shared video

ok so recently something happened to my laptop that made me just really format it/system restore it...it was running vista at the time but had xp on it when i first got it, they gave me a vista upgrade....but anyways i had it on xp n it seemed like nothing was really running on it or even installing to it...so i upgraded to vista again n everything started to work. but at the same time the video card started to not read as a 256mb like it was before when i had xp on it...below r some specs which could help but if anyone needs to know anything else just say so...


processor - AMD turion 64x2 1.61ghz
ram - had 1 gb in it but i recently just upgraded to 4gb's
video - Nvidia Geforce GO 6150 (it says with up to 128mb shared)

 

it actually has 128 shared. the 256 is an error. i had the same thing happen. another reason i'm not too fond of a certain manufacturer. they never fixed the problem.

 

ok that makes sense...but y would an error pop up saying that? it got me confused about everything...i think the problem may be that they gave me vista 32bit when everything on this needs 64bit haha. do u think that could be the cause of it reading as 64mb video?

 

you need to change it in your bios. i believe you have 3 options. 32, 64 and 128. as for the 32/64 bit thing. i don't know. it would help if you were more informative in your posts. you didn't state the problem, nor did you ask a question/resolution.

 

i kinda did but it was in a weird way...the problem is that the card is reading as a 64 instead of a 256 like it was before i put vista on it...u then told me that it was an error after i stated wat my card was....

 

The 6150 is an IGP (integrated graphics processor) and it uses your system RAM to get it`s own .
You can change the size from BIOS(look for an option) by hitting the DEL key right after the initial screen .
Also , note that Vista tries to allow the cards ,both dedicated and integrated to use a lot more system memory. But it won`t matter in the end, the card will only use as much as it needs.

 

yea thx for the info it now reads it as a 128 but i do have one more problem with my memory, i just put 4gb's in n it only reading 2.7gb's n i cant figure out y that is

 

Are you running Xp or Vista 32 bit?
If so, that would limit your max visible/usable RAM to 3.2GB .
Also, some older laptops are limited hardware wise, they can`t use more than ~3 Gb of RAM.Maybe yours falls into that cathegory.

 

yea i am using vista 32bit (if i upgraded to 64bit would i be able to see/use the max?)...n my model is a compaq presario v6120 (any idea if that would falls into the "older" category?)