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View Full Version : What should I put into ROM???


SofaTater
12-16-2004, 05:29 PM
I have a new Dell Axim x50 on the way -- 128 Mb of ROM. Just curious what other people do with that much ROM: Do you use it for backups, critical apps, must-have documents? What do you put in your ROM?

Kati Compton
12-16-2004, 05:30 PM
I have a new Dell Axim x50 on the way -- 128 Mb of ROM. Just curious what other people do with that much ROM: Do you use it for backups, critical apps, must-have documents? What do you put in your ROM?
I install all apps except for Pocket Informant and today plugins to ROM...

webdaemon
12-16-2004, 06:00 PM
I install everything in ROM. If something doesn't work in ROM then if it's something I really need, like MS Pocket Reader, then I re-install it in main memory. If it's something I don't really need or just have to have it and it doesn't work right in ROM then I do without.

I keep all of my documents on storage cards.

SofaTater
12-16-2004, 06:10 PM
I install all apps except for Pocket Informant and today plugins to ROM...

Why not PI? Is there a problem running from ROM?

drop
12-16-2004, 06:12 PM
Everything except today plug in. Even Agenda Fusion, which the developer insists should only to be installed in Main Memory.

gridmaster
12-16-2004, 07:15 PM
Good question.... i've pondered this myself;

i have the HP 4150 pocket pc and so far i've installed all of my software to the ROM :lol:

4150 comes with 64mb and i think its about 58mb of useable memory... and i'm down to 15mb of space left total...

my thinking goes... if i need it on the fly then i will install to ROM; if not then i'll install it on an SD card;

usually my SD card slot is full of mp3's :twisted:

Kati Compton
12-16-2004, 07:30 PM
I install all apps except for Pocket Informant and today plugins to ROM...

Why not PI? Is there a problem running from ROM?
Never tried it. I figure PIM stuff is what needs to have the snappiest response. Frequently when I need that type of info, I'm in a hurry. Even if the delay running from a storage card or ROM is usually barely noticeable, I just really really really want PI to be as fast as possible, so I install to RAM.

Ripper014
12-17-2004, 01:03 AM
As Kati responded... applications like Agenda Fusion and Pocket Informant are already sluggish... it best to load them where you can access them the quickest...

I find that rom is not really much more than a built-in storage card... To be truthful.. I store next to nothing there. If you are using it as a place to store you backups... It is not any safer than a storage card. If your device suddenly becomes defective... as one of mine did... I lost everything that was in rom since I could not access it. Nice to get a replacement machine.. but losing data can be really painful. I have also run into defective cards... so there really is no totally safe medium... Be pro-active and store your critical data in mulitple areas...

JayM
12-17-2004, 03:09 AM
I only put what is absolutely needed on the ROM. I agree with Ripper014...Agenda Fusion and Pocket Informant (progz like that) go on my ROM because I may need them if my CF card is out while I'm surfing with my Wi-FI CF. I don't have integrated Wi-Fi right now.

Everything else goes on my CF. That way I can dedicate memory to my running programs. :D

Darius Wey
12-17-2004, 03:59 AM
As a general measure, today plugins shouldn't really be installed on the storage card (since there is a delay period for card initialisation). They're okay in the ROM, but I still prefer to install them in the main memory for the snappy response. The same goes with my PIM programs. The only thing in my ROM at the moment is Epocrates Essentials and HP Mobile Printing. The rest are on my RAM or Storage Card.

SofaTater
12-17-2004, 05:40 PM
Thanks for the replies. I hadn't realized that ROM was slower than RAM, but it makes sense when I think about it.

I'm coming from an HP iPaq 1910, so the x50 is going to be a huge upgrade for me...

buss
12-20-2004, 12:47 AM
This thread now has me confused regarding memory. I've always thought that there were two basic types of memory.

Random Access Memory (RAM) which would be user writable memory chips (to include external memory chips like SD cars)

Read Only Memory (ROM) which would be pre-burned unchangable memory. (also included in this could be RAM set aside for the OS)

I own a 415X and love it, but memory is less than desirable for me so I end up installing many programs to the flash card. But, from what I understand I have three options when install a program or storing a file:
1) Main Memory (RAM)
2) IPAQ File Storage (Protected RAM, very small)
3) External Flash Card

Am I missing something here when I see discussions on installing to RAM, ROM, or SD? Seems to me that the ROM memory set aside by the OS and OS upgrade installers for OS storage would be unaccessible by the user.

Great thread, since it has sparked questions in my mind.

Ron

Ripper014
12-20-2004, 03:07 AM
Sorry Buss... you are right in your accessment of ram and rom... It is just that in PPC world we are a little screwed up... and the naming conventions get screwed up... but we understand our convoluted jargin...

Basically the PocketPC never shuts off... there is always some power being used to keep the ram up... This ram is divided into to portions that you can control... memory for running programs and storage, call this ram... Then there is NVram that we are calling rom. This is normally your file store area... etc...

If you understand all of this maybe you can explain it to me...

buss
12-20-2004, 03:19 AM
If you understand all of this maybe you can explain it to me...

Ripper,

Thanks for the explaination. Hope no-one got the impression that I was trying to be a smart-a$# by using the "technically proper" terms. I was really just asking the question to gather more knowledge about my PPC. This site has taught me quite a bit about milking my PPC for every bit of power and usage, and I am very appreciative of the fact that there are so many people will to help and explain things to newbies like me.

I am going to try to use the IPAQ File Storage (NvRAM) for documents that I need to reference more often that others and see if I see any noticable improvement.

Thanks for the explaination.