Increasing shared video RAM on Toshiba laptop?

[SeanC]

Hi all,

I have a Toshiba Satellite A20-S208 and it shares system RAM with the video subsystem so I'm wondering if there is a way to increase the amount of RAM that the video card uses? It is currently using 32MB and would like to bump it up to 64MB.

There are no options in the BIOS but then it's a Toshiba specific BIOS.

I've been looking for utilities that might do it but so far no luck. The Toshiba support website has nothing about it.

I need this because I'm starting to work on large graphics files and the small amount of video RAM is killing me. I can't afford a new system right now and I don't have another one except for an older P2 generation IBM Thinkpad laptop.

Thanks,
Sean

Is there a way of doing this or am I hosed?

[JPMiller]

Probably hosed, but if there is a chance it will be by flashing the bios...
some research would be involved to determine what the limits of the chipset are as far as shared memory... its IS limited, but toshiba may have locked it in at a lower rate than is possible...

[SeanC]

Thanks for the quick reply.

I am running the latest BIOS for that model and there's nothing there.

Do you have some suggestions of where to look?

The laptop documentation is for beginners so it doesn't mention anything about that. I couldn't find anything on Toshiba's support site nor on the Internet.

Any ideas on specific places to look?

Thanks,
Sean

[SeanC]

After spending the last week searching high and low for a way of doing this, there's nothing except heresay and legends.

I found several posts in newsgroups and web forums with people saying they've heard it can be done and are wondering how, but no replies.

Alas, I am stuck with the crummy video on my laptop until I can afford a new system (desktop not laptop) - probably using the Shuttle MicroATX form factor.

Sean

[GroundZero3]

even if you can do this, dont expect an increase in preformance from the card. Plus you will lose the system ram to use for the os.

[SeanC]

I'm not doing it for performance increases. I have no issues loosing the system RAM, I can always upgrade system RAM to offset the extra taken by the video system.

Sean