Intel 810E integrated graphics question

[MrTux]

This is on a Dell Dimension L866r. The integrated video takes 4mb from the memory automically, but what I'm wondering is if there's anyway (in the BIOS or otherwise) to change the amount or percentage of memory it uses. Thanks.

 

[DaveSimmons]

If I recall correctly, intel's website has a utility or driver update to let you use more memory for newer games that require it. Which should work for some games, though most 3D games will still be really, really slow.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

It shouldn't theoretically make a difference. Heres why:

The graphics chip will end up using the memory beyond 4MB from your RAM and if you increase the size, it will be using it from RAM still. In either case, you end up using the RAM you installed, and not the onboard RAM.

 

[DaveSimmons]

It shouldn't theoretically make a difference. Heres why:

true, it won't improve performance, but there are apparently a few games that see only 4 MB and refuse to install or run.

 

[AndyHui]

AgaBooga: no offense, but perhaps you should do a little research before coming up with an answer like that.

MrTux: the integrated i752 can only address a frame buffer of 1MB or 4MB only. It uses a strict implementation of the AGP standard and doesn't have independent texture memory, so it actually uses what you set in the BIOS for AGP Aperture when required. There's not much you can do: it's not much of a gaming graphics processor, and the lack of AGP slot on the i810E means that you can't even use an AIMM card for the frame buffer.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Originally posted by: AndyHui
AgaBooga: no offense, but perhaps you should do a little research before coming up with an answer like that.

MrTux: the integrated i752 can only address a frame buffer of 1MB or 4MB only. It uses a strict implementation of the AGP standard and doesn't have independent texture memory, so it actually uses what you set in the BIOS for AGP Aperture when required. There's not much you can do: it's not much of a gaming graphics processor, and the lack of AGP slot on the i810E means that you can't even use an AIMM card for the frame buffer.

Andy, I'm not trying to start a flame war or go back and forth with oyu on this issue, but could tell me what I should have said, or what is wrong with my statement? I mean, wouldn't it end up using the RAM so it wouldn't make a difference except in games requiring more memory to run.

 

[AndyHui]

The i752 is an integrated video graphics controller. It doesn't have RAM of its own. ALL RAM that it takes is out of the system RAM, either 1MB or 4MB fixed in the BIOS. Further texture memory is then dynamically allocated on a needs basis; this is not something we normally take into account because you should be dedicating as much RAM as possible to the game during gameplay.

 

[ssanches]

There's not much you can do: it's not much of a gaming graphics processor, and the lack of AGP slot on the i810E means that you can't even use an AIMM card for the frame buffer.

A minor clarification: IIRC, quite a few 810E motherboards used a 4MB SDRAM display cache running at 100/125Mhz 64bit which was permanently soldered onboard. This improved performance substiantially in 3D apps on similar lines that the AIMM would on the 815 series mobos.

BTW I don't think there are any settings other than the AGP aperture setting in the BIOS on most 810 motherboards. And even if there were, I'm sure the captioned Dell mobo would not have any since they mod their BIOSes with the minimal setup options that can be changed 😀

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Originally posted by: ssanches

There's not much you can do: it's not much of a gaming graphics processor, and the lack of AGP slot on the i810E means that you can't even use an AIMM card for the frame buffer.

A minor clarification: IIRC, quite a few 810E motherboards used a 4MB SDRAM display cache running at 100/125Mhz 64bit which was permanently soldered onboard. This improved performance substiantially in 3D apps on similar lines that the AIMM would on the 815 series mobos.

Thats what I was thinking...

 

[AndyHui]

As from the first poster, he states that memory is taken automatically, which means that there is no frame buffer soldered to the motherboard.

Either way, you cannot increase the RAM used by the i752 beyond 4MB.

 

[srk]

Just get yourself nice PCI card like GF2 MX or even better Radeon 9000 PCI.
it would allow you to play games at standard resolutions.

 

[srk]

But anyway.....................Upgrade dude!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[ssanches]

Originally posted by: AndyHui
As from the first poster, he states that memory is taken automatically, which means that there is no frame buffer soldered to the motherboard.

Either way, you cannot increase the RAM used by the i752 beyond 4MB.

Actually when the first poster stated that memory is taken automatically, he may be referring to what he may see during the POST as described here in point 2.2. In most probability, the board does have a 4MB display cache soldered onboard.

....Also the 810/815 line of motherboards can use over 4MB of memory for the frame buffer, Z-buffer and GDI data (to be specific, upto 10MB can be used...Edit: Actually upto 12MB can be used depending on the drivers and the OS). This is excluding the AGP aperture wherein the system can access system RAM in lieu of video memory.

 

[ssanches]

...Also here's something from Intel's website....I think it answers the original posters queries perfectly 🙂

The amount of video memory allocated depends upon the amount requested by the operating system. When the memory is no longer required, it is returned to the operating system for use by other applications or system functions. DVMT allocates memory based on system needs and is not user-configurable