Hi
I have installed a few programs on my TD2 - all to device rather than storage card - and am getting a little concerned that performance may be suffering. With my prevous device I used SK Tools to move apps to the card - but I'm not 100% clear whether this is good practice.
With nothing running, Settings reports 223.10 MB free for storage (75.29 in use) and 75.87 MD free for programs (108 in use). I have installed things like Sprite Backup and Terminator, ActivePrint, SPB FreeCell, MyLife Organized PocketPC Edition, Resco Sudoku Touch and Gaz TD2 Tools.
Really grateful for any advice.
Thanks
I don't see why installing programs to the device memory should cause performance to suffer? It's only available RAM memory which affects performance, and this remains the same whether you instal to the device or to the card. It's when you open, and leave open, several programs at once that performance suffers.
The nice thing about modern phones is the amount of internal storage, which is plenty for masses of programs. The only performance issue you may have is when downloading large files with Internet Explorer, as I think it uses internal storage as temporary space for the file being downloaded, even if you tell it to save to the memory card. I don't think Opera does this though.
Installing programs to the card means you can't "hot-swap" it unless you're absolutely sure all the programs are closed.
In addition to the above internal phone mem is faster than mem card so performance takes a hit if you use the card.
And you run the risk of more freezes and resets being needed.
It is my firm belief that the use of internal mem avoids a lot of hassles all round by making the phone more stable.
And I almost forgot that internal mem uses less battery power than mem cards.
Easy answer...
Use removable storage for data, on-board storage for apps.
If you have too many apps for on-board storage, consider a slimmer ROM for your phone. Remember on-board storage also works as RAM for your apps, so the more you have available, the more apps you can run.
DeathJester said:
Use removable storage for data, on-board storage for apps.
If you have too many apps for on-board storage, consider a slimmer ROM for your phone. Remember on-board storage also works as RAM for your apps, so the more you have available, the more apps you can run.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd check on that last statement if I were you!
The Topaz has 3 memory areas.
One for flashed ROM.
One for operating RAM.
AND one for storage.
It makes no difference how much you put in storage RAM.
It does make a difference how many apps are running at any one time in operating RAM.
A slimmer ROM image won't make much difference either.
How much of that ROM image is unnecessarily floating around in operating RAM at any one time will make a difference.
Go to settings/system/device information/hardware inforamation
I currently show
RAM size
288 MB
Flash memory size
512 MB
Storage size
342.47 MB
That's a lot of free storage available onboard that is just waiting to be used.
If you go into settings/system/memory you will find storage and program memory values displayed.
Install an app and the in use value of storage memory goes up.
Run an app and the in use value of program memory goes up.
Showing that they are two quite separate physical areas running "independantly" of each other.
Thanks!
Thanks for the helpful responses - much appreciated.
Andrew
werdna72 said:
Thanks for the helpful responses - much appreciated.
Andrew
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your welcome to any help we can give.
Related
I just purchased a 1GB miniSD card, and I just want to make sure that i am using it the best I can. I have a CINGULA 8125.
What I am trying to get a goo understanding on is Memory/Storage on this device. As a result I have a few questions I am hoping someone can answer me:
1. What is the difference between Storage Memory and Application Memeory
2. Additional storage (like the 1GB miniSD card I just got) does it go towards the Storage or Application Memory.... or both?
3. As any device, I am assuming there is a limit on how many applications can be ran at the same time (is that what the Application Memory is?) - but I am wondering if adding additional miniSD storage will indeed allow me to install more and more applications, and not just use the space for document storage
4. Is there a way to select where to install an application, as in in the built in storage/memory vs the miniSD storage?
5. Is it true that adding miniSD storage improves the overall performance a tiny little bit?
6. Are there any other tips/trick I should know of regarding Memory/Storage Management in relation to miniSD storage or otherwise?
Thank you very very much..
>1. What is the difference between Storage Memory and Application Memory
Application memory is the equivelant of "RAM" on a computer. Storage memory on WM5 is the equivelant of a hard drive on a computer.
> 2. Additional storage (like the 1GB miniSD card I just got) does it go towards the Storage or Application Memory.... or both?
This is equivelant to a floppy disk or a re-writable CD/DVD. It is more close technically to the Storage memory.
>3. As any device, I am assuming there is a limit on how many applications can be ran at the same time (is that what the Application Memory is?)
Yes, this is reffering to the RAM. On the PocketPCs you can run up to 32 applications at the same time. But you can have thousands installed, just not run at the same time.
