Limit the Pocket IE Cache Size and Avoid Having Low Storage Memory

[Kris Kumar]

Do you surf the Internet a lot on your Smartphone's Pocket Internet Explorer browser? It is just a matter of time before you will run into the low storage memory alert. I know I did. Thanks to the sharp QVGA screen and EDGE speeds, I am browsing a lot. The first time I ran into the low storage memory error message, I thought that it was because of my overflowing Hotmail Inbox. But it turned out to be the Pocket Internet Explorer cache, which was holding about 4MB worth of temporary files. <br /><br /> <img src="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/images/kris-jan06-piemem1.jpg" alt="User submitted image" title="User submitted image"/> <br /><br />The moment the pIE cache was cleared, my low memory problem was solved. Now I wanted to find out a way to put the pIE on a diet. Mike suggested a quick and simple registry tweak that limits the size of the pIE cache to a manageable level. <!> <br /><br />[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\5.0\Cache\Content]<br />"CacheLimit"=dword:00001536<br /><br />The default <i>CacheLimit</i> setting on my Cingular 2125 had a DWORD value 6126, which meant the maximum cache size was set to 6126KB, approximately 6MB. :? I lowered it to DWORD value 1536, which represents 1536KB (1.5MB). I would recommend a value between 1024KB (1MB) and 2048KB (2MB). Do not set a value lower than 512KB, because then the cache will not be effective. This tip works on both the Windows Mobile 2003 SE and the Windows Mobile 5.0 based devices. And is highly recommended to our readers who have recently enabled the <a href="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=64385">keypad shortcuts</a> in the pIE browser. ;-) Since this change involves editing the registry, I must warn our readers, please take care and backup the data if possible.

[martyh1]

This has been discussed many times in several different forums. This registry tweak wont stick after a soft reset on many pocket pcs and smartphones. For some reason, after a reset, the setting returns to its default. You might want to try a search on brighthand's forums.

[John Cody]

This has been discussed many times in several different forums. This registry tweak wont stick after a soft reset on many pocket pcs and smartphones. For some reason, after a reset, the setting returns to its default. You might want to try a search on brighthand's forums.

On my MPX-220, I did a soft-reset (via a utility), and a power off/on, and it remembered the setting :)

I also have my IE temp folder pointed over to my storage card so I don't use up any main memory, but I doubt this would be why it remembers the cache setting.

[John Cody]

I also noticed that no matter what I set this cache value to (I knew about this reg key a little while back), it doesn't seem to do much :cry:

Meaning, if I load a page, then click on a link on that page to go to another page, then press the back button, it seems like it takes just as long to load the first page as it did the first time it was loaded.

[Kris Kumar]

I believe if you use the storage card then the browsing would be slow. Isn't the storage card slower than the built-in storage memory? :?

[Kris Kumar]

The settings are preserved between reboots on my 2125. I did read the readers' comments in the PPCT thread regarding the soft-reset problem. How can I soft-reset my device?

[Mike Temporale]

I believe if you use the storage card then the browsing would be slow. Isn't the storage card slower than the built-in storage memory? :?

Yes, flash memory is slower. I'm not sure how much this translates into what John is talking about though. I have noticed that Pocket IE doesn't seem to pull from the cache - ever. :(

[Mike Temporale]

How can I soft-reset my device?

Well, powering off and on the device is considered doing a soft reset. The only difference in what John is doing, is that it doesn't halt the phone. Once powered down, it will start booting up. I don't think there is anything technically different in the processes that are done.

[John Cody]

The settings are preserved between reboots on my 2125. I did read the readers' comments in the PPCT thread regarding the soft-reset problem. How can I soft-reset my device?

As far as I know, turning off, then back on your smartphone is a "soft-reset" - because it actually goes through a "boot" sequence when powered on before you can use it. Whereas turning off a pocket PC just puts it into a suspend mode, and that's why it's instantly ready to use when you press the power ON button- and the way to soft-reset a PocketPC is typically done by inserting your stylus into a special "reset" hole on the device.

[John Cody]

I believe if you use the storage card then the browsing would be slow. Isn't the storage card slower than the built-in storage memory? :?

I just recently pointed the IE temp folder to my storage card so I would have max free main memory on my device. But, when it was pointed to the main memory, the cache still didn't seem to speed up anything :(

[John Cody]

Kris,

Even if it doesn't seem like the cache works to some people, your reg mod is still extremely useful to users because it will help people prevent the "low memory" warning, now that they know what's causing it :)

[Kris Kumar]

Even if it doesn't seem like the cache works to some people, your reg mod is still extremely useful to users because it will help people prevent the "low memory" warning, now that they know what's causing it :)

Now isn't that something. Not only does the cache not work (for some), but it also takes up all the storage memory that it can capture. :lol:

[Kris Kumar]

Thanks guys, for the clarification. I also thought that the power off-on is soft-reset, but I got confused. And John your observation about the soft-reset being triggered by a different mechanism on the PPC makes me understand why those PPCT readers where so concerned about the soft-resets.

[Kris Kumar]

Okay, I don't know what I did, but I do remember powering down and powering the phone back up, now it has reset the cache limit back to 6126. :( :evil:

It lasted for a week. I did reboot the phone 3-4 times, but the setting was preserved each time, except for today. :(

[backpackerx]

I know this thread is really old now but I thought I'd post for any other Motorola Q users having trouble with memory. I just checked the cache size of the temp files on my Motorola Q and there were 13.6 Mb of files 8O I'm not sure what the default setting is (I have to check later) but 13 Mb seems really high for a limited RAM device and now I'm wondering just how large the Q will let that file be.

[Kris Kumar]

I don't remember what the default max setting that Microsoft ships the OS with. But I have seen higher memory usage. One time I saw close to 16MB. :(

Once in a while during surfing, I would go in and clean it out. That's the best you can do. :(

[backpackerx]

It looks like the default on the Q is close to 17Mb.

I tried to change the registry setting using Mobile Registry Editor but it says "Access denied" and won't let me change the value. I have modified other registry settings with no problem. Anyone have any idea of the problem?

[Kris Kumar]

Don't bother with the registry setting. It doesn't help. If you reboot your smart phone then the registry setting is overwritten with the factory default. So keep clearing the memory.