Graphics Cards

[simmotech]

Yesterday, I bought a DELL Inspiron 15 3000 15.6" AMD Ryzen 5 8GB, 256SSD Laptop which has the Radeon Vega 8 graphics chip.

Resource Monitor shows that nearly 4GB of memory was marked as Hardware Reserved. I am not a gamer and I need to get back that memory so I can run Sql Server. 

I then checked the graphics driver which showed the Vega 8 was claiming 3GB Shared System Memory in additional to its own 2GB discrete memory - 5GB Total Available Graphics Memory.

There is are no settings in the Dell BIOS to change how much memory is reserved and I installed the AMD drivers and there was nothing there either.

Is it the Vega 8 that is taking the memory that is marked as Hardware Reserved or something else?

And the 3GB Shared System Memory - is that part of the Hardware Reserved or just an indication of the maximum that the Vega 8 would take if it became necessary?

Is this just a Dell issue and other laptops using this CPU/GPU spec would normally have a BIOS/driver setting to turn it down?

[goodplay]

This might help explain https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/directx/2017/07/21/gpus-in-the-task-manager/

[hardcoregames_]

windows has expanded shared resources as many still have inadequate memory installed

8GB is a minimal account mostly to keep the price in check

see if you can upgrade to 16GB which will do wonders long term

[ciromasters]

I'm having the same problem on my just bought asus vivobook s512da-ej162t, I think the dedicated ram of the vega 8 is taking 2Go from my 8Go overall RAM but I think 2Go is too much but I can't find anywhere in the bios or else how to decrease it to 1Go or have an instance to make it flexible and not hardware reserved memory ...

Did you find any answer?

[simmotech]

I didn't I'm afraid and Dell couldn't come up with anything useful so I got a refund from PC World and bought a better specced Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5570 3.4 i5 8250U 16GB,15.6" FHD Laptop, WIn 10, 500GB SSD refurbished laptop from eBay instead for £50 more.

[ciromasters]

Well, that's annoying :/

[anton888]

I have the same problem with my new laptop HP 15s-eq0005ur (Ryzen 3500U with Vega 8). I have 2 GB RAM 'hardware reserved' and I can't use it at all as I am not a gamer. HP Support says that it's 'normal'. It's very disappointing. 

[hardcoregames_]

Generally only a smaller amount of memory is reserved for the BIOS etc. If 2GB is reserved then there is a problem.

Check for a BIOS update and make sure windows is also fully updated.

[anton888]

Thank you for the advice. I updated BIOS, Windows and graphics driver with zero effect. HP doesn't accept that it's a problem unfortunately, I can't return it to the shop. 

[hardcoregames_]

I am wondering if the reserved area is being shown as part of the integrated graphics memory buffer

[anton888]

I have Russian version of Windows 10. I'd translate the reservation info to English as "hardware reserved memory" (and its volume is 2 GB). Also info about integrated graphics shows that it "uses" 2 GB memory.

[hardcoregames_]

The R3 2200G can use up to 2GB of RAM for the display buffer. If memory is in short supply I would recommend upgrading to 16GB or more. This will reduce the overall impact of the R3 2200G needing some display buffer.

[anton888]

Thank you for the advice. I managed to return the notebook to the shop, so, fortunately, the issue is no longer actual for me. 

[hardcoregames_]

anton888 wrote:

Thank you for the advice. I managed to return the notebook to the shop, so, fortunately, the issue is no longer actual for me. 

I presume you have a different machine now?

[anton888]

Yes, I bought Asus VivoBook S532FL with i5, it's a bit more expensive, but more silent, has funny second screen (which I use for some Youtube) and no problems with memory.

[hardcoregames_]

good to hear that the new machine is running better

[alexrivus]

This is how I fixed it on my MSI Alpha 15. It has the VEGA 10 though.

1) Press Right Shift+Right Ctrl+Left Alt+F2 and you'll see "hidden settings" (Could be available without enabling the "hidden" options or the buttons could be different in your model.
2) Open "Advanced" tab  and go for AMD CBS ---> NBIO Common Options ---> GFX Configuration 
3) Put the settings like this:

Integrated Graphics Controller                           [Force]

UMA Mode                                                         [UMA_SPECIFIED]

UMA Version                                                      [Auto]

UMA Frame buffer Size                                      [amount of RAM you want for APU] I recommend 512mb to 1gb.

UMA Above 4G                                                   [Disabled] or [Auto] I chose to disable it. Up to you what to do here.

NB Azalia                                                            [Auto]

[alexey_bazhenov]

Sorry for my stupid question, but where do I need to press this combination, in BIOS?

[yeasir0995]

I have also faced this issue in my Asus Vivobook laptop. After installing extra 4 GB DDR4 Ram It should be 7.9 GB according to my sense. But It show 5.9 GB. AMD radeon vega 8 graphics uses extra 2 GB from total physical memory.