VRAM Usage in 4.21
cjfea
Posts: 232
I was using DAZ Studio 4.15 until just recently. When I tried my first render in 4.21 I noticed the program no longer tells how much VRAM is being used (i.e., certain amount for geometry, certain amount for a specific number of textures). Is there a way to find out that info in 4.21? I only have 4GB of VRAM so I rely heavily on that info to adjust scenes to fit my graphics card. Thanks for taking the time to look at my question.
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Nvidia removed that information in 4.16 (if I remember correctly) and one can not get it back.
Only way you can trust is to monitor the vram usage in the task manager. Then get the scene optimizer.
https://www.daz3d.com/scene-optimizer
Thanks for the replies. I haven't used task manager. How do I check vram usage with it? I'm not very computer literate, so step-by-step directions work best for me. I've been manually alter textures (number, size) and subd levels since the beginning. Eventually, I'll pick up scene optimizer. No matter how you slice it, I really need a NIVIDA card with more vram. :-) Thanks again.
As mentioned earlier, using the Performance tab of the Windows Task Manager can give you some info to help you; below is a screen capture from my laptop taken a moment ago.
Several months ago in another thread, someone advised using GPU-Z, a small, free utility program that displays your GPU's data. It's been mentioned in several threads such as the one at https://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/comment/8011556/#Comment_8011556 . GPU-Z is available at https://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/ . I have it installed on my computer for use when needed.
Just in case your not sure how to open Task Manager.
You can use your program search bar usually in the lower left portion of your screen. Type in Task manager.
You'll see the window pop up and you can select to "OPEN" your Task Manager.
You'll see the new window open. At the top look for the 2nd tab that says "PERFORMANCE". When you select it, it will show you your computer's performance. It will be in real time and be running. As you can see in the last attached image, it can show you how your CPU, your Memory, your hard drives, Ethernet and GPU are all doing at that moment. You can open the window and monitor your system's performance as you are working in DAZ.
Just in case: GPU is if you have a dedicated graphics card like an Nvidia RTX 3090 or such. It will show whatever dedicated graphics card you are using. The little windows will show in progress, and the yellow box area will tell you how it's doing and what's it's using at that moment.
The PROCESSES tab, which is the first tab on that last screen, will show how much of your computer's resources is being used by your programs. That will let you know which programs are using what and how much of an impact they are having. If you are limited on RAM, you'll want to make sure you don't have any other resource heavy tasks/processes running.
Hope this helps you.
Thank you guys SO MUCH! ksmith3620 your screenshot are very helpful. I'll be rendering a scene later today. I will take a look at this then. To everyone, may your day be wonderful in very way. Bests.
Ctrl+alt+del, then click task manager is another way and a little faster. Then pin it to your taskbar for easy use.
Shift+Ctrl+Esc opens directly the task manager. Just a hint.
I'll make note of the short cut keys. :-) Question: In ksmith3620's last attachment "GPU," is "Dedicated GPU Memory" the amount being used during the current render, in this case 2.1 of 24 GB on the NIVIDA 3090? I'm one of those people who really wants to understand something. Thanks for everyone's input.
Basically, it's just telling me that at that moment the computer, based upon some of my settings, was setting aside 2.1 GB of GPU video ram out of my total available 24GB. I wasn't rendering anything at that moment, it was just letting me know that it was set aside.
I was originally going to do the Ctrl + alt + delete keys, but you mentioned not being very computer literate and that can freak some people out when suddenly your entire screen goes blue with just those choices being available from that screen. As the others have shown, there a few ways to get to the information. I had to do a "guidebook" of sorts for how to use some technology in a room we had dedicated as our EOC (emergency operations center) so anyone from our team could come in and be able to set up some of the tech we used to manange events. It was easiest to just do the whole image step by step deal. Just glad I could help.
ksmith3620 your approach to showing me how to use task manager was exactly what I needed. Honestly, I didn't even know what task manager was, how to accessed it, etc. :-) I'm also of the mindset it is always best to know more than one way to access a feature on a computer. For example, you don't know how many times Control+Alt+Delete has saved me when my computer had entered what I term a "partial freeze" (i.e., computer appears frozen, mouse doesn't work, yet the computer still responds to keyboard commands). :-) Thanks again. All bests to you and yours.