>but I am wondering if adding additional miniSD storage will indeed allow me to install more and more applications, and not just use the space for document storage
Yes, that's what it's for. To install more apps and files. But this doesn't mean that you will be able to run more than 32 apps at the same time, because that falls under the RAM/Application memory thing, and not storage/SD.
>4. Is there a way to select where to install an application, as in in the built in storage/memory vs the miniSD storage?
Yes, the .CAB files ask you where to install them.
>5. Is it true that adding miniSD storage improves the overall performance a tiny little bit?
No. When you add a floppy disk or a CD burner on your PC it doesn't make your PC faster. In fact, running apps from the SD it will be equally fast to run them, but a bit slower to load them into RAM.
>6. Are there any other tips/trick I should know of regarding Memory/Storage Management in relation to miniSD storage or otherwise?
Make sure you always have at least 10 MBs of free Application memory and at least 2 MB free of Storage memory (Windows will need some free space to write temp files you see).
I would also recommend to install the freeware utility vBar which allows you to close applications instead of minimize them when you click the "ok" or the "x" button. This way, you can free up RAM each time you don't need an application to be open.
Eugenia, awesome job clearing that up. You should be a teacher.
By the way
I recommend magic button to vbar.
I've tried many times to explain WM5 memory to people but this is the clearest ever.
Hi.
I've read some of the posts regarding RAM/ROM ... still having a difficult time understanding both. Hope someone can answer the below questions to clarify my thoughts on RAM/ROM with respect to the XDA II mini [aka Magician]
(1) If you go into setting, device_information, and then choose hardware; you see that RAM size [128], Flash size [64], and storage size [26.7]. What is storage size, is it RAM or ROM?
(2) n the memory settings, what is the best way to allocate total main memory between storage and program? Currently i have it set @ default, which is equal amounts of memory for storage and program.
Thanxs in advance for any explanations.
1: Storage = Built-in ROM
Most PPCs come with some ROM built in for programs and documents. Your Magician must have a BigStorage hacked ROM image - usually Magicians only come with ~7MB Storage, but hacking the ROM image can yield 20MB more by reallocating the (useless) Extended_ROM which is normally used by telephony providers to store their customisations and bells and whistles.
2: Your choice!
Allocating more memory to programs will give running programs more RAM to work with, which primarily means that you can run more programs simultaneously. Also allocating more RAM to programs can speed up programs that use lots of RAM such as PocketGBA, which may load up to 32MB of data into RAM depending on what game you load with it, and TCPMP, which uses RAM to buffer videos.
Allocating more memory to storage gives you more room to install programs in 'Main Memory'. Since RAM is faster than ROM, programs installed in storage allocated RAM will load faster, however they will eat up RAM which could otherwise be used by running programs. The time difference between RAM, Storage and SD cards to load programs is neglible anyway.
Personally I would rather allocate as much as possible towards programs, leaving probably as little as 10MB for storage in total. Since you have BigStorage, install programs into there instead, so you can leave your RAM for programs or for the camera (as there is a noticeable speed difference between writing pictures and videos to ROM and writing them to RAM).
Wish I had a 128MB Magician :roll: !
thanxs for clearing that up toomuchdogfur
1: Storage = Built-in ROM
Most PPCs come with some ROM built in for programs and documents. Your Magician must have a BigStorage hacked ROM image - usually Magicians only come with ~7MB Storage, but hacking the ROM image can yield 20MB more by reallocating the (useless) Extended_ROM which is normally used by telephony providers to store their customisations and bells and whistles.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I see. Just wondering, if i were to upgrade or degrade my version of ROM, would that delete the BigStorage hacked ROM?
2: Your choice!
Allocating more memory to programs will give running programs more RAM to work with, which primarily means that you can run more programs simultaneously. Also allocating more RAM to programs can speed up programs that use lots of RAM such as PocketGBA, which may load up to 32MB of data into RAM depending on what game you load with it, and TCPMP, which uses RAM to buffer videos.
Allocating more memory to storage gives you more room to install programs in 'Main Memory'. Since RAM is faster than ROM, programs installed in storage allocated RAM will load faster, however they will eat up RAM which could otherwise be used by running programs. The time difference between RAM, Storage and SD cards to load programs is neglible anyway.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So let me get this straight ... if were to load a application, say Pocket Music, would that effect both the "In Use" status for Storage [because it physically takes space to store the application in the program folder] and Program [because its being used].
So if a program is being runned, it should take away some memory under "Program".
