How To Get More Dedicated Memory? (w/o internet)

[Misuzu]

My Windows 7 laptop computer, which isn't connected to the internet, after checking my DxDiag, only has 32 MB of Dedicated Memory. I need at least 128 MB or higher (For a game ^^;). I realize laptops aren't the best choices for gaming but I don't play that many computer games. ^^;

Is there anyway to increase my Dedicated Memory without the internet? From my research I need a better video card, drivers or something?
(Check my attachment for my Windows 7 DxDiag (I used a DVD to bring it over to a internet computer))


Many apologies for my amateur (And possibly vague) questions, but I'm pretty challenged when it comes to computer mechanics and such. ^^;

Thanks in advance!

[RZPogi]

Restart your laptop. Press del key continuously before the laptop brand logo shows up. That will bring to your bios settings. Find the settings for your video card and adjust the dedicated memory.

[Misuzu]

Thanks for the fast reply! ^^

Wow that's all it takes? Thank you very much!

[Charyb-0]

Here is some casual reading for you. http://www.intel.com/support/graphics/sb/CS-029090.htm

You could always try this to see if your hardware may be compatible with a particular game. Wouldn't guarantee the accuracy though with an integrated chip. It didn't accurately identify compatibility for me. http://www.systemrequirementslab.com/cyri/

I have a feeling that you won't be able to adjust the dedicated memory in the bios any higher because the manufacturer has probably already done so. Just a guess though. You have an integrated graphics chip that is built into the motherboard so it is not something that you can just swap out with a video card.

I have a laptop with integrated ATI Radeon HD 3200 graphics (which has 253mb dedicated and 1663mb shared) and am reluctant to spend anything on newer games. I purchased a game that I thought would work and it didn't. The screen started flashing black and white. I turned down the settings in Catalyst Control Center (program for ATI graphics) to the lowest settings to try to get it to run. No luck. I don't think you are going to have much luck with an integrated graphics chip and newer, high end games. Seems that you need to spend about $1000.00 on a laptop that has a dedicated video card which will play high end games.

You should probably download a trialware version to make sure it will run to keep you from purchasing something that may not work. That's all the help I can be because I seem to fail miserably picking games that I think will work. Hopefully someone else can give more intuitive help.

[Misuzu]

Thanks for posting!

Surprisingly the game does work on my Windows 7 computer. Quite nice actually. The main problem is the screen flickers. Someone told me it would be okay to continue to play as long as I don't over heat my driver or something?

Would playing the game with lower dedicated memory hurt my computer somehow?

[Asyn]

Would playing the game with lower dedicated memory hurt my computer somehow?

Shouldn't be a problem..!
Or are you overclocking your hardware..??
asyn

[Misuzu]

I'll play the game as long as it don't hurt my computer.
But I do want to look into improving my dedicated memory sometime. ^^

Would playing the game with lower dedicated memory hurt my computer somehow?

Shouldn't be a problem..!
Or are you overclocking your hardware..??
asyn

I don't think I am? I barely know what "overclock" means. So that would probably mean my computer isn't "overclocked"? Or can the computer do that on it's own?

Sorry for my amateur questions. ^^;

[Asyn]

I don't think I am? I barely know what "overclock" means. So that would probably mean my computer isn't "overclocked"? Or can the computer do that on it's own?

No, your computer can't do that on it's own.
So there should be no problem.
asyn

[Charyb-0]

Laptops tend to get very warm if not hot sometimes. Especially if running a program that is CPU intensive. Make sure that you set it on a surface where the fan is not blocked and air is able to circulate underneath. Heat is the enemy. Don't set it on a pillow or comforter, etc. Also, there are advanced power options that have an effect on your laptop performance i.e. processor power management, cooling, graphics power management. The performance would be at its best if the laptop was plugged into an AC power source. Using a laptop on battery reduces its performance by default unless you change the advanced settings but this will drain your battery quickly.

[Eddy]

Downside of laptops is that everything is onboard.
You can not change the graphics chip. It is what it is.
To "compensate" for low graphics memory they have the bios reserve ram for graphics handling.
If a game requieres a lot of graphic power, "play" around with that setting to see what works best for you.
Setting it to the highest amount possible is not always working the best.

Laptops where/are not ment to play games on.
To prevent it from getting to warm, make sure air can freely flow underneath it.
There also laptop coolers available in (online)stores.

There is something else that can help make the game run smoother.
Do not run anything in the background that isn't really needed.
Most of those things are loaded when you boot Windows.
We can help you have a look at those things if you want.
Please attach a HijackThislog to a message here.

[DavidR]

First there appears to be a problem with the Term, Dedicated Memory in connection to graphics in a Laptop. This is normally associated to the RAM actually on a Video Card and most laptops don't have video cards, most will have an on-board video chip. To increase Dedicated Memory normally means adding more RAM chips, but most video cards don't have that ability and it would mean updating the video card.

So we really need to know more about your system, you can get that from something like System Information for Windows (image1), http://www.gtopala.com/siw-download.html, the 2010 version is free for personal use, this gives a whole host of additional information besides Hardware, Video info..

Or this tool (image2) http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/1930/TechPowerUp_GPU-Z_v0.5.1.html

If you laptop has a video chip then the on-board graphics/video chip shares part of your systems RAM (Shared Memory) and that usually is enough for normal laptop applications and the scree resolution of the laptop. It should be possible to Increase RAM dedicated to video memory.

Check the hits on this http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Increase+dedicated+video+memory search.

[Charyb-0]

First there appears to be a problem with the Term, Dedicated Memory in connection to graphics in a Laptop. This is normally associated to the RAM actually on a Video Card and most laptops don't have video cards, most will have an on-board video chip. To increase Dedicated Memory normally means adding more RAM chips, but most video cards don't have that ability and it would mean updating the video card.

So we really need to know more about your system, you can get that from something like System Information for Windows (image1), http://www.gtopala.com/siw-download.html, the 2010 version is free for personal use, this gives a whole host of additional information besides Hardware, Video info..

Or this tool (image2) http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/1930/TechPowerUp_GPU-Z_v0.5.1.html

If you laptop has a video chip then the on-board graphics/video chip shares part of your systems RAM (Shared Memory) and that usually is enough for normal laptop applications and the scree resolution of the laptop. It should be possible to Increase RAM dedicated to video memory.

Check the hits on this http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Increase+dedicated+video+memory search.

System info is attached in the OP's first post.

[DavidR]

Thanks, missed that.

Now that appears to be saying that it also has Shared Memory: 1663 MB, so I would have though that with this it would be enough to play the game provided that there isn't a lot of other stuff in the background. But if the game is specifically checking Dedicated Memory I don't know how Misuzu might get round this.

This google hits seems to say the same thing you can't increase Dedicated RAM, http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20091025021814AAHSvnJ. There are many other similar hits, http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=mobile+intel+r+4+series+express+chipset+family+gaming+increase+dedicated+memory.

[Misuzu]

So there's a good chance I won't be able to increase the dedicated memory? I asked someone about this same thing before and they told me that I may be able to get more dedicated memory by installing a new driver?

Ah well, either way I'll try what RZPogi said just to see what I can do with the bios settings.

Thanks for all your help guys! ^^



EDIT: Oh, as for the over heating issue:
I almost always keep my laptop plugged in because I don't really go anywhere with it. I also have a computer fan under it at all times and I keep the laptop on a wood desk. I don't play for hours and hours either, so I'd assume that my computer over heating isn't a issue? Since luckily having low Dedicated Memory won't hurt anything. ^^