Video Memory

[curry1]

In game it shows I have 4071 (megabytes?) of memory and only 7.9 used at all times it doesn't matter if I'm flying or in tower or whatever it always shows 7.9 used.  Sometimes when I have the shadows set to 8192 my game takes a serious frame rate hit till I turn off the 8192 shadows or the game turns of the advanced detail.  I am wondering if my computer cannot handle it because somehow my graphics card isn't being used correctly.

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System Information
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Time of this report: 7/26/2010, 14:30:25
       Machine name: MYLES-PC
   Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit (6.1, Build 7600) (7600.win7_gdr.100226-1909)
           Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: DELL Inc.
       System Model: Studio XPS 435T/9000
               BIOS: Default System BIOS
          Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7 CPU         920  @ 2.67GHz (8 CPUs), ~2.7GHz
             Memory: 8192MB RAM
Available OS Memory: 8182MB RAM
          Page File: 2320MB used, 14043MB available
        Windows Dir: C:\Windows
    DirectX Version: DirectX 11
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
   User DPI Setting: Using System DPI
 System DPI Setting: 96 DPI (100 percent)
    DWM DPI Scaling: Disabled
     DxDiag Version: 6.01.7600.16385 64bit Unicode

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DxDiag Notes
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      Display Tab 1: The file atiu9p64 aticfx64 aticfx64 atiu9pag aticfx32 aticfx32 atiumd64 atidxx64 atidxx64 atiumdag atidxx32 atidxx32 atiumdva atiumd6a atitmm64 is not digitally signed, which means that it has not been tested by Microsoft's Windows Hardware Quality Labs (WHQL).  You may be able to get a WHQL logo'd driver from the hardware manufacturer.
        Sound Tab 1: No problems found.
        Sound Tab 2: No problems found.
        Sound Tab 3: No problems found.
          Input Tab: No problems found.

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DirectX Debug Levels
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Direct3D:    0/4 (retail)
DirectDraw:  0/4 (retail)
DirectInput: 0/5 (retail)
DirectMusic: 0/5 (retail)
DirectPlay:  0/9 (retail)
DirectSound: 0/5 (retail)
DirectShow:  0/6 (retail)

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Display Devices
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          Card name: ATI Radeon HD 5700 Series
       Manufacturer: ATI Technologies Inc.
        Chip type: ATI display adapter (0x68B8)
           DAC type: Internal DAC(400MHz)
         Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_68B8&SUBSYS_25431002&REV_00
     Display Memory: 4071 MB
   Dedicated Memory: 1012 MB
      Shared Memory: 3059 MB
       Current Mode: 1920 x 1080 (32 bit) (59Hz)
       Monitor Name: Generic PnP Monitor
      Monitor Model: DELL ST2210
         Monitor Id: DELA05A
        Native Mode: 1920 x 1080(p) (60.000Hz)
        Output Type: HDMI

[Ghastly]

I'm not sure what kind of hardware it would take to be able to run 8192 as a shadow texture size.   I'm sure others can provide guidance there.

But the reported memory is a DirectX thing if I recall - the game simply reports what the Windows subsystem says, and it's wrong.

<S>

[Skuzzy]

It all depends on what your definition of "wrong" is.  What seems to be reported is the actual memory used on the video card, which is getting pretty worthless these days as NVidia and ATI both have decided to keep as much as they can in system RAM via a shared memory overlay.

You do realize setting shadows to 8192 makes one texture that requires 256MB of RAM?  The sheer size of the texture will cause sluggish operations as the video card moves it around to/from system RAM.

[curry1]

So video cards are retarded and wont use themselves to their capability on purpose?

[The Fugitive]

The video card is running using all it can as well as swapping with you machines ram as well. The numbers reported however are not always reported right.

I think what Skuzzy was saying is that if you want to run your shadows that high you will need to run the game on 3 computers at the same time  Well ok maybe that is a bit of an over board, but your using a ton of memory for each texture when you have it cranked up that high. Cut it down a couple of notches and see if you still have the issue.

[Ghastly]

It all depends on what your definition of "wrong" is.  What seems to be reported is the actual memory used on the video card, which is getting pretty worthless these days as NVidia and ATI both have decided to keep as much as they can in system RAM via a shared memory overlay.

Used, or used by thread that is querying the API?  I had read that it became broken with the implementation of virtualized video memory (DirectX 9???)  since there was no longer an easy way to monitor overall video memory utilization - instead of each thread accessing the Direct3D API "seeing" the actual hardware state, it was seeing a virtualized version that reported only it's own use.

But I don't program Direct3D, so I could sure be wrong.  Heck, I'm often wrong with the stuff I do program in!

<S>

[Skuzzy]

That actually started with DirectX10.  The reason it came about was due to Microsoft wanting to use DirectX for the desktop.

[curry1]

Okay so it is not just me who cant run it at 8192 it's everyone because it runs fine on 4096.  Basically i would need to fill my mobo up to capacity (24gb) if i wanted to play on 8192 graphics thanks all.

[Skuzzy]

No, the video card would have to be sped up.  No amount of RAM is going to make the video card faster.  Faster system RAM might help a little as well.  Running a very clean system would also help a little.

[curry1]

No, the video card would have to be sped up.  No amount of RAM is going to make the video card faster.  Faster system RAM might help a little as well.  Running a very clean system would also help a little.

so upgrade from my 1066mhz to 1333 or 1600.  And regarding the clean system i am going to have to uninstall all the dell crap they put onto my system lol.

[gyrene81]

so upgrade from my 1066mhz to 1333 or 1600.  And regarding the clean system i am going to have to uninstall all the dell crap they put onto my system lol.

No, it's the video card memory he's talking about, not your system memory. If you're going to try to max out shadow textures, and you don't want your system pushing it to the slower system memory and therefore bogging down, you are going to need a video card with several gigabytes of memory built onto it. The top end video cards already run faster memory than your system memory.

This card in crossfire mode might be able to run most of the textures on the video memory.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150496

Why anyone would want to push things that far is beyond my understanding but...if you got the money, have at it.

[curry1]

No, it's the video card memory he's talking about, not your system memory. If you're going to try to max out shadow textures, and you don't want your system pushing it to the slower system memory and therefore bogging down, you are going to need a video card with several gigabytes of memory built onto it. The top end video cards already run faster memory than your system memory.

This card in crossfire mode might be able to run most of the textures on the video memory.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150496

Why anyone would want to push things that far is beyond my understanding but...if you got the money, have at it.

Mine does have several gigabytes built into it two as displayed in game

[Tigger29]

Mine does have several gigabytes built into it two as displayed in game

No it doesn't.. those numbers are wrong in systems with DX10 or DX11

[Skuzzy]

actually I was referring to both system RAM and video RAM as it pertains tp speed.  That 256MB texture has to be copied to/from system RAM.  Slower system RAM will delay that copy.  Slower video RAM will delay the processing.

A video card with 1GB of RAM usually has slower RAM than a video card with 512MB of RAM.

Also note, switch off the Aero user interface in Windows.  It will slow down the video card as that is where a huge amount of the physical resources are going to be used.

[Ghastly]

....
Also note, switch off the Aero user interface in Windows.  It will slow down the video card as that is where a huge amount of the physical resources are going to be used.

Doh!  Now why didn't I think of that?  Sometimes you don't see the obvious for the trees.

<S>