Out of memory

DanEpps · Post by **DanEpps** » Wed, Jun 20 2007, 7:33AM

Correct Kerry, the ATI Mobility Radeon X1400 has a tiny amount of onboard memory but the rest comes from system RAM.

Any graphics card that uses system RAM \"steals\" memory from applications such as eCabinets.

DanEpps · Post by **DanEpps** » Wed, Jun 20 2007, 7:38AM

To further quantify, here is the info from Dell's website:

The total of local and shared system memory used by this graphics card is up to 256MB. Local on-board memory is 128MB. Up to 128MB of system memory is allocated to support graphics, depending on system memory size and other factors.

Walker T Scott · Post by **Walker T Scott** » Wed, Jun 20 2007, 8:23AM

Michael

I would have to agree with Dan and Kerry. Your graphic card most likely is the culprit. Any graphic cards that use system memory will cause problems when running ecabinets. I loaded your job and added three more pages with lots of dimensions and had no problems.

Walker

Michael Philbin · Post by **Michael Philbin** » Wed, Jun 20 2007, 9:12AM

Thanks for pointing this out. When I got the computer I asked Dell about this and was assured that it did not use system memory. Thanks Walter and everyone that helped me.

Jerry McClain · Post by **Jerry McClain** » Thu, Jun 21 2007, 4:24PM

Michael I am glad to hear you say that because Dell told me the same thing. I had to get down right tough with them to buy the cards with the right specs. You would think they had others that needed to have something specific like this before. I would think twice before buying a Dell again.

DanEpps · Post by **DanEpps** » Thu, Jun 21 2007, 7:15PM

Jerry McClain wrote:Michael I am glad to hear you say that because Dell told me the same thing. I had to get down right tough with them to buy the cards with the right specs. You would think they had others that needed to have something specific like this before. I would think twice before buying a Dell again.

Dell has the specs for every computer they sell right on the page with the component you are choosing. All you have to do is click the "Help me choose" link for the specs. For video cards, "shared" means that it uses system RAM and "dedicated" means that it does not.

Just like most e-tailers, Dell's telephone jockeys are just that and not computer pros.

Michael Philbin · Post by **Michael Philbin** » Fri, Jun 22 2007, 7:07AM

Dan,

What you say is true, but I ordered mine over the phone not on the net. I don't know much about computers and needed to ask some questions so as to get the computer that was best for me. I was told that the card did not share memory and that it was a high end card. All this is not the case. It is a low end card that shares memory. Even there support team told me that it did not share memory. When I told them what you guys told me they changed there minds. I was told today that there XPS notebook with 256mb ddr3 nvidia geforce go 7900 card shares memory also so they told me there was no point in replacing it with that. Yet if you check the website Dan, you will see the it says it is dedicated memory. So what do you do?. They just don't know what they are selling.

DanEpps · Post by **DanEpps** » Fri, Jun 22 2007, 8:10AM

Sadly, telephone order-takers know nothing other than what their script says...the same holds true for level 1 support (the tech support rep that answers the phone).

Every business that does phone orders and tech support could learn from Thermwood on how to operate their ordering and support services better!

Michael Philbin · Post by **Michael Philbin** » Fri, Jun 22 2007, 8:30AM

Dan,

What can I say. The speed and interest that you guys looked after my problem is second to none. And you did not charge me. Thanks.

Michael Philbin · Post by **Michael Philbin** » Fri, Jun 22 2007, 10:29AM

I got that drawing finished believe it or not. Adding one or two things then closing the program and opening it again and so on. I hope this is not a stupid question but, is there such a thing as an external video card?
Don't laugh

DanEpps · Post by **DanEpps** » Fri, Jun 22 2007, 11:00AM

Absolutely! Check out the QuaddroPlex from nVidia. Only $17,500

Of course, this is sort of on the extreme end of the spectrum. I can't find the ASUS external listed on their website so they must not have released it.

DanEpps · Post by **DanEpps** » Fri, Jun 22 2007, 11:06AM

Here is the link to ASUS's press release for the external graphics card: http://www.asus.com/news_show.aspx?id=5369

Looks like they plan to make it available late Q2 2007 (which is about now). No word on price though.

Al Navas · Post by **Al Navas** » Fri, Jun 22 2007, 6:14PM

I did this on my Dell Precision M90 with WinXP Pro , to see how well it might illustrate WHAT could be going with Vista and memory use. Someone PLEASE chime in with better information, as I don't have VISTA...

M90 system with WinXP Pro:
System RAM: 2 GB
Dedicated Graphics memory on my machine: 512 MB
RAM in use (cache and peak): 562 - 650 MB
RAM available for \"stuff\": 1.5 GB

Fictitious Vista system with shared graphics memory:
Total System RAM: 2 GB
RAM used by System: ~ 900 MB
SHARED Graphics memory on machine: 128 MB (~ 0.12 GB)
Required \"stolen\" System RAM to use as eCabs graphics: Up to .4 GB (???)
Additional RAM in use (cache and peak): ~ 200-300 MB (my guess)
Remaining RAM for \"stuff\": 2 GB - (0.9 + 0.4 + 0.3) = 0.4 GB, or 400 MB !!!

So: It appears that the WinXP machine could have approximately 1 GB more RAM available to do \"stuff\" than the VISTA machine.

Those of you with VISTA on your machines, please check these numbers using the equivalent of the Windows Task Manager in XP.

Thanks to all, and have a GREAT week-end!

.

Thermwood / eCabinet Systems

Out of memory

Re:

A quick-and-dirty memory use study