Can someone tell me what Fastwrite and Aperature Size are?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Brian
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B

Brian

I have an ATI Radeon 9600XT 128M video card.
The current settings are:
AGP Fast write disabled
64MB Aperture Size.

Should I change this to
AGP Fast write enabled
128MB Aperture Size.

Can someone please tell me what these settings are?

Regards Brian
 
If you have at least 512MBs of main memory, set Aperture to 128MB.
If you have 256MBs of main memory, then set Aperture to 64MB

I first ran my ATI 9600 PRO AIW 128MB with aperture at 64MB
switched over to 128MB setting, no difference.
Still left it at 128MB
 
Fast Writes (afaik) uses enhanced speeds for read/write operations between
cpu/gpu/ram. For ATI cards it is recommended this option remain disabled
(performance increase is slim to none, anyways).

Aperture Size determines how much system ram is available to the graphics
card if the cards own ram runs out. If your card has lots of own memory
(256MB) then you won't need much Aperture Memory (64 MB setting will do),
but if your card has little own memory you should use a larger setting
(128-256 depending how much system ram you might have)
 
I think new catalyst drivers 4.xx won't let enable fast-writes at all. I'm
on 8500 and my mobo kt7a supports fastwrites, but catalyst won't enable it.
i think enabling it causes some stability problems with ati cards, while
geforce cards benefits from this.
 
Asestar said:
I think new catalyst drivers 4.xx won't let enable fast-writes at all. I'm
on 8500 and my mobo kt7a supports fastwrites, but catalyst won't enable it.
i think enabling it causes some stability problems with ati cards, while
geforce cards benefits from this.
Click to expand...
The advice given by previous posters on aperture size is good, Brian. I'm
running an ASUS 9600XT and find that it, and my system, actually run better
with fastwrites set to on. Like Asestar, I found that although I could
enable fastwrites on my previous board, an ABIT KT7A, the ATI drivers (any!)
wouldn't let me turn it on with my then videocard, an ATI Radeon 64MB VIVO.

Best advice with fastwrites is SIAS: your system may thank you, not notice
the difference, go stit or not enable it at all. Only one way to find out.

HTH patrickp
 
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