ppc memory

[biglouis]

Are there any faqs or other information on the web where I can understand memory in PPC?

I seem to be running out of both program and storage memory despite a 2GB SD card and I'm sure I am not storing programs effectively.

I want to understand how I can clear down storage memory to allow me maximum memory to run programs in.

LouisB

[surur]

What does Start>Settings>Memory report? How much memory and storage does it report?

The memory setup is relatively simple. The Imate had 64MB ram split between program and storage, and 7.6 Mb ram available in its ROM filestore available for storage, and of course you have a 2GB card available for storage.

To maximize Program memory you want to move as much things from internal ram to the various other storage places. The simplest way is to uninstall your software from internal storage and move them to your SD card. You may want to uninstall your software, and then re-install them, not in the default location but in other areas of storage.

Most software can go onto your SD card, and software that loads at startup such as today screen plug-ins and e.g. GPRS monitor should go to your 7.6Mb internal storage.

Make sure you are not keeping large files in your main memory, such as photos, videos and music. By default photos and videos taken by your camera will be saved to your main memory. These can be large, so use the file explorer to move them to SD. You may also be able to change the default paths to save to the SD card.

Lastly, if you use pocket IE a lot, you will have a lot of temporary Internet files. Go to tools>options>memory>delete files regularly.

There is a variety of more advanced techniques to maximize memory, but try these first and let us know whats up.

Surur

[yankeejeep]

Something good to remember is that, just like your desktop PC, the OS and apps can only actually execute in RAM (called main memory on your PPC). It doesn't matter how much ROM space you have available; for an app to execute there must be RAM available for it to load.

[Menneisyys]

You may also want to read the following threads: http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=36674 (generic overview)

http://www.firstloox.org//forums/showthread.php?t=3705 (relocating apps to storage cards/File Store)

http://www.firstloox.org//forums/showthread.php?t=3752 (relocate Spb Pocket Plus, one of the best Today plug-ins, into the file store)

[biglouis]

I'm still a bit confused by this and I probably did not explain myself properly during my first post.

At present when I look at memory using Sprite Space Detective it appears that I have used 19.1MB out of 30MB of program memory (free 11MB) and 22.5MB out of 27.3MB of storage memory (free 4.8MB).

I don't understand program memory. Is the device telling me that I have 19.1MB of programs currently running? I only ask because at the point I take the readings I only have Space Detective running. Is it taking up 19.1MB of memory or is some of that usage the operating system etc?

Is the 'program' memory the RAM we normally associate with a desktop PC?

I will try some of the ideas posted here to move apps into the dedicated Storage memory - in particular I am going to try to move Pocket Informant and Voice Commander into that area. All my other big programs are installed on the SD card, except for Pocket Skype which has appeared in my storage area (and which I really do not remember installing!!!!).

Thanks for all your responses so far

LouisB

[surur]

I'm still a bit confused by this and I probably did not explain myself properly during my first post.

At present when I look at memory using Sprite Space Detective it appears that I have used 19.1MB out of 30MB of program memory (free 11MB) and 22.5MB out of 27.3MB of storage memory (free 4.8MB).

I don't understand program memory. Is the device telling me that I have 19.1MB of programs currently running? I only ask because at the point I take the readings I only have Space Detective running. Is it taking up 19.1MB of memory or is some of that usage the operating system etc?

Is the 'program' memory the RAM we normally associate with a desktop PC?

I will try some of the ideas posted here to move apps into the dedicated Storage memory - in particular I am going to try to move Pocket Informant and Voice Commander into that area. All my other big programs are installed on the SD card, except for Pocket Skype which has appeared in my storage area (and which I really do not remember installing!!!!).

Thanks for all your responses so far

LouisB

Yes, you are running 20Mb of programs (much of which would be the OS), leaving 10 MB free to run other software.

I wonder how large voice command is. It may take many megabytes of storage memory, and also many megabytes to run.

You are using 22MB of ram for storage, and I'm sure you could cut down on that a lot.

Look especially in your My Documents folder for any large files which can easily be relocated to your SD card. Also did you delete your temporary Internet files?

Surur

[biglouis]

Ok, thanks for all the advice. This is what I did.

