Install location of Apps on x51v

07-23-08, 02:03 PM

I am getting ready to reimage my Axim, and clean it up a bit.
I am still very used to my X5, as I just got the x51v in January.
So, I am not sure about the benefit to installing apps to memory cards versus main memory.

On my X5 I installed very few to main memory.

On my x51v I installed most to my memory card, and a few that were giving me problems to main memory.

So, what is the best thing for the x51v?

johnhu_2005 · 07-23-08, 02:13 PM

It is recommended that you install all programs on your Main Memory. With 190MB of space, there's plenty of room. There is a chance of problems with memory-intensive programs if you install on a card. Also, you supposedly get less lag if you install to memory.

07-23-08, 02:46 PM

Originally Posted by johnhu_2005

It is recommended that you install all programs on your Main Memory. With 190MB of space, there's plenty of room. There is a chance of problems with memory-intensive programs if you install on a card. Also, you supposedly get less lag if you install to memory.

Thanks, I thought that was the case.

Is there any specific reason to not load an application into main memory?
Does anyone load any programs to a memory card?

srvctec · 07-23-08, 07:44 PM

Originally Posted by uzziah0

Is there any specific reason to not load an application into main memory?
Does anyone load any programs to a memory card?

Space (more precisely, lack of) would be the main reason. Lots of people on here install programs to cards. I am one who does not. Sometimes there are issues with the program running properly, so I figure, why install to a card only to have it possibly not work. I have installed all my programs to main memory since I got my x51v almost 2 years ago.

Just an FYI- I have 68 programs installed to main memory and still have 101.31 MB of memory free to install even more. And yes, I do actually use all of the programs.

A tip- I copy every single cab file of every program I have on to one of my cards in my device- that way in the event I have to do a hard reset, I can still install all programs without having to have my pc for the re-install. Here is also another option should you ever use up all the main memory with installed programs (doubtful!). If you have all the cab files for all the programs you might want to install, but don't have room for saved on your cards, you can uninstall those not used frequently, and then install the programs you want from the cab files saved on one of your cards, all without having to do it from your pc.

As you can see, I'm kind of anal about having a backup plan. (I also do full device backups daily with Sprite Backup)

07-23-08, 10:07 PM

Originally Posted by srvctec

Space (more precisely, lack of) would be the main reason. Lots of people on here install programs to cards. I am one who does not. Sometimes there are issues with the program running properly, so I figure, why install to a card only to have it possibly not work. I have installed all my programs to main memory since I got my x51v almost 2 years ago.

Just an FYI- I have 68 programs installed to main memory and still have 101.31 MB of memory free to install even more. And yes, I do actually use all of the programs.

A tip- I copy every single cab file of every program I have on to one of my cards in my device- that way in the event I have to do a hard reset, I can still install all programs without having to have my pc for the re-install. Here is also another option should you ever use up all the main memory with installed programs (doubtful!). If you have all the cab files for all the programs you might want to install, but don't have room for saved on your cards, you can uninstall those not used frequently, and then install the programs you want from the cab files saved on one of your cards, all without having to do it from your pc.

As you can see, I'm kind of anal about having a backup plan. (I also do full device backups daily with Sprite Backup)

Thanks.
I just got my x51v in Jan, and being used to the X5 I loaded as much as I could to memory cards. And, now that I am getting more used to the advances of the x51v, I thought I'd look into this and figure out what would be best.
I will hard reset and load everything to main memory.

Julie · 07-23-08, 10:35 PM

I think the reason the recommendation for WM5.0 devices is to install applications to main memory is because of the "compaction issue" that occurred with some of the upgraded to WM5.0 devices:

Some Compaction Answers

With windows mobile 2003 devices, the recommendation was to install as many applications as possible to a storage card so as to preserve memory for program execution (memory could be used as program memory or as storage memory - you wound up robbing peter to pay Paul). But with WM5.0, the amount of program and storage memory is fixed, so there is no compelling reason to install applications to storage cards (unless you plan to install a ton of applications).

The Compaction issue does not seem to be such an issue with Pocket PCs whose native operating system is WM5.0, but seems to be only an issue with upgraded devices. I'm not sure about this, but the compaction issue may have been addressed for upgraded devices with subsequent ROM/Firmware updates.

I have two IPAQs whose native operating system is WM5.0, and I have installed many applications for those devices to my SD cards. I have not noticed any performance problems by doing so. I like to leave a fair amount of storage memory free because surfing the internet creates temporary files that get placed in storage memory. Leaving a fair amount of space free, prevents me from having to clean out these files frequently.

rlarson_mn · 07-25-08, 11:51 AM

Now I do it a bit differently. I have few applications that I add to my unit but carry tons of data files used by those applications. As a result all of my applications are loaded into my units ROM and all of my data (the larger files, pictures, movies, pdf's, excel, word, other PC releated files) are kept on my 16gb CF or 16gb SDHC memory cards. The CF card has 1/2 of a meg left, the SDHC card has 8 mb left. Almost time to clean house on my CF card or better yet get a 32gb card, one can never ever have to much memory!

spunker88 · 07-25-08, 11:57 AM

With wm5+, memory is managed different, more like a desktop computer's. So if you have space available to install programs, install them to the main memory. It is separate from the ram, so speed wont be affected.

With 2003se and lower, ram was where you installed main memory programs. So, if you installed too much to the main memory you would be left with less ram, and thus a slower device.

07-27-08, 09:53 PM

Got everything up and running. So far I'm using 73 MB from installed apps.
I need to fix a couple of things, and then load some games and I'll be all set.

Thanks for the info.
I was able to run the install of all apps with User Configuration to load the applications. This is the first time I did that, and it worked great.
I had a couple that didn't work but need to check to see if some of the files got installed or what, and clean those out, and install those individually.
It was a pain reentering all the registration codes. But, they are done.

Now I need to make my Sprite backup and I'll be good to go!