Aperture Size?

Silverfox · Apr 3, 2003, 08:42 PM

Downloaded the Omegas (newest version) and aperture size shows 64mb! Why is this and how can you change it? Thanks for any replys!

When I run the sandra software it shows the aperture size at 64mb on the bus!

Necrosis · Apr 3, 2003, 09:01 PM

Do you mean actual video memory size or AGP Aperture size? If it is the latter you can change it in your bios.

Silverfox · Apr 3, 2003, 09:07 PM

Thanks Necrosis, yes its the latter, it shows 128mb video, but when I run the sandra software utility program and click tme mainboard info tab and scroll down, thats where it shows 64mb! Where exactly do I go to make the change in the bios. I have never done this, so forgive my ignorance, but I need it just about spelled See Spot Run! Thanks for the help!

*OpenGL guy* · Apr 4, 2003, 12:04 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Silverfox
Thanks Necrosis, yes its the latter, it shows 128mb video, but when I run the sandra software utility program and click tme mainboard info tab and scroll down, thats where it shows 64mb! Where exactly do I go to make the change in the bios. I have never done this, so forgive my ignorance, but I need it just about spelled See Spot Run! Thanks for the help!

The AGP aperture is a reserved part of system memory that the video driver and hardware can use. If your video card has 128 MB then chances are your 64 MB aperture is large enough.

Silverfox · Apr 4, 2003, 01:22 AM

Thanks OpenGL, but I still dont know where to find this info in the pc. How do I call up this info to see it and make a change if desired?

losmilos · Apr 4, 2003, 01:26 AM

with my Giga-byte GA-7VAXP i have to enter the hidden BIOS settings using ctrl-F1 and then advanced chipset options, in there i can change my AGP aperture size. Maybe you have to do something similar, otherwise just have a poke around and i'm sure that you will find it.

if youy can't then look for a FAQ of your mobo on inet and see if it too has a hidden area.

*OpenGL guy* · Apr 4, 2003, 01:43 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by losmilos
with my Giga-byte GA-7VAXP i have to enter the hidden BIOS settings using ctrl-F1 and then advanced chipset options, in there i can change my AGP aperture size. Maybe you have to do something similar, otherwise just have a poke around and i'm sure that you will find it.

if youy can't then look for a FAQ of your mobo on inet and see if it too has a hidden area.

Note that the current ATI driver will limit you to a maximum of 64 MB AGP aperture if your system memory is less than 1 GB. This reason is that the aperture allocated by the driver is based on several factors: BIOS setting, system memory and OS recommended value.

If you have less than 1 GB of system RAM, the OS will recommend 64 MB max regardless of your BIOS setting...

~~Crash Override~~ · Apr 4, 2003, 02:10 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by OpenGL guy
Note that the current ATI driver will limit you to a maximum of 64 MB AGP aperture if your system memory is less than 1 GB. This reason is that the aperture allocated by the driver is based on several factors: BIOS setting, system memory and OS recommended value.

If you have less than 1 GB of system RAM, the OS will recommend 64 MB max regardless of your BIOS setting...

Is there going to be a change offered soon as I liked using a full 256MB apperature since any lower and i get stuttering most of the time

*OpenGL guy* · Apr 4, 2003, 02:22 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Crash Override
Is there going to be a change offered soon as I liked using a full 256MB apperature since any lower and i get stuttering most of the time

What card do you have? What application are you running? If you are using a 128 MB card, then an aperture above 64 MB should rarely be needed... The one case I can think of would be if you were running 1600x1200 w/ 6x AA on an application with lots (more than 64 MB worth) of textures and vertex buffers. Even at 1600x1200 w/ 4x AA, a 64 MB aperture would leave you with over 120 MB of free memory.

Now, if you have a 64 MB (or less) video card, I can see cases where you might be hitting texture swapping and a larger aperture would help...

I can't say when/if we're going to allow larger apertures, but we're looking at it... Stability is very important to us so we have to be sure there won't be any side effects.

losmilos · Apr 4, 2003, 02:26 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by OpenGL guy
Note that the current ATI driver will limit you to a maximum of 64 MB AGP aperture if your system memory is less than 1 GB. This reason is that the aperture allocated by the driver is based on several factors: BIOS setting, system memory and OS recommended value.

If you have less than 1 GB of system RAM, the OS will recommend 64 MB max regardless of your BIOS setting...

well if i set my size to 256mb ( i have 512 DDR 333 in total) and i then boot up and check it in AIDA32 it says i have a AGP aperture size of 256, i'm using the Omega drivers. You r saying that this is wrong and that when i startup a game it will only use 64 mb???

not that it makes much dif i've got 128mb on my ATI 9000 pro. just to make sure otherwise i will adjust my Aperture size to 64 from the default 128 i have it on now.

*OpenGL guy* · Apr 4, 2003, 02:41 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by losmilos
well if i set my size to 256mb ( i have 512 DDR 333 in total) and i then boot up and check it in AIDA32 it says i have a AGP aperture size of 256, i'm using the Omega drivers. You r saying that this is wrong and that when i startup a game it will only use 64 mb???

I don't know where AIDA32 is reading the value from. If it's reading the value directly from the BIOS, then that wouldn't necessarily represent what the driver is doing.

