AGP BIOS setting question.

bubbabubba

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I need at least 256 MB total memory on a graphics card.

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Currently only have 96.0 MB on the integrated graphics card though in BIOS I saw an AGP setting that had three different MB settings up to 256 MB was the max I put this setting to 256 MB then ran dxdiag and my integrated card still said 96.0 MB what is this setting would that work to get 256 MB so I don't have to get a card? I am getting a dedicated card anyway was just wondering
 
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Yeah, your system will be able to run that card. And no: you can't change any settings in the BIOS (other than the LegacySelect option if you have it to switch between 1 and 8 meg of RAM for graphics) to give you more RAM for the IGP. The 865 was just crap anyway.

knight_of_baawa

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You only have 1 or 8 megabytes dedicated to your IGP (those are the settings in the BIOS--and it looks like you only have 1), with 256 meg of system RAM as akin to a graphics swap file. And since you have 1 gig of RAM, I wouldn't dedicate that much to an IGP, nor a discrete card.
 

bubbabubba

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The AGP setting had 32 MB, 128 MB and 256 MB I think, I'm not even sure what it was I went into BIOS to see if I could have my integrated card be 256 MB but there was no setting I could find so I am getting an actual seperate card that has 256 MB that I need I just saw this AGP thing and had no idea what it was and was wondering if that could help me out.

"You only have 1 or 8 megabytes dedicated to your IGP" really? I see it has 96.0 MB total memory for it also was wondering what that "page file" thing was.


 

knight_of_baawa

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With Dells that old, you get a choice of 1 or 8 megabytes of RAM dedicated to the IGP. The 96 meg is an additional shared RAM between the system and the IGP (it's properly known as the GART: Graphics Address Remapping Table). It is where various things are essentially pre-loaded.

Honestly, you have an 865 chipset. Don't waste your money on a graphics card: buy a new or refurbished system that is newer. The 865 was introduced in 2003, as I recall. It predates PCIe chipsets. Unless your goal is to use it to run games that just won't run on newer computers because it's just not 64-bit compatible: buy something newer.
 

bubbabubba

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Yup, it's PCI only, actually my goal is to just be able to sometimes try and record me playing I will be able to send visual examples to people instead of explaning to them and this device I received needs 256 MB video memory and 516 MB ram as minimum requirements to run this thing I wouldn't mind trying to play some old games on it though on low settings or something..

"With Dells that old, you get a choice of 1 or 8 megabytes of RAM dedicated to the IGP" so the 1-8 MB is like dedicated to the IGP while the rest 96.0 MB is able to be shared shared? I can't find anywhere where it says that also wasn't able to try the shared thing to boost my IGP to 256 MB no settings in BIOS that I could find.

 

knight_of_baawa

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Usually the setting is in the LegacySelect/Legacy section (to switch between 1 and 8 meg of dedicated RAM for the graphics). Again: the 256 meg that you used for is the GART or AGP aperture setting, not increasing the amount of RAM dedicated to the IGP.
 

bubbabubba

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I'm still trying to figure out what exactly is AGP :pt1cable: but basically I can't change some AGP setting in BIOS then run dxdiag and see that my IGP has more video memory? I don't see very many options for a 256 MB stand alone PCI card but I think my system should be able to run this one?
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000TCS7Y0/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A3KHIT95AWLP4N
 

knight_of_baawa

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Yeah, your system will be able to run that card. And no: you can't change any settings in the BIOS (other than the LegacySelect option if you have it to switch between 1 and 8 meg of RAM for graphics) to give you more RAM for the IGP. The 865 was just crap anyway.
 
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