Convert Unneeded VRAM Into A Storage Device

Pawel Kot writes "Have you ever thought why does your graphics card has so much memory? Do You think you have not enough RAM or awfully slow swap file? Do you need fast ram-disk or diskless machine? Go for it! Take one of these cheap 128MB graphics cards and enjoy the speed. Michal Schulz wrote a good description on how to take the advantage of not used video card memory."

Comments

I can't help but think....

[Julius X]

Isn't this a bit wasteful? I mean you can buy 128mb of memory for a LOT cheaper than one of those "ultra cheap 128mb graphics cards".

I'll stick with buying RAM and using my graphics card for what it was designed for. Besides...this only applies to X users anyway.

Dur...

[Loligo]

If you're THAT low on memory, you're not likely to have a 128 meg video card.

Or a 64 meg card, even.

-l

Don't knock it, it's still a cool hack.

[Ted_Green]

So what if it's cheaper to buy ram, or that it's not effecient or what not. Half the hacks posted on Slashdot tend to be next to useless anyways.

It's a cool hack, simple as that.

yah - works well

[cullenfluffyjennings]

The AGP interface is much faster than the memory interface on most recent intel based machines. I do computer vision where a bunch of scratch pad memory is required - the memory on the graphics card is fast and can interlace with acces to main memory. Rumour has it many games take advantage of this. In Linux you can do it with X stuff and in Windows you can use DirectX to do it.

Forget reliability if you do this...

[Anonymous Coward]

From first hand experience in the field, graphics hardware guys do not sweat reliability of the data inside their DRAMs. If you're storing important data there, be prepared for it to disappear, particularly if you are a l33t overclocker.

Re:No

[BurntHombre]

"Why does your graphics card have so much..."

Is probably better.

The best option, however, would be to not pick on the grammar skills of an English-as-a-second-language writer, unless you care to put your Polish language skills on display for us all.

128 megs!!!

[SiIverFish]

wow! 128 megs of ram! for the low low price of only $400!!!! yeah, maybe in 1994!

Gamecube audio ram

[mypalmike]

This is actually a fairly common practice in Gamecube programming, only using audio ram. The GC has a measly 24 Megs of main ram and a whopping 16 Megs of audio ram. The transfer is reasonably fast, and it certainly makes it easier to port a PS2 engine which from the PS which has 32 Megs. There was an article in Game Developer not too long ago about automating this as virtual ram using the PowerPC's memory-mapping capabilities rather than the manual approach usually taken.