The DX SDK contains the "Caps Viewer" which can show you how much non-local video (i.e. AGP) memory is available.

Quote:

not that it makes much dif i've got 128mb on my ATI 9000 pro. just to make sure otherwise i will adjust my Aperture size to 64 from the default 128 i have it on now.

If you're happy with how things are running, I'd say just leave everything how it is

Silverfox · Apr 4, 2003, 10:54 AM

Hey! Thanks for everones input, and I did not mean to stir up a hornets nest about the aperture size. I was only curious! But discussion from alot of savvy folks around here on the forums is how most of us learn about our systems. Two heads are better than one and most of the time three`s even better! Again thanks for for all the input!

I myself continue to learn everyday, thanks to folks like you all!

~~Crash Override~~ · Apr 4, 2003, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by OpenGL guy
What card do you have? What application are you running? If you are using a 128 MB card, then an aperture above 64 MB should rarely be needed... The one case I can think of would be if you were running 1600x1200 w/ 6x AA on an application with lots (more than 64 MB worth) of textures and vertex buffers. Even at 1600x1200 w/ 4x AA, a 64 MB aperture would leave you with over 120 MB of free memory.

Now, if you have a 64 MB (or less) video card, I can see cases where you might be hitting texture swapping and a larger aperture would help...

I can't say when/if we're going to allow larger apertures, but we're looking at it... Stability is very important to us so we have to be sure there won't be any side effects.

Well we do some game designing for a site and occasionally some raytracing for fun, plus I know that you would know more working for ATi but I have always ran my systems with the 256MB apperature even back on my old 8500 without an issue even though I know some people were having trouble with it. For some reason it always just seemed faster and to stutter less for me.

BTW the card is a 9700np and I must say these things are nice and fast

according to future mark if you do a check on my CPU's exact frequency I am number 5 on the list and thats with it only set at 330/330 (for some reason FM says its 324/324 though but im not sure who to believe......radclocker or FM)

Silverfox · Apr 4, 2003, 05:07 PM

Well, according to OpenGL, even if you change the aperture size, it wont do you any good unless your system has over 1 gig of memory (1024) I only have 768, so until either ATI or Omega changes this limiting factor in the driver sets, just because you change it, your sytem will not use more than 64mb under any ATI control panel settings due to the limiter. Thanks again for all the help!

Apr 3, 2003, 08:42 PM	#1
Silverfox HardwareHeaven Addict Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Texas Posts: 296 Rep Power: 56	Aperture Size? Downloaded the Omegas (newest version) and aperture size shows 64mb! Why is this and how can you change it? Thanks for any replys! When I run the sandra software it shows the aperture size at 64mb on the bus! Last edited by Silverfox; Apr 3, 2003 at 08:49 PM.

Apr 3, 2003, 09:01 PM	#2
Necrosis HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Ohio Posts: 8,838 Rep Power: 129 System Specs	Do you mean actual video memory size or AGP Aperture size? If it is the latter you can change it in your bios.

Apr 3, 2003, 09:07 PM	Thread Starter #3
Silverfox HardwareHeaven Addict Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Texas Posts: 296 Rep Power: 56	Thanks Necrosis, yes its the latter, it shows 128mb video, but when I run the sandra software utility program and click tme mainboard info tab and scroll down, thats where it shows 64mb! Where exactly do I go to make the change in the bios. I have never done this, so forgive my ignorance, but I need it just about spelled See Spot Run! Thanks for the help!

Apr 4, 2003, 01:22 AM	Thread Starter #5
Silverfox HardwareHeaven Addict Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Texas Posts: 296 Rep Power: 56	Thanks OpenGL, but I still dont know where to find this info in the pc. How do I call up this info to see it and make a change if desired?

Apr 4, 2003, 01:26 AM	#6
losmilos DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: the Hague, Netherlands Posts: 3 Rep Power: 0	with my Giga-byte GA-7VAXP i have to enter the hidden BIOS settings using ctrl-F1 and then advanced chipset options, in there i can change my AGP aperture size. Maybe you have to do something similar, otherwise just have a poke around and i'm sure that you will find it. if youy can't then look for a FAQ of your mobo on inet and see if it too has a hidden area.

Apr 4, 2003, 10:54 AM	Thread Starter #12
Silverfox HardwareHeaven Addict Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Texas Posts: 296 Rep Power: 56	Hey! Thanks for everones input, and I did not mean to stir up a hornets nest about the aperture size. I was only curious! But discussion from alot of savvy folks around here on the forums is how most of us learn about our systems. Two heads are better than one and most of the time three`s even better! Again thanks for for all the input! I myself continue to learn everyday, thanks to folks like you all!

Apr 4, 2003, 05:07 PM	Thread Starter #14
Silverfox HardwareHeaven Addict Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Texas Posts: 296 Rep Power: 56	Well, according to OpenGL, even if you change the aperture size, it wont do you any good unless your system has over 1 gig of memory (1024) I only have 768, so until either ATI or Omega changes this limiting factor in the driver sets, just because you change it, your sytem will not use more than 64mb under any ATI control panel settings due to the limiter. Thanks again for all the help!