How do you allocate your memory?

[hamslay]

I've got a 256mb secure digital card turning up tomorrow, and I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to divide my installed programs, data and media files between storage memory, File Store and SD card.

Initially I was going to put all my data on the card but I was a bit concerned that if the iPAQ was lost or stolen, it's all very well to have password and fingerprint access but if the "new owner" can just plug the SD card into a reader then the data is not secured at all.

Apart from the security issue, this seemed like the best best, with data on the SD card, extra programs installed to File Store and all the 64mb of RAM left for running programs.

To confuse things further, I've just created my first PPC version of a movie ready for a boring train journey next week, and it's come out at 240MB. This in itself isn't a problem, but I was hoping to use the SD for 20MB or so of data files from Word, FlexWallet etc., a handful of MP3s plus space for an occassional movie. Looks like I was being a bit optimistic! :)

Perhaps I should stick with my programs installed to File Store, use a few megs of storage memory for my data, and leave the whole SD card for media files. It gives me a bit less space for running programs, but at least my files aren't "vulnerable" on the card.

What do you reckon? What do you guys do?

:?

[Jason Dunn]

With my Axim, I:

- keep personal data in RAM
- install most apps to Flash ROM
- install BIG apps to SD card (games)
- keep only movies, MP3s, WMAs, and maybe pictures on the SD card

[Pony99CA]

With my Axim, I:

- keep personal data in RAM
- install most apps to Flash ROM
- install BIG apps to SD card (games)
- keep only movies, MP3s, WMAs, and maybe pictures on the SD card
I pretty much agree with Jason. Here's how I do things on my3870:

Keep any data that changes regularly in RAM (so it can synchronize with my PC). That means I do not keep my wallet data in my iPAQ File Store, even though that would make sense (to ensure a hard reset wouldn't kill that important data).
Important, non-personal data that doesn't change goes in the iPAQ File Store or on my 128 MB SD card (because that's always in my iPAQ).
Media files that I don't need regularly go on my 512 MB CF card, mainly because they won't fit on my SD card and the SD card is slower.
Most apps I want ready access to are in RAM, with the exception of Pocket Explorer, which I put in the File Store.
Games and new software that I'm testing go on my SD card if they work there, otherwise in RAM.
Pocket CoPilot (my GPS software) and its maps are on my CF card, because my NavMan sleeve has a CF slot.

If I had a 512 MB SD card or larger, I might put my media files on the SD card.

WARNING: You can lose access to your SD cards! I was using my GPS on a trip to San Francisco, but had to run it on batteries. As I was headed home, my iPAQ shut down due to low battery. I took my GPS sleeve off and put my Dual PC Card sleeve on, because it has another battery in it.

Imagine my shock when I couldn't access data on my SD card, even though the CF card in the sleeve was accessible. When I got home and hooked my iPAQ to its cradle, I was able to access my SD card again, so no damage was done. Apparently, if your main batteries are low, you lose access to the SD card, even if you have an external battery.

Steve

[Eitel]

I install everything on RAM unless:

1. The app is just an .exe file. It then goes in my iPAQ's File Store
2. Is a game. Most games are over 1mb. They go to my 128mb SD card.

Wallet data goes into RAM, that way the desktop version can open it. Any other data goes to the File Store.

I still have over 35mb free total in RAM.