Changing the shared video memory

[jmax31]

Hi there,

I went out and purchased one of the Compaq laptops that Walmart had on sale. (Yes, the lure of only $398 was just too much for me to handle.) Anyhow, the RAM registers as 384MB available because of the 128MB shared video memory. I want to know how I can change the amount of video memory that I am currently using. I tried to run Dragon Naturally Speaking 9 and I got a promp saying that I did not have enough memory. Any answers would be very helpful. Thank you all in advance.

Jason

 

[mechBgon]

Welcome to the Forums Go into the laptop's BIOS menus and see if the option is listed there. If it's not in there, then probably your only option will be to heave some more RAM into it (http://www.crucial.com/ <-- use their memory configurator)

 

[jmax31]

Thanks for your reply MechBgon. Just so you know, I only have basic computer skills. So I dont quite know where to look on my computer to access the BIOS. If you could give me further direction, that would be helpful. Thanks again.

 

[mechBgon]

Sure thing. The BIOS can be accessed right after the computer is started up (before Windows begins to start). Look at the screen right as the laptop is first started. Does it say "Press the __ key to enter Setup" or something like that? Press whatever key it's telling you to press.

Once you're into the BIOS, you'll be able to navigate around with the arrow keys and the Enter key. Look at the screen and it should tell you what does what. Changing the amount of shared video memory, if it's possible to change it, will probably be somewhere within a menu called ADVANCED. Take a look around and see if it jumps out at you

 

[Maxspeed996]

Originally posted by: mechBgon
Sure thing. The BIOS can be accessed right after the computer is started up (before Windows begins to start). Look at the screen right as the laptop is first started. Does it say "Press the __ key to enter Setup" or something like that? Press whatever key it's telling you to press.

Once you're into the BIOS, you'll be able to navigate around with the arrow keys and the Enter key. Look at the screen and it should tell you what does what. Changing the amount of shared video memory, if it's possible to change it, will probably be somewhere within a menu called ADVANCED. Take a look around and see if it jumps out at you

if you change something by accident...(I've seen it happen) and you don't know what you did , you are not screwed either , in the menu there are usually F key's that will allow you to exit , and it will ask you if you want to save your changes to the BIOS. if you even THINK you did change something you shouldn't have , exit , and don't save . and try again.