AGP Aperature Size?

[leakypipe86]

I read through a few posts that mention increasing the AGP Aperature Size as it is 64 at default. How do you change it and where do you go to change it?

What should I change it to if I have a:
Radeon 9200 128MB (which I have currently)?

Radoen 9800 pro 128MB (which I'm getting soon)?

[ÜberJumper]

128 MB if you've got 512 or more memory. It's changed in your bios.

[leakypipe86]

Ah, so it is based on system RAM and not video memory?
So, reboot, then enter setup menu and it should be in the BIOS section?

[Nazuel]

As a rule of thumb it should be double your video cards own memory. ie 512mb if your card is a 256.

[leakypipe86]

So is it based on system memory or video memory??
If it is video memory, I would change it to 256 since I have a 128 MB Radeon 9200? And keep it at 256 after I get my 9800 Pro since it is also 128MB?
Or is it based off of system RAM. Uber said change it to 128 if you have 512+ and as far as I know, there are no video cards with 512MB memory at this point...
Please, someone clear this up!

[Moe]

I wouldn't double your card's RAM, I would match it. 128 for a 128MB card.
Über meant system RAM. If you have only 256MB of system RAM, and you crank up the aperture size, it probably won't be all that great for your performance.
The way I understand it (and please, correct me if I'm wrong here), with the AGP aperture you allow some of the regular system RAM namespace to be used by your graphics card.

[ÜberJumper]

Basically yeah moe... there was one fellow who posted a couple of good links for how the GART addressing thing works.

[Esper]

AGP aperture size is just system RAM set aside for use by the video card, like Moe thought.. It helps if you don't have very much memory on your card, and by all means try different values if it solves a problem.

I couldn't say whether RAM set like this is still useable by the system. I think it is, but maybe a good way to think about it is if you are running out of video memory, there should a be a large spot of free memory elsewhere for it to turn to quickly, avoiding problems.

At any rate, if you have 128 MB on your video card, and say 512 MB on your system, 64 MB of AGP aperture ram "should" be sufficient. 128 should be more than enough, but it won't affect you performance wise in any noticeable way. If you don't have very much video RAM, upping the size of the AGP aperture might help you with stability, probably not for performance. If you increase this aperture too much, then you might have a situation where most of your RAM is being taken up with texture memory, which wouldn't help with anything.

hmm...should the spooge show a number that is( AGP prioritized RAM + video card RAM )?. It calls it "available texture memory".

[leakypipe86]

OK, during the POST, I hit F1 to get into setup. But, I can't find AGP Aperature or BIOS settings anywhere!
How do I get to it? Or is there another way?

[ÜberJumper]

Try Ctrl+F1 once you're in the bios.

[leakypipe86]

I'll try it when I get home, thanks Uber!

[leakypipe86]

nope, doesnt work

[ÜberJumper]

Once you are in the bios and do Ctrl F1, you'll have to look around again for the AGP aperture (if your bios supports hiding the advanced options, which would be revealed by hitting Ctrl F1).

[leakypipe86]

Well, when I hit Ctrl+F1 nothing happens at all... I'll look into again and thanks for your time!

[leakypipe86]

I looked thoroughly through after pushing Ctrl+F1 I still can't find AGP Aperature...

[Mr Tyranny]

Whats your motherboard make and model? Usually the manufacturer will have detailed instructions on how to configure it online.. or maybe someone here will recognize it and give an answer.. :duck:

[leakypipe86]

It's from Asus Tek Computers Inc. and the model name is Stingray.

[Esper]

I think thats a P4P800-something board. Are you using the latest bios from asus?

[leakypipe86]

I got my BIOS from the Compaq site for my computer... Was I supposed to go to the Asus site and download their BIOS?