Re: EWF RAM, Compact Flash and log files

KM,

Thanks for your comments and for confirming some of my suspicions. I really
appreciate it that you and SB always take the time to respond to the numerous
questions by so many people. I try to pitch in whenever I can. I will
continue to evaluate the various components and options to determine which
ones can be configured / tweaked and will post my findings in the future.

Regards,
Joe

"KM" wrote:

> Joe,
>
> All your question do make perfect sense since you are deploying image on CF.
>
> However, you may also know that although XPe is componentized version of XP Pro pretty much none of the applications there (except
> EEFs) were developed with embedded application in mind.
>
> The real challenge in XPe has always been that all of the MS apps are provided in binary form and no sources available. This makes
> it sometimes extremely hard to customize Microsoft applications for using in a particular embedded scenario. Personally I think it
> is a very weak side of XPe compared to even other Microsoft embedded OSes like Windows CE. Btw, have you thought of using Windows CE
> for your device?
>
> In your case, you don't just want to redirect application specific logs and data to an unprotected volume (some registry hacks were
> posted in this NG for some application from your list). But you also want to limit the logs or, even better using with EWF in place,
> make sure that the file space for log or data files is pre-allocated so that you don't need to worry about EWF growing overlay size.
> It is obvious that applications like MSMQ, Event Log and etc. are definitely missing the last feature as they have been developed
> for XP Pro.
>
> So, in reality if you image is fat and include heavy software like IIS, MSMQ, MSDE, etc. nothing will safe you from the growing EWF
> overlay size unless you move or the writes to unprotected partition. But then you are probably stuck with HDD there.
> Another way may be using expensive flash solutions like M-Systems uDoc. These may be used as almost like a replacement to HDD from
> software point of view. But hardware wise are robust and vibration tolerant and etc.
>
> To cover all the tweaks for particular software components I'd recommend you to create a thread per each component so that people
> who know the tweaks can reply. As far as I know there is no available FAQ fro XPe which lists all the tweaks you need and mentioned
> below. Although this NG archive will help you to cover some [most] of them.
>
> --
> Regards,
> KM
>
>
> > KM, thanks for your response. I've added some other comments below.
> >
> > Regards,
> > Joe
> >
> > "KM" wrote:
> >
> >> Joe,
> >>
> >> >...
> >> > Assuming that a non-protected drive is available.
> >> >
> >> > What are all of the changes required to effectively run the EWF RAM
> >> > protected CF system without consuming RAM as a "normal" consequence of
> >> > running?
> >>
> >> http://msdn.microsoft.com/embedded/community/community/tips/xp/ramewf/default.aspx
> > ***************
> > I was thinking that this list only refers to "some of the methods" to reduce
> > the number of writes. It did not include for example, the History folder(s)
> > for I.E.
> > Also mention of: Performance logs, remove files immediately for the recycle
> > bin ?
> >
> >>
> >> > What files and registry setting changes are necessary? For example, the
> >> > default dump file location is %SystemRoot%\MEMORY.DMP. This information
> >> > would be lost on a crash dump unless saved to the non-protected drive.
> >>
> >> Crash dump routine bypasses EWF.
> >>
> >> > Similarly, Shared Documents should also probably be relocated away from the
> >>
> >> Shared Documents? Can you be more specific here? If it is a system profile folder, you can change the profile locations or
> >> location
> >> of some of profile folders.
> > ****************
> > Default Shared Documents Folder if standalone and not on a domain.
> > How do you change this default location to the non-protected drive?
> > Also, what about Folder Redirection for Documents for each users?
> > This is tied to the %USERPROFILE% which defaults to the C: drive.
> >
> >>
> >> > default location on the EWF RAM drive. Going further, IIS Web Server and FTP
> >> > Server, ODBC and MSDE trace and log files, etc.
> >>
> >> This is per application case but in general each of the app mentioned above has the path to log(s) set up in registry.
> > ****************
> > MSMQ?
> > I was referring to what are the steps / things to consider / required to
> > change the default content location, not just the log(s) for IIS FTP Server,
> > etc.
> > I know that it's per application, but ...
> >
> >>
> >> > Has anyone complied a list of things to do to optimize XPe when running on a
> >> > EWF RAM protected CF. (assuming that a second non-RAM protected drive is
> >> > available)
> >>
> >> All you've got is:
> >> - XPe docs
> >> - The tip page mentioned above
> >> - This NG archive (most f the tricks were mentioned here)
> >>
> >> > What are the implications if this second drive is another CF?
> >>
> >> None if you have the system running from CF.
> >>
> >> > Is this advisable? Is it possible to build a CF only based XPe system that is "fully
> >> > functional" without a hard drive? By this I mean, not having to worry about
> >> > the limited number of read-write cycles of the CF relative to the hard drive.
> >>
> >> This is why you have EWF - to limit (avoid) the writings to CF.
> >> Or are you asking about something else here?
> > **************
> > I'm thinking that if we really need a non-protected drive, and the drive is
> > used to save all of the logs, temporary folders, etc...
> > and we needed to redirect this activity away from the CF primary system drive,
> > does this imply that the non-protected drive must therefore be capable of
> > handling the high volume of read-write cycles re-directed away from the CF,
> > hence can the non-protected drive also be a CF?
> > Question being -
> > are we protecting the CF from the Windows OS itself using the EWF RAM Reg,
> > and the redirected items to the non-protected drive are required mainly for
> > persistence?
> > or are these the high frequency read-write cycle items that we are
> > protecting the CF from?
> > Secondly, if the second drive is also a CF, then there is still no ability
> > to use this as
> > the paging file, hence there may be a strong argument that somehow, a HDD is
> > still recommended.
> >
> > Our application is a data acquisition system which is 24 / 7 / 365 operation
> > application.
> > We would like to deploy without a hard disk drive for robustness and
> > vibration tolerance / immunity.
> > Acquisition rate / data saved to database is approx. once every 5 seconds,
> > approx. 200 records.
> > Considering OS and applications on the first CF and database on a second CF.
> > MSDE / SQL Server limitation of 2 - 4 GB on second CF is okay.
> > Would like to implement Terminal Services, and IIS Technologies - hence IIS
> > Server and FTP Server.
> > Automatic daily archiving of data (incremental) to FTP server directory for
> > backup on network drive.
> >
> > Can / should this be done without a HDD?
> > or should I simply consider adding a HDD, add the page file, etc...
> > and not worry about anything related to the OS, RAM consumption, log files,
> > etc?
> > but then again, introducing the HDD rotating media implies that maybe I
> > can't have the
> > advantages of a completely CF based solution, hence I still need to worry,
> > so why use a CF at all?
> >
> > I realize that there may be some applications that may be suitable for CF
> > only deployment, but maybe mine is not...
>
>
>
.