[ale] No RAM = No BIOS?

[James Sumners]

Based on research I did last night, this makes sense. I was unaware of
it, but evidently the video card is supposed to be initialized before
the system RAM is verified. I suppose that makes sense, so that you
can see the test being performed. I figured the BIOS would at least
verify RAM is available before trying to initialize the video card.

Anyway, if the motherboard has an on-board video card, and that's the
one you are trying to use, then it makes sense that you wouldn't get
video without RAM installed. The on-board video cards do not have any
VRAM what-so-ever since they can just take a chunk of the system RAM.
But if you have no system RAM for that to happen, what is the video
card going to use for storing display data?

On Thu, Aug 16, 2012 at 9:02 AM, JD <jdp at algoloma.com> wrote:
> I think the GPU uses part of the RAM for video memory, so there's no way to
> drive the screen without it.



-- 
James Sumners
http://james.roomfullofmirrors.com/

"All governments suffer a recurring problem: Power attracts
pathological personalities. It is not that power corrupts but that it
is magnetic to the corruptible. Such people have a tendency to become
drunk on violence, a condition to which they are quickly addicted."

Missionaria Protectiva, Text QIV (decto)
CH:D 59