If a program is installed, regardless if it is in use or not, takes away some memory under "Storage".
Is this correct?
dream_sequence said:
I see. Just wondering, if i were to upgrade or degrade my version of ROM, would that delete the BigStorage hacked ROM?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep. Most likely you would have to hack it again to regain BigStorage.
dream_sequence said:
So if a program is being runned, it should take away some memory under "Program".
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep!
dream_sequence said:
If a program is installed, regardless if it is in use or not, takes away some memory under "Storage".
Is this correct?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If it is installed in 'Main Memory' (which is the 'Storage' bit of your RAM), then yes. If it is installed in your Built-In Storage or SD card, then it will permanently take up space on that instead, but then when running it will also take up some 'Program' RAM.
Hi all,
Could anyone please tell me the differences between the storage memory and the program memory? Yeah, I know this might sounds stupid and I also wish that the answer is really that straight forward.
I always thought that 'Program Memory' is suppose the memory quota for us to install application & softwares. Where, storage memory is just simply the portion of memory where we stores data that we creates.
But whenever I install applications, 'storage' is the memory which always to be used up. Yet, I can hardly use up my 'program' portion of memory...
Can anyone tell me why? and how to install applications in the program memory instead of storage memory?
Thank you very much.
Cheers!
Search would have helped a great deal here, FAQ.
Storage is Flash
Programs is RAM
WM5 works the same way as a desktop. It loads the OS from disk to RAM when you power it on. When you remove the battery everything is safely stored to disc, not RAM as WM2003 was. Battery can go flat, no backup battery needed.
PReDiToR said:
Search would have helped a great deal here, FAQ.
Storage is Flash
Programs is RAM
WM5 works the same way as a desktop. It loads the OS from disk to RAM when you power it on. When you remove the battery everything is safely stored to disc, not RAM as WM2003 was. Battery can go flat, no backup battery needed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
..... so how do you save stuff to Program memory? Or is that just temp momory that stuff runs from when you execute it?
You can`t save stuff to program memory.The program memory is like the RAM in your PC,just used for temporary storage and running programs.The storage memory is like the hard drive in your PC,used for actually `storing` data.
liverman666 said:
You can`t save stuff to program memory.The program memory is like the RAM in your PC,just used for temporary storage and running programs.The storage memory is like the hard drive in your PC,used for actually `storing` data.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So why do they bother displaying it on the memory settings?
And does that mean it's different to how it was on the XDA2? That used to have a slider allowing you to change the allocation for storage/program memory.
RE
I find storage memory is the one you need to watch out. As you install more programs whether to SD card or to Program memory the storage memory goes down
Too low storage memory and your system will not perform properly. Install programs with large file size first then follow by programs with smaller file size otherwise you'll encounter installation 'Not enough memory' if you do it the other way round
After installing many apps in main phone memory, the Storage memory (left side on settings > memory) shrinks to less than 40MB, while plenty (and unused) Program memory is there (195MB) (right side)
Is there a way to resize these 2 main phone memories to increase efficiency?
Thanks
Saulo
I remember that in previous version on WM there was a slider to move memory from one side to another.
But this was lost here in WM 6.5.5...
are there commercial or free applications capable to do the job? Ramdisk?
It mus be working on wm 6.5.5
Thanks and waiting
what you are remembering is a time when the memory used was totally different type to what we have now.
so no is the answer, there's no way of doing it.
Uninstall some of your apps, and reinstall them to storage card, that will free up some memory, as will clearing the caches in PIE and Opera (as well as moving the cache to the storage card for opera).
Thanks Fards
Sorry to hear that...but are you aware what ihibit, prevents the memory from being resizable?
Thanks
Saulo
saulo866 said:
Thanks Fards
Sorry to hear that...but are you aware what ihibit, prevents the memory from being resizable?
Thanks
Saulo
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
program and system memory used to be the same memory, and you could decide how much of it was for program and how much for system. When the phone ran out of battery, it would cause a hard reset, and all your data would be lost.
Now we have a phone with two different types of memory. If your battery dies you do NOT lose your data, because the system memory is flash memory, whilst the program memory is true RAM that is cleared when you restart.
Think of your PC, you have a hard disk, and RAM, and you cannot resize the hard disk to use RAM as more hard disk space.
Yes. That's true but the main reason was that the whole thing was like RAM at these times... and we were losing everything when the battery was running out of power.
Some PDA's like HP for instance was delivered with backup batteries to prevent such complete loss and give extra time.
