WM5-Memory Usage and app installation

[maikii]

I recently bought a WM5 device, the T-Mobile (USA) MDA, a branding of the HTC Wizard. Prior to that I used two WM2003 devices, an IPAQ 2210, and an Audiovox SMT5600 smartphone.

I had read before that one should install apps to the storage card, if it all possible, to save the main memory for program memory. So, on installing apps to my new device, I have done that, installed all apps to my 2GB storage card that possibly can be installed there rather than to main memory. I have even moved the IE cache to the storage card, as I've seen recommended.

Now I've read that memory is different in WM5, that memory is not shared between program and storage. Therefore, taking up less of the storage memory will not increase the amount of program memory. Is that correct?

Does that make the "storage memory" on a WM5 device more like the "IPAQ File Store" on my IPAQ, internal memory that can only be used for storage, not for program memory?

If so, is it still advisable to install any apps possible to the storage card? If storage and program memory is not shared, then decreasing the amount of storage memory used will not increase the program memory, no? I know that it would probably not be good to fill the storage memory too full--that like a hard drive, it needs some free space--that filling it too full would probably slow down the system. So, if one has a lot of apps, probably good to still install some to the storage card. But---is it still advisable to install all apps to the storage card, that will work from there? If so, why? Why not use that internal storage memory, since it does not take from the program memory, as long as one does not let it get too full?

[Guest979]

Now I've read that memory is different in WM5, that memory is not shared between program and storage. Therefore, taking up less of the storage memory will not increase the amount of program memory. Is that correct?


Yep!


Does that make the "storage memory" on a WM5 device more like the "IPAQ File Store" on my IPAQ, internal memory that can only be used for storage, not for program memory?


Yes, again.


If so, is it still advisable to install any apps possible to the storage card?...

Honestly, I don't see it making a big difference either way. Of course, you will not be able to access programs from the card if you have to remove the card for some reason.

[Menneisyys]

I have even moved the IE cache to the storage card, as I've seen recommended.


Just make sure to optimize the card for the fastest file creation speed so that the cache can be as fast as possible.

[maikii]

I have even moved the IE cache to the storage card, as I've seen recommended.


Just make sure to optimize the card for the fastest file creation speed so that the cache can be as fast as possible.

Hello, Menneisys,

I read your article on that, but I'm not sure how one should find out whether a particular card works better formatted in FAT16 or FAT32, and with what cluster size. I think you said Kingston cards do better with FAT16. But what about a Sandisk MiniSD card?

I would appreciate too, hearing your opinion of the main premise of this thread--in WM5, is it still advisable to install all apps to the storage card, that can possibly be installed there, rather than main memory, as it was with prior versions? If so, why, since main storage memory is not shared with program memory in WM5? (That question would also apply to the cache.)

[Menneisyys]

I have even moved the IE cache to the storage card, as I've seen recommended.


Just make sure to optimize the card for the fastest file creation speed so that the cache can be as fast as possible.

Hello, Menneisys,

I read your article on that, but I'm not sure how one should find out whether a particular card works better formatted in FAT16 or FAT32, and with what cluster size. I think you said Kingston cards do better with FAT16. But what about a Sandisk MiniSD card?

In general, lower-end cards fare better with FAT16 - that's my experience. However, doing a manual (!) speed test with several small files is the ultimate way of optimizing a memory card.

I would appreciate too, hearing your opinion of the main premise of this thread--in WM5, is it still advisable to install all apps to the storage card, that can possibly be installed there, rather than main memory, as it was with prior versions? If so, why, since main storage memory is not shared with program memory in WM5? (That question would also apply to the cache.)

Some devices may work better with everything on a storage card and with a clean internal memory; for example, the hx4700 + WM5 comes to mind. The x51v with the A06 is not like so - when my digicam was stolen, one of my SD cards too and, therefore, I had to use my x51v w/o an SD card. Then, I've filled up its internal memory with games so that only some 3 Mbytes were left. I had absolutely no problems. With a hx4700, I may have had entirely different results.

Of course, installing everything on a card has the big advantage of decreased backup/restore times, particularly if you often backup your PPC's main storage.

All in all, it depends on the particular model and your backup/restore needs. I'd, myself, install everything I could on a storage card.

[maikii]

I have even moved the IE cache to the storage card, as I've seen recommended.


Just make sure to optimize the card for the fastest file creation speed so that the cache can be as fast as possible.

Hello, Menneisys,

I read your article on that, but I'm not sure how one should find out whether a particular card works better formatted in FAT16 or FAT32, and with what cluster size. I think you said Kingston cards do better with FAT16. But what about a Sandisk MiniSD card?

In general, lower-end cards fare better with FAT16 - that's my experience. However, doing a manual (!) speed test with several small files is the ultimate way of optimizing a memory card.

How does one know if a card is high or low end? For miniSD cards, there really isn't that much of a choice, other than different sizes. Would Sandisk minisd be considered high or low end?

[maikii]

Some devices may work better with everything on a storage card and with a clean internal memory; for example, the hx4700 + WM5 comes to mind. The x51v with the A06 is not like so - when my digicam was stolen, one of my SD cards too and, therefore, I had to use my x51v w/o an SD card. Then, I've filled up its internal memory with games so that only some 3 Mbytes were left. I had absolutely no problems. With a hx4700, I may have had entirely different results.

Of course, installing everything on a card has the big advantage of decreased backup/restore times, particularly if you often backup your PPC's main storage.

All in all, it depends on the particular model and your backup/restore needs. I'd, myself, install everything I could on a storage card.

Isn't the internal memory faster than storage cards?

That certainly has been my opinion so far, to install as much as possible to the storage card, as you say. But I'm wondering if that really still makes sense for WM5, where the storage memory is not shared with program memory?

[Menneisyys]

Isn't the internal memory faster than storage cards?

On a WM5 device, not necessarily. My x51v's internal storage is pretty sluggish when it comes to copying a LOT of small files to it, compared to a heavily optimized even non-high-end card. Of course, the cache model of IEM is optimized for mass-flushing and, therefore, it's not slowed down because of this. Unoptimized cache use, however, may result in performance degradation.