using 4gigs on 32bit and using 1 of those gigs for integrated.

[teh_boxzor]

ok so i've installed 4 gigs on my dad's computer and i want to use 1 gig of RAM for the onboard graphics, but when i set it to 1 gb in BIOS the RAM in windows goes down to 2.67gb or someting like that. when the GPU memory is set to default in BIOS the RAM in windows is set to 3.37gb.
My question is:
Do systems with integrated graphics already set aside a certain amount of RAM for the system?

 

[teh_boxzor]

bump?

 

[notherdude]

Integrated video or not a 32 bit consumer MS OS will still reserve memory addresses for other devices. It's not RAM it is reserving, it's address space it's setting aside in virtual memory - at 32 bits it only has so many addresses it can enumerate. When you set the video card to use a gig of RAM now the OS must reserve addresses for that AND the other devices. Thus even less is available than before. Which is why you went from 3.37 to 2.67.

Why would an on-board video card need 1 gig RAM?

Systems with dedicated video cards with massive RAM end up with less than 3 gig available out of the four installed too. So your results look normal.

 

[runswindows95]

My big question is, which notherdude hinted at, is why would you use an integrated GPU if you need performance? Even a 8400GS is better than integrated.

 

[teh_boxzor]

its not for gaming, i just thought it would be a waste of 1 gb of RAM if its not being used.

 

[notherdude]

If you are trying to get the max out of your 4 gig of RAM on 32 bit OS then your best bet is to allot as little RAM as possible to Video.