I uninstalled Pocket Informant and Voice Commander. I also moved all pictures from \My Documents\My Pictures onto my SD card. I discovered Pocket Skype was taking up 3MB and as I've never used it I also removed that. A bit more housekeeping revealed some other unwanted and unecessary files probably installed from ROM when I last did a full hard reset.

I then reinstalled PI to the 7.6MB 'Storage' area of the RAM and Voice Command to my SD card. Despite the fact that Voice Command suggests not using SD cards, it appears to work perfectly from there.

Having done all that my memory usage looks a lot better and I've reallocated my memory in the following way:

Program memory - 38.1MB, now with 20.5MB free (only Pocket detective running)

Storage memory - 19.3MB with only 4.3MB free.

Is it theoretically possible (or desirable?) to move everything out of Storage memory and onto the card? What is the minimum storage memory I should allow or is it academic considering I have 850MB free on my SD Card????

I'd also like to know what is the purpose of the 'Storage' memory? Is it possible to get rid of it and allocate it all the main storage and apps? Should I try to move the My Documents directory in the the 'storage' area?

TIA for all your help so far, it really has been very useful

LouisB

[Menneisyys]

Is it theoretically possible (or desirable?) to move everything out of Storage memory and onto the card?

It's possible with most apps, even if it doesn't officially support relocation to any flash media (not even to the built-in File Store). Manual hacking will almost always work. Please read, for example, the Spb Pocket Plus or the Running Voice tutorial.

I'd also like to know what is the purpose of the 'Storage' memory? Is it possible to get rid of it and allocate it all the main storage and apps? Should I try to move the My Documents directory in the the 'storage' area?

The 'storage' area in the built-in RAM memory is conceptually the same as a hard disk in a desktop PC, while the 'program' area in the built-in RAM memory is the RAM of a desktop PC. Most of the apps you set up can be relocated to either the File Store or to an external cards, sometimes with manual hacks I've described in the linked threads.

[surur]

Ok, thanks for all the advice. This is what I did.

I uninstalled Pocket Informant and Voice Commander. I also moved all pictures from \My Documents\My Pictures onto my SD card. I discovered Pocket Skype was taking up 3MB and as I've never used it I also removed that. A bit more housekeeping revealed some other unwanted and unecessary files probably installed from ROM when I last did a full hard reset.

I then reinstalled PI to the 7.6MB 'Storage' area of the RAM and Voice Command to my SD card. Despite the fact that Voice Command suggests not using SD cards, it appears to work perfectly from there.

Having done all that my memory usage looks a lot better and I've reallocated my memory in the following way:

Program memory - 38.1MB, now with 20.5MB free (only Pocket detective running)

Storage memory - 19.3MB with only 4.3MB free.

Is it theoretically possible (or desirable?) to move everything out of Storage memory and onto the card? What is the minimum storage memory I should allow or is it academic considering I have 850MB free on my SD Card????

I'd also like to know what is the purpose of the 'Storage' memory? Is it possible to get rid of it and allocate it all the main storage and apps? Should I try to move the My Documents directory in the the 'storage' area?

TIA for all your help so far, it really has been very useful

LouisB

20Mb used up by storage still seems to me to be a bit much. How much space is being taken up my "my documents" and by the program folder?

Surur

[biglouis]

20Mb used up by storage still seems to me to be a bit much. How much space is being taken up my "my documents" and by the program folder?

Program usage is 2.1MB
My Documents is 1.2MB

I've currently set the storage to 19.05MB, with 14.46 in use and 5.49 free. If I try to reduce it below that the memory gauge actually resets itself back into the middle, if that makes sense

LouisB

[surur]

Thats sounds more like it. 15Mb is quite reasonable, and would leave you with a potential 45Mb free, which is sufficient for most uses. BTW, .wav ring tones can also take up a lot of space in windows/ring tones.

If there is no other large files hanging around I would say you have done more than enough. Now you just have to make sure to maintain it.

Surur

[Menneisyys]

Did you also clean up the PIE cache? In general, it's mostly the PIE cache that takes up so damn much memory.

Also, you may want to have a look at \Windows\Messaging.

[biglouis]

Yup, cleaned up the PIE cache.

With all this memory I guess I don't need the 64 to 128MB upgrade I was thinking about :D

Thanks for all your comments, it has really helped me out

LouisB