ATI MOBILITY RADEON 9000 IGP - Upgrading Video Memory

Siguric · Jun 13, 2006, 07:48 PM

All right, here's the deal.

I bought a Toshiba Satellite A75-S211 about a year and a half ago.

The Integrated Graphics Card (the Mobility Radeon 9000) said that it had 64 MB of shared video memory, but it was user expandable to 128 MB.

So I did that.

But, I was reading a review of the system on zdnet.com
http://reviews-zdnet.com.com/Toshiba...7602&tag=uolst

And a user said that he had kicked the video memory up to 256.

Is he lying or is there a way that I can do that?

I know that it is shared memory from my total system ram, but i just bought and installed an extra GB of ram, so I have more than enough to share, if it is possible.

I use the system for mostly doing graphic work (in photoshop, illustrator, dreamweaver, etc..), but I also like to play my games on it. And a 100% increase (i.e. 128 < 256) would be awesome for the latter, just as the previous 100% (64<128) helped exponentially.

Thanks in advance.

datalore · Jun 13, 2006, 08:04 PM

I think that guy is:
a) A liar
b) Someone who doesn't understand what the hell is going on.
c) He COULD have gotten a modded bios...
d) He somehow got hypermemory to work with shared memory (I've been trying to do that for months).

Siguric · Jun 13, 2006, 08:09 PM

That's what I was thinking, but I just want to be sure..

Unfortunately, ZDNET doesn't have a way to contact other members (at least, not that I could find), so I couldn't just ask him directly...

Thanks for the quick reply tho.

Siguric · Jun 16, 2006, 06:53 PM

Can anyone else shed any light on this for me?

Randomness · Jun 17, 2006, 06:40 AM

Hello,

I am assuming your using the newest BIOS for your laptop. If not you can download the Toshiba Satellite A75-S211 from here:

http://cdgenp01.csd.toshiba.com/cont...ds/1a70v15.exe
(please double check that this is your correct BIOS, i will not be responsible for a Bad BIOS flash)

In theory, the ATi Mobility Radeon 9000 chip can be equiped with 256MB, however such UMA allocation is strickly dependent on the BIOS revision, the installed system memory, and the OEM motherboard design.

If you've installed the latest BIOS, new UMA (shared memory) options will become available. It is possible that it would take more than 1 GB to unlock the shared memory option of 256. For example, it may take 1280MB or something just over.
(ie// 1GB SODIMM and 1 256MB SODIMM)

However, keep in mind that the AGP apeture size should automatically adjust in notebooks with more memory installed, and this will allow the system memory to serve as a graphics data cache as well. I would also recommend changing your Page file size's upper and lower limits to a minimum of 2048MB, this should help a little if you use memory intensive programs.

But too be honest, i haven't heard of integrated chipsets going over 128MB shared UMA from that particular ATi notebook graphics chip generation.

Take care.

Siguric · Aug 28, 2006, 01:46 AM

Then, in theory, I should be fine if it allows me to do it.

I have exactly 1280 (1GB stick, 256MB onboard).

I just put a new version of XP Pro on here, so I'm gonna try this soon.

Also, where do I change the page file settings?

Thanks.

Jun 13, 2006, 07:48 PM	#1
Siguric DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 4 Rep Power: 0	ATI MOBILITY RADEON 9000 IGP - Upgrading Video Memory All right, here's the deal. I bought a Toshiba Satellite A75-S211 about a year and a half ago. The Integrated Graphics Card (the Mobility Radeon 9000) said that it had 64 MB of shared video memory, but it was user expandable to 128 MB. So I did that. But, I was reading a review of the system on zdnet.com http://reviews-zdnet.com.com/Toshiba...7602&tag=uolst And a user said that he had kicked the video memory up to 256. Is he lying or is there a way that I can do that? I know that it is shared memory from my total system ram, but i just bought and installed an extra GB of ram, so I have more than enough to share, if it is possible. I use the system for mostly doing graphic work (in photoshop, illustrator, dreamweaver, etc..), but I also like to play my games on it. And a 100% increase (i.e. 128 < 256) would be awesome for the latter, just as the previous 100% (64<128) helped exponentially. Thanks in advance.

Jun 13, 2006, 08:04 PM	#2
datalore DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 22 Rep Power: 0	I think that guy is: a) A liar b) Someone who doesn't understand what the hell is going on. c) He COULD have gotten a modded bios... d) He somehow got hypermemory to work with shared memory (I've been trying to do that for months). __________________ ABIT AV8 Athlon 64 3400+ 1.5gb DDR333 Dual Channel 120gb (1x80gb 1x40gb) ATA-100 XFX GeForce 6800GT AGP ----------------------------------------- Compaq Presario V2321US AMD Turion-64 ML-30 1024mb DDR333 (@ 180mhz) 80gb Hitachi 4200rpm hdd (eww) Radeon Xpress 200M w/ 128 shared memory (eww again)

Jun 16, 2006, 06:53 PM	Thread Starter #4
Siguric DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 4 Rep Power: 0	Can anyone else shed any light on this for me? __________________ Toshiba Satellite A75-S211 P4 3.2 Ghz w/ HT 1.12 GB DDR 333 Mhz RAM 128 MB ATI MOBILITY RADEON 9000 IGP ----------------------------------------------------- "My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Pre-paaaaare to diiiiie!"

Aug 28, 2006, 01:46 AM	Thread Starter #6
Siguric DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 4 Rep Power: 0	Then, in theory, I should be fine if it allows me to do it. I have exactly 1280 (1GB stick, 256MB onboard). I just put a new version of XP Pro on here, so I'm gonna try this soon. Also, where do I change the page file settings? Thanks. __________________ Toshiba Satellite A75-S211 P4 3.2 Ghz w/ HT 1.12 GB DDR 333 Mhz RAM 128 MB ATI MOBILITY RADEON 9000 IGP ----------------------------------------------------- "My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Pre-paaaaare to diiiiie!"

Jun 13, 2006, 08:09 PM	Thread Starter #3
Siguric DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 4 Rep Power: 0	That's what I was thinking, but I just want to be sure.. Unfortunately, ZDNET doesn't have a way to contact other members (at least, not that I could find), so I couldn't just ask him directly... Thanks for the quick reply tho.

Jun 17, 2006, 06:40 AM	#5
Randomness in a state of flux Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Canada Posts: 366 Rep Power: 0 System Specs	Hello, I am assuming your using the newest BIOS for your laptop. If not you can download the Toshiba Satellite A75-S211 from here: http://cdgenp01.csd.toshiba.com/cont...ds/1a70v15.exe (please double check that this is your correct BIOS, i will not be responsible for a Bad BIOS flash) In theory, the ATi Mobility Radeon 9000 chip can be equiped with 256MB, however such UMA allocation is strickly dependent on the BIOS revision, the installed system memory, and the OEM motherboard design. If you've installed the latest BIOS, new UMA (shared memory) options will become available. It is possible that it would take more than 1 GB to unlock the shared memory option of 256. For example, it may take 1280MB or something just over. (ie// 1GB SODIMM and 1 256MB SODIMM) However, keep in mind that the AGP apeture size should automatically adjust in notebooks with more memory installed, and this will allow the system memory to serve as a graphics data cache as well. I would also recommend changing your Page file size's upper and lower limits to a minimum of 2048MB, this should help a little if you use memory intensive programs. But too be honest, i haven't heard of integrated chipsets going over 128MB shared UMA from that particular ATi notebook graphics chip generation. Take care.