On my computer, I have two 512 MB of RAM. When I checked the system information though, it said that I have 1008 MB of RAM even though I should have 1024 MB. Where did the other 16 MB of RAM go?

An integrated graphics chip that's using RAM as its memory? That would be my first guess.

An integrated graphics chip that's using RAM as its memory? That would be my first guess.

Yes I have an integrated graphics chip so I guess that is it. Thanks.

If the integrated graphics card is using RAM as its memory though, shouldn't it use up 96 MB of RAM? My computer has 96 MB of integrated graphics memory.

Never mind. I checked BIOS and I found that 16 mb of memory was assigned to the integrated graphics card. I wish I could assign more though. 16 is the max :(

Well, get a video card. You can get a cheap one with 64/128mb for probably around $20 (USD).

I suspect that he probly has a laptop, based on the specs, although I certainly could be wrong. If it is a laptop, would be rather hard to change the video card.

I suspect that he probly has a laptop, based on the specs, although I certainly could be wrong. If it is a laptop, would be rather hard to change the video card.

No I don't have a laptop. I have a desktop that is pretty old.

Ah. Then you still have to find out which expansion ports you have. With a desktop that old, PCI-e is unlikely. Therefore, your gfx card choices go down severely.

AGP 4x/8x and PCI cards are still pretty decent. I run Civ on an AGP 8x card.

They are way overpriced compared to PCI-e though. And normal PCI cards are even worse, especially because they are of a very old generation.

I was under the impression that if you have integrated graphics, you cannot install a video card. At least that is the case with my rig.

Hold on, lemme stop laughing here. Of course you can install a new video card. The onyl way you cannot is if you have no open slots for it, or have a laptop with a non-replaceable gfx chip. But unless you meet those two conditions, you certainly can install a new video card. You'd just have to disable the drivers for the integrated one.

Hold on, lemme stop laughing here. Of course you can install a new video card. The onyl way you cannot is if you have no open slots for it, or have a laptop with a non-replaceable gfx chip. But unless you meet those two conditions, you certainly can install a new video card. You'd just have to disable the drivers for the integrated one.

Well, seeing as how I bought a video card for my computer about 4 years ago, and was unable to install it, it isn't so unreasonable that I thought that.

I'll make sure to bow down to your computer knowledge from here on out.

Douchebag.

Well, seeing as how I bought a video card for my computer about 4 years ago, and was unable to install it, it isn't so unreasonable that I thought that.

I'll make sure to bow down to your computer knowledge from here on out.

Douchebag.
You were probably unable to install it because of a fault of your own, not of your computers. Tell me, what was the problem when you tried to install it, if you still remember it.

Ah. Then you still have to find out which expansion ports you have. With a desktop that old, PCI-e is unlikely. Therefore, your gfx card choices go down severely.

I have an AGP 8x slot. Are there any newer graphics cards for the AGP slot?

I was under the impression that if you have integrated graphics, you cannot install a video card. At least that is the case with my rig.
Integrated graphics in no way that I've ever seen prevents the isntallation of a video card. They can be disabled via the BIOS, in which case the video card will act as if the integrated chip doesn't even exist. In fact, on most mobos you can use both at the same time.

Integrated graphics in no way that I've ever seen prevents the isntallation of a video card. They can be disabled via the BIOS, in which case the video card will act as if the integrated chip doesn't even exist. In fact, on most mobos you can use both at the same time.

Will the integrated graphics and video card conflict though? Or do you just disable the drivers in the integrated graphics?

Depends on where. But most often you can simply disable the integrated video and as speedo said, it will be as though it does not exist.

I have an AGP 8x slot. Are there any newer graphics cards for the AGP slot?

Looking at Newegg, there indeed are, although your choices are mainly limited to ATi, specifically the HD3000 series for the newest chips. From nVidia you only have the 7 series, which, while still decent, is already 2 generations old.

You were probably unable to install it because of a fault of your own, not of your computers. Tell me, what was the problem when you tried to install it, if you still remember it.

No place to put it. I wasn't doing it myself. I bought the thing but was employing the help of my computer geek friend to install it.

No place to put it. I wasn't doing it myself. I bought the thing but was employing the help of my computer geek friend to install it.

You should have consulted him before you bought it then, eh?

You should have consulted him before you bought it then, eh?

What does that have to do with anything?

Well, normally one would check to see if they even have a place to put an addon card before buying it.

He's the guy that told me to buy the thing in the first place.

At the time, I didn't even know what a video card was.

Luckily, I kept the receipt. You know. Because I'm smart. smrt.

He's the guy that told me to buy the thing in the first place.

At the time, I didn't even know what a video card was.

Luckily, I kept the receipt. You know. Because I'm smart. smrt.

So then things turned out for the best. You learned something, and didnt waste much money on it either.

Will the integrated graphics and video card conflict though? Or do you just disable the drivers in the integrated graphics?
You usually can literally use both at the same time. As in dual monitors. Just like people would run one AGP card and one PCI vid card before it became the norm for video cards to have dual outputs.

Looking at Newegg, there indeed are, although your choices are mainly limited to ATi, specifically the HD3000 series for the newest chips. From nVidia you only have the 7 series, which, while still decent, is already 2 generations old.

Doesn't really matter, even those are almost certainly going to be bottlenecked by his CPU/memory.

Just to let people know, he could have problems as the standard computer power supply has changed over the years. A new graphics card will need a 400W power supply but older computers may only be 330W (or if it's really old, 240W). I had the same problem a while back.

You could always get a new power supply. The slot for those hasn't changed as far as I know.

Yes it has. Pre-ATX v2 PSUs have 20pin connectors. If you have a 20pin mobo then you need a 20+4pin PSU

Those are still fairly common though.