What the [cabbage] is wrong with my PC? (2 things)

[shawn3090 0]

Note: My computer is prebuilt.

 

[hide=1. R.A.M]Well, on my motherboard, I have 1x512MB DDR RAM (will be adding another 1gb stick soon!). However, on my BIOS and in Windows, it shows up at 480MB. What is using that extra 32MB? (I have an S3 Graphics ProSavageDDR GPU, which has 32MB of memory, integrated into my mobo. I believe this may be interfering with my RAM.)[/hide]

 

[hide=2. Audio]Recently, I took a Creative Sound Blaster PCI (that is the full name on DxDiag[Caution: Executable File]) from my dad's old PC. I noticed that it had a new port that I was unfamiliar with, a black one. Therefore, I searched "Creative Sound Blaster PCI" on Google. That didn't get me anywhere, since there were newer models and such. (The earliest driver date for this card is 1997.) Then, I searched what the black port did on Wikipedia, and found this:

 

Analog line level audio output for surround speakers, typically rear stereo.

 

After I discovered that, I took the speakers from my dad's old pc, plugged them into the black port, and turned off the normal ones. I then played some MP3s such as Eye of the Tiger, To be Loved, and several "HD Surround sound test MP3s" from the Internet. To my surprise, no sound came out! What is the problem?[/hide]

[Sbrideau 62]

About the Ram, it's simply shared with the Graphics card, if it's an onboard one. No interference at all.

 

 

 

For the sound card, I'm not sure, but the black one, I think it's for the base or something. You should go in the control panel and set it tu surround sound maybe?

[shawn3090 0]

You should go in the control panel and set it tu surround sound maybe?

 

I have tried all of the options from "Quadraphonic speakers" to the end of the list. (I think the other choices are surround sound, 5.1 surround, 7.1 home theater, 7.1 wide)

[blade995 0]

The music you might be trying to play might only be 2.1 sound and not surround sound, meaning there would not be any music coming out of the rear speakers.

[shawn3090 0]

The music you might be trying to play might only be 2.1 sound and not surround sound, meaning there would not be any music coming out of the rear speakers.

 

Do you know where I could get a surround sound test file that actually works?

[Looce 0]

The music you might be trying to play might only be 2.1 sound and not surround sound, meaning there would not be any music coming out of the rear speakers.

 

Do you know where I could get a surround sound test file that actually works?

 

Well, if you don't mind having video with the audio, you could always look at some of these. I found them while searching for "surround sound test file mp3", but they're not just audio :P

[shawn3090 0]

Thanks, I'll look at that. New question: I found another port on my audio card that looks like a serial port but larger, and it is the female side. What does this one do?