Baslinux mailing list

[sindi keesan <keesan AT sdf.lonestar.org>]

On Thu, 21 Apr 2005, James Miller wrote:

> Here's a possibility, though. I assume the onboard AGP is sharing the 
> computer's RAM for its memory? I had some wierd problems associated with 
> shared RAM with onboard video. It didn't involve booting, but the computer 
> kept freezing up after running for a time (after several days, I believe). 
> When that would happen, I could do nothing but hit the power button and 
> restart. Pretty disconcerting. I determined it wasn't application-related. I 
> decided it could well be the shared RAM not being actually shared properly. I 
> shut down the onboard video and got myself a decent video card, and the 
> problem went away. I therefore avoid onboard video with shared RAM whenever 
> possible. Could this be a source for your problems?
>
> James

I am amazed at the total experience that our list members have.

The computer has 256MB RAM (DIMMs).  I had left it set to use PCI before 
AGP (it can use both, I think) but to use 4MB of RAM for video.  hwinfo 
detected 252MB RAM (as did memtest).

As an experiment I set it to use 2MB  (the choices are 2, 4 or 8, not 0).
This time hwinfo found not 254 but 256MB (nothing being used for video).

Linux boots and I am online with it.

These Compaq computers are screwy.

What puzzles me is why Windows worked but linux did not.

Thanks!

Sindi