Shared Video Memory, Why?

[Guest]

My system is using 766MB of Shared Video Memory. Here are my specs:

AMD64 5200 X2 Processor
2048 MB DDR2 (800Mhz) Dual Channel Memory
WD 10,000 RPM Raptor Hard Drive
NVidia GeForce 8800 GTS (640 GDDR3 Memory) Graphics
Windows Vista Business x64

So why does Vista insist on still taking my valuable system memory for
shared video memory? I have 1406 MB of total video memory. I don't need that!
I need my system ram back. Question is how to turn off shared video memory in
Vista?

(Also: Please do not recomend upgrades as remedies, I dont need em.)

 

[C.Skaggs]

try disabling the onboard graphics.

 

[Guest]

I do not have onboard graphics, my specs are exactly as shown. I see a lot of
questions, articles, and forum topic around this shared video memory issue no
matter what the card, high performance, or not there is always shared
graphics in vista. Considering what I have (again read specs) it seems
incredibly waistful. How can I turn this off?

 

[C.Skaggs]

um, i don't think thats shared memory, but total available for the card.
your card has 640, plus the 128 meg apeture window.
are you looking at the used memory vs free memory?

 

[Guest]

Graphics
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Display adapter type NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTS
Total available graphics memory 1406 MB
Dedicated graphics memory 640 MB
Dedicated system memory 0 MB
Shared system memory 766 MB
Display adapter driver version 7.15.11.65
Primary monitor resolution 1600x1200
Secondary monitor resolution 1024x768
DirectX version DirectX 9.0 or better

This is from View & Print Details where it scores my computer's performance.
What exactly does the Shared system memory under graphics mean. I certainly
know I do not need 1406MB of graphics memory.

 

[Guest]

Graphics
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Display adapter type NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTS
Total available graphics memory 1406 MB
Dedicated graphics memory 640 MB
Dedicated system memory 0 MB
Shared system memory 766 MB

- Dedicated system memory 0 MB means no RAM is reserved (i.e. you don't have
a graphics card integrated into the mother board).
- Shared system memory is 766 = 640 + AGP aperture size. Shared doesn't mean
used! Games will use this mem via AGP aperture size

 

[C.Skaggs]

I think you're right, it has to be the Card's ram plus the aperture.
I have the same card and my read out is;
Display adapter type NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTS
Total available graphics memory 1407 MB
Dedicated graphics memory 640 MB
Dedicated system memory 0 MB
Shared system memory 767 MB
Display adapter driver version 7.15.11.65
Primary monitor resolution 1680x1050
DirectX version DirectX 9.0 or better
according to his and mine both, 0 system memory is being used.

 

[Guest]

Your motherboard may be different than mine, but my BIOS has an aperture
setting that I can change. Mine is set to 64meg but can be increased. You
might check to see if yours has one, and what it is set to.


Eric the Grey

 

[Guest]

For us who do not have that feature, someone needs to tell us how to fix this
problem. In the windows interface, it adds that shared memory in the used (I
know with the new systems that means nothing as it will be given back to the
game. ) But my RAM is kinda slow, so with a 512mb PCIe card, I cant move a
window in Windows without it lagging a little.

We need a fix, I dont CARE what it does or why it's there, it would be more
helpful for it to be gone.

 

[Guest]

I have this problem as well. I've got a 768 MB graphics card, and Vista hands
it 767 MB of my physical memory.

I've got a GeForce 8800Ultra and 2 gig of DDR RAM, and i use Vista Business
x32.
The "shared" memory does indeed seem to be reserved for the graphics card,
since some info-windows, such as "Performance Information and Tools >
Advanced Tools > View advanced system details in System Information" state
that i have only 1.33 GB of available physical memory.
Also, i get slowdowns and complaints of insufficient system memory in some
apps, which i doubt i would get if i had 2 gig RAM available.

 

[phypps]

The missing memory is taken up by other aspects of the operating system.
The memory assigned to the video card is not real and will be in the address
space btween 2 and 4 Gb.
As you don't have this physical memory it won't matter at all to you.
However for those with 4Gb and Vista 32bit they WILL lose physical memory to
the video (and sound cards,etc).
This is because Vista 32 bit can't address higher than 4Gb so there is an
overlap with real memory that is effectively disabled because it is
"assigned" to the graphics card (its a case of - even though I may never
need it, you can't have it either)
As has been repeated over and over again here - Vista 32 bit will see 3Gb
(at best) or maybe even less.
As more and more Vista specific programs push the boundaries with regard to
memory this 2Gb versus 4Gb (with 32 bit) will become an increasing nuisance.
The only way round it is 64 bit (which will see all your memory be it 4, 8,
or 16Gb)
So much for all those who keep spouting that 64 bit is not necessary yet.
Many will soon regret listening to them !

Phypps

 

[Guest]

I guess everything is in order then.
I didn't know Vista was that memory-greedy. Are there any particular
features that can be turned off that would save a noticable amount of memory?

 

[Guest]

Aero seems to only use about 10-20 MB more than Classic.

What about Superfetch? Could it be possible that the pre-loading would lock
up parts of the memory from old programs not made for Vista?

 

[JW]

The information at the following link is also important since there are
cases where some of the 4GB will not be used even in Vista64.

 

[JW]

The information at the following link is also important since there are
cases when Vista64 will not use all 4GB.