New BIOS and graphic card memory...

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tom2517 · #1 Post by **tom2517** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 4:41 am

Some of you may already know, the new BIOS somehow enabled hyper memory on T43s and now I have 256MB instead of 128. But do you guys feel that you gained any performance advantages?

Over in Asia, some said they got better 3D Mark scores, but some complained that the machine is now slower and they wished to go back to the older BIOS....

DIGITALgimpus · #2 Post by **DIGITALgimpus** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 10:42 am

I don't think it enabled anything. AFAIK we still have 64MB available. It's just reporting wrong in some interfaces.

#3 Post by **GomJabbar** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 10:47 am

Just speculation. Maybe the hyper memory is shared memory with the system memory.

det922 · #4 Post by **det922** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 3:07 pm

it is shared and is supposed to increase preformance, ive ran a few tests and its not a HUGE jump but depending on the system config anyware from 5-15%

JHaislet · #5 Post by **JHaislet** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 4:59 pm

I've got dual-channel DDR2 enabled in mine by using matched sticks of ram. Media Center does seem a bit snappier, but I've got no numbers to back that up with.

tom2517 · #6 Post by **tom2517** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 11:47 pm

GomJabbar wrote:Just speculation. Maybe the hyper memory is shared memory with the system memory.

Yeah, I think that is exactly what Hyper Memory means. Many NB companies like to use this memory to boost their GPU number for advertising, such as this NB has 128MB when in fact the actual video card is only 64MB, the other 64MB came from system memory.

So I guess the question is, does the new BIOS actually enabled this function for T43? or as DIGITALgimpus said, it's an error?

DIGITALgimpus · #7 Post by **DIGITALgimpus** » Fri Mar 10, 2006 12:49 am

It depends what you use to detect how much memory. Many still detect only 64MB. Leading me to believe it's merely an error using one of the interfaces.

det922 · #8 Post by **det922** » Fri Mar 10, 2006 2:37 am

its not an error it only gets reported with extra memory by the programs that would use it, simple example: carmageddon II carpacalypse now if u run the config tool it scans card reading extra memory when it looks for D3D settings, if u go to the old vid drivers its back to original memory size

tom2517 · #9 Post by **tom2517** » Fri Mar 10, 2006 3:39 am

Well, I have browsed some websites and here are what I have seen so far:

-Most people do see the new 256MB memory show up on the ATI window.
-Some still only sees the old GPU memory.
-A few claimed performance increase, one even said his 3D Mark score went up 30%.
-A few said no difference at all. Including similar 3D score before and after.
-Some thinks it just that the previous BIOS shows the actual memory, and the new BIOS shows hyper memory.
-There is something wrong with this BIOS upgrade.
-X300 supports hyper memory, the new BIOS enabled this capability.
-Many wish there are ways to check whether or not the hyper memory is real, or just some number showing up on ATI's window.

In the end, most people can't see or tell any performance change.

NeoteriX · #10 Post by **NeoteriX** » Fri Mar 10, 2006 9:51 am

new bios? What version of the bios is this? When was it released?

JHaislet · #11 Post by **JHaislet** » Fri Mar 10, 2006 10:02 am

I'm wondering if this extra memory (or hyper memory) only kicks in for folks who have at least a gig+ of DDR2 OR for those running two matched pairs in dual-channel mode?

DIGITALgimpus · #12 Post by **DIGITALgimpus** » Fri Mar 31, 2006 9:30 pm

FWIW, this isn't likely as ATI only ships the feature on select chipsets:

RADEON® X300SE

* RADEON® X300 SE 128MB HyperMemory™
* RADEON® X300 SE 256MB HyperMemory™

MOBILITY™ RADEON® X300 Series

* MOBILITY™ RADEON® X300 128MB HyperMemory™
* MOBILITY™ RADEON® X300 256MB HyperMemory™

MOBILITY™ RADEON® X600 Series

* MOBILITY™ RADEON® X600 128MB HyperMemory™
* MOBILITY™ RADEON® X600 256MB HyperMemory™
* MOBILITY™ RADEON® X600SE 128MB HyperMemory™

RADEON® XPRESS 200 Series for AMD platforms

* RADEON® XPRESS 200 64MB HyperMemory™
* RADEON® XPRESS 200 128MB HyperMemory™
* RADEON® XPRESS 200 256MB HyperMemory™
* RADEON® XPRESS 200M 64MB HyperMemory™
* RADEON® XPRESS 200M 128MB HyperMemory™
* RADEON® XPRESS 200M 256MB HyperMemory™

RADEON X300 64MB isn't included. Seems to be for 128MB+ on intel systems.

christopher_wolf · #13 Post by **christopher_wolf** » Fri Mar 31, 2006 9:33 pm

It *is* a feature on the x300 Radeon; it says so on the ATI site

Think of HyperMemory as a pre-sort routine for the card, it sections off some memory and enables the card to read/write from that memory much faster than it otherwise would to the rest of system memory.

JHaislet · #14 Post by **JHaislet** » Fri Mar 31, 2006 9:39 pm

So just to clarify, T43 owners with the ATI X300 graphics actually have 128MB graphics ram (64MB onboard & 64MB sectioned off in main ram as Hypermemory)?

If this is the case, it must be transparent to Windows XP, as with Intel boards that have integrated graphics, Windows sees the missing ram (eg you've got 512MB & 32MB is dedicated to video) Under "Properties" it shows you've got 480MB of system ram.

My T43 ATIX300 doesn't behave like this under windows. Is Hypermemory something that's dynamically allocated & created?

christopher_wolf · #15 Post by **christopher_wolf** » Fri Mar 31, 2006 9:42 pm

HyperMemory just grabs and optimizes some more system memory; it shows up under the Risplay Properties window if you have the latest BIOS installed.

New BIOS and graphic card memory...

New BIOS and graphic card memory...

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