As from WM5.0 if my memory is good, the resident memory came up at last, to make things better.
Today, we have storage RAM which acts exactly like the hard disk of a PC and the program memory which acts exactly like the RAM of our PCs. The physical difference is the main reason that you can not slide anything between storage and RAM.
The suggestion for installing apps on SDcard can save you a big amount of storage RAM indeed. But do not forget the impact on speed: apps will load (and exit) slower on SD card. Try and see.
saulo866 said:
I remember that in previous version on WM there was a slider to move memory from one side to another.
But this was lost here in WM 6.5.5...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes G3K
I am loading on SD card ONLY those programs which I use rarely and in which speed is not an issue. But the more speed-demanding applications I prefer to locate on RAM, since much faster...
Thanks for your insights
Saulo
Here's a problem I don't understand:
How are most ppl able to install so many things on their HD2 and not use up memory space?
So my HD2 has a total of 193.43MB of Storage and 457.01MB of Program.
When I install games and programs and apps, I install them on the device. This takes up "Storage" memory.
I guess, what is the difference? And how can I choose between where (On device or micro) to install each type of game, apps, program?
1) What uses Program memory? What uses Storage memory?
2) If I install a game on the microSD, and do a flash to a new ROM, will I have to re-install the game on the microSD again?
You should keep a basic strategy:
Whatever prog belongs to the operating system (like HTCSense-hacks, GUIs etc.) or should work without storage card:
Install it to the main memory
Whatever prog is not operating system critical (games, browsers, navi-software, apps, photos, videos etc.):
Install it on the SD-Card (the setup in 99% allows You to choose between main memory and Storage Card). It will eat up little by little Your RAM (by adding values in the registry, icons regs in the startup-menu), but this might centuries ´till RAM is full.
Move Cashes to SD-card as described in
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=583638
and try to keep main data memory above 50 MB.
Maybe installing progs to the SD-Card might make progs a litlle bit slower (not much though) but this way You can install hundreds of apps on Your HD2 (and never forget: before installing a new prog make a full backup of the main memory e.g. with SPB-Backup and if the new prog crashes Your device restore. Also for this it is ALWAYS better to install a new app to SD-Card instead main mem).
lemonspeakers said:
Here's a problem I don't understand:
How are most ppl able to install so many things on their HD2 and not use up memory space?
So my HD2 has a total of 193.43MB of Storage and 457.01MB of Program.
When I install games and programs and apps, I install them on the device. This takes up "Storage" memory.
I guess, what is the difference? And how can I choose between where (On device or micro) to install each type of game, apps, program?
1) What uses Program memory? What uses Storage memory?
2) If I install a game on the microSD, and do a flash to a new ROM, will I have to re-install the game on the microSD again?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Program memory is RAM that is used by the operating system when executing programs.
Storage memory is where apps are installed and are then available through your icon links.
Calls are made from ROM to storage and then executed in RAM.
There are a number of issues to bear in mind when deciding where to install apps.
Installing to mem card results in slower operation of the app.
Installing to mem card results in higher power usage and therefore drains the battery quicker.
Installing to mem card can result in operating system freezes and overall slowdowns.
Installing to mem card will establish app links with the operating system that won't necessarily be usable if you flash other OS ROMs. Fresh reinstallation of apps should always be done after a flash of any new ROM anyway to keep things clean and running smoothly and reduce operational glitches to a minimum.
Any backup and restore software should only be used when restoring to the same
ROM and never across a ROM change. Sync all items you can before and resync afterwards.
Only install to mem card those apps that force you to or when you have run out of main storage and similarly have no choice.
If you know you are going to install masses of apps from the outset then as had been mentioned install operating system critical apps to main mem and the rest as you can using mem card last.
This is all good practice and good housekeeping.
Great Post !
Great thread !!!
I always wonder if Storage and program memory can be modified.
It was a long long long time ago, it was possible with my palm pilot...
Is there an application for monitoring RAM usage ?
I have about 190 Mo of free Ram and 39 Mo of free program memory.
woaloo said:
Great thread !!!
I always wonder if Storage and program memory can be modified.
It was a long long long time ago, it was possible with my palm pilot...
Is there an application for monitoring RAM usage ?
I have about 190 Mo of free Ram and 39 Mo of free program memory.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is no real reason to monitor any mem usage unless you operate in a memory hungry fashion. And that will only occur with the install of numerous apps. If you run out of storage mem then that's the time to do something about it and if that doesn't happen, then don't worry about it because your phone won't know the difference.