type "dxdiag" without the quotes. If it asks to check for whql signatures, just click yes. It's a nifty tool

awesome thank you. Didnt know about this.

[nekrosoft13]

Originally Posted by Medion

This is actually incorrect. Vista x86 is capable of reading and utilizing UP TO 4GB system RAM (that's the 32-bit limit). Amounts over 4GB require 64-bit.

sorry but that is not correct, this was change in SP1 to stop the confusion. It might "detect" but it still will not use 4GB.

MS had it all explained in one of their KB when SP1 was released. This was one of the changes from RTM to SP1. In RTM version of Vista when a person bought Vista with 4gb of ram, and it showed less people used to complain to OEM (Dell, HP etc...). With this change they hopped that they would fool people to stop the complains.

[mailman2]

Originally Posted by nekrosoft13

sorry but that is not correct, this was change in SP1 to stop the confusion. It might "detect" but it still will not use 4GB.

MS had it all explained in one of their KB when SP1 was released. This was one of the changes from RTM to SP1. In RTM version of Vista when a person bought Vista with 4gb of ram, and it showed less people used to complain to OEM (Dell, HP etc...). With this change they hopped that they would fool people to stop the complains.

X86 can address a total of 4GB but this would include ram on your GPU too. When I had the 9800GX2 my memory usable dropped because the card had 1 GB onboard so with an x86 OS I was only able to address about 2.75GB (OS was using some) and the 1GB on the GPU. This was retarded anyways, as well all know the 2 x 512MB frame buffers on the 9800GX mirrored each other, it was not all addressable.

With an 8800GTX I have 3.25GB available to address under x86 OS. The system will address a total of 4GB but that includes GPU memory. I still have stability issues with Vista x64, too many apps will crash or more than not just CTD. Even at stock clocks I've had this problem. I prefer to run XP x32 still due to this, but I lose some of my memory - I prefer the stability however of XP to Vista.

[Medion]

Originally Posted by mailman2

X86 can address a total of 4GB but this would include ram on your GPU too. When I had the 9800GX2 my memory usable dropped because the card had 1 GB onboard so with an x86 OS I was only able to address about 2.75GB (OS was using some) and the 1GB on the GPU. This was retarded anyways, as well all know the 2 x 512MB frame buffers on the 9800GX mirrored each other, it was not all addressable.

With an 8800GTX I have 3.25GB available to address under x86 OS. The system will address a total of 4GB but that includes GPU memory. I still have stability issues with Vista x64, too many apps will crash or more than not just CTD. Even at stock clocks I've had this problem. I prefer to run XP x32 still due to this, but I lose some of my memory - I prefer the stability however of XP to Vista.

I'm trying to explain that as well. The 32-bit limit is 4GB. I'm getting 4GB between my system and GPU. So yes, I'm only using 3.5GB out of the 4GB installed.

EDIT: Added two images. While being shared, my system has allotted 2814MB for system use, and 1648MB for video (512MB on the GPU, 1136MB shared). This is a total of 4462MB, or 4.36GB of addressed memory.