Question : Problem: BIOS Setting for Matrox AGP card

Hi,
I recently upgraded my video card to a Matrox Millennium G400 Max with 32MB RAM. I have 128 MB PC100 SDRAM. In my Asus K7M AMI BIOS, the "advanced chipset setup" allows you to set the "graphics aperture size" to different sizes for the "mapped memory for AGP graphic data". There are choices from 16MB, 32MB, 64MB, 128MB +. What are the benefits/drawbacks  to seting a large vs. a smaller number? If I set the size to 64MB would that only leave me 64 MB of system RAM since it is shared? Should I get more RAM if it is set @ 64? (Yes, I know, you can't have too much).

Thanks, Rich

Answer : Problem: BIOS Setting for Matrox AGP card

Hold everything! I've just checked up on this (which I probably should have done before I posted my previous comment ), and I think we're wrong. The BIOS remaps chunks of physical memory so the AGP card can see them (AGP being capable of storing textures in system RAM)--this is the AGP aperture, so a 64Mb aperture would allow the AGP card to use up to 64Mb of system memory for storing textures. HOWEVER, this memory is not permanently reserved for the exclusive use of the AGP card, so you won't notice any reduction in the amount of system RAM available until you run a 3D application or game which requires more than the 32Mb of memory on the graphics card. I don't think there are many current applications which have such a huge requirement for textures they'd require more than this, so I think you're safe with 128Mb for the moment.