Ati Radeon 9550 using system memory? 511mb shared system memory.

P4 2.8ghz HT, 1.5gb, 160gb HD, Ati Radeon 9550 256mb AGP 8x

In Personalize, display settings, advance settings it display that i have:

Total Available Graphic Memory 767 MB,
Dedicated Video Memory 256mb
System Video Memory 0MB
Shared System Memory 511mb

Does every Video card use shared system Memory? I thought by buying 9550 it
would not use my computer memory but in the dispaly setting, advance setting
is showing Shared System Memory 511mb, is this normal on all video card. Any
recommendation on video card that does not uses computers memory? How about
Visiontek Ati Radeon X1300 512mb AGP 8x?
http://www.visiontek.com/products/cards/retail/x1300_512agp.html

 

I have the same card and the figures are:
319
256
0
63 respectively.
I have 4gb of RAM onboard which reports at 2920mb only and I assume that my
video and TV-FM cards absorb the rest.

 

319
256
0
63

I had that also when i only have the display driver installed that was
included on Window Vista and the one in Window Update. I installed Catalyst®
7.2 Display Driver for Windows Vista (32 bit) and everything just change from:

767 MB
256mb
0MB
511mb

Do you have the Catalyst 7.2 display driver for Windows Vista 32 bit
installed or are you using the Display driver included on Window Vista or
Window Update.

 

I'm using Vista's own...haven't bothered with 7.2 as I'm about to change my
video card anyway to an ATI Radeon X1650 Pro in the nbext few weeks.
I'm puzzled, are my figures worse than yours...I have no idea how this stuff
works.

 

I just purchase Ati 9550 graphic card 2 days ago and thinking of returning in
favor of X1050 or X1300 series. I have at least 30 days to return it from
circuitcity.

 

I'm only changing it to get a higher rating in Vista which currently sits at
3.1 plus the better performance anyway.
9550's are quite good despite all.

 

are you getting any performance issue warning on the advanced tools?

 

Ati 9550 work great but advanced tools is warning me about performance migh
slow down computer and performance event viewer log is showing that Desktop
Window Manager is experiencing heavy resource contention. reason: Graphic
subsystem resources are over-utilized.

 

Sorry, you've lost me...advanced tools, where? Just installed Catalyst 7.2
and my figures are now:
1459
256
0
1203

 

Just realised what you meant by Advanced Tools...look exactly where?

--
Peter
Toronto, Canada
XP Pro SP2 x 2 + Vista Ultimate fully updated
P4 D865GBFL HT @ 3.0ghz 4.0gb DDR 700gb HD
ATI Radeon 9550 Graphics
Creative Soundblaster Audigy 4 Audio

 

go to Windows Experience Index , look at tasks on left side of your screen
and you should see Advanced Tools in the bottom. Select Advance tools and
check Performance issues. are you getting any warning icon with a message?

 

Lots of warnings both yellow and red...but all to do with shutdown and boot
up issues, which are to be expected in my triple boot situation.
I couldn't find any for the video card.