Re: Flash for persistent storage and hive based registry

Tech-Archive recommends: Repair Windows Errors & Optimize Windows Performance

From: A. User (dve_at_byby.com)
Date: 03/04/04 

Date: Thu, 4 Mar 2004 08:03:24 -0500

I am very interested in Dean's comments.

I was under the impression there was quite a difference between executing
from Flash as opposed to RAM. Do you have any numbers?

I would like to see a comparison ... something like this:
feel free to expand and/or correct me where needed.
All opinions welcome

FLASH (XIP)
Slower execution
Saves RAM, system needs less RAM as RAM is only needed for stack,heap,
variables etc. and not OS
bootup time faster.
harder to setup (?)
harder to do OS Flash upgrades
does (not) work with debugger (??)
does (not) work with emulators (??)

RAM
traditional build
faster
on line FLASH OS upgrades easer as OS is in RAM

I know some are subjective any other pros/cons you can think of ?

"Dean Ramsier" <dramsiernospam@accelentnospam.com> wrote in message
news:eMdf4mSAEHA.2348@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> Since you're using BinFS and not attempting to XIP from strataflash (a
> questionable decision in my opinion) you should be able to use the NOR
flash
> driver available in PB. In fact, since BinFS is already running, the
block
> driver is apparently already there. All you need to do is get the
registry
> settings correct to format/partition/mount the remaining part of the
flash.
> The hive registry can then be targeted to that file system. This can all
> happen automatically.
>
> Why are you choosing to use BinFS instead of executing directly from
flash?
> It's much more complicated, and comes with performance penalties over
> executing directly in place. The only advantage is that SDRAM is faster
> than J3 flash, but paging code in and out will negate much or all of that
> advantage. It also costs you RAM space. BinFS is primarily intended for
> devices where the image is stored on a media that doesn't support XIP,
NAND
> flash.
>
> --
> Dean Ramsier - eMVP
> Accelent Systems
> http://www.accelent.com
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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>
> "Fabio - ElettronicaGF" <fmelandri@elettronicagf.it> wrote in message
> news:3ad3b9c6.0403030250.684fbadf@posting.google.com...
> > Hi all,
> > I'm a newbie in WCE.NET and Platform Builder 4.2 and i'm trying to
> > understand how to use my on-board flash for the OS image and
> > data/registry storaging.
> > My platform is a pxa255 processor board with 32M strata flash (2 x
> > 28f128j3a) and 64M sdram.
> > My bootloader create a BINFS partition and an EXTENDED partition on
> > the rest of the flash memory.
> > The BINFS partition serves for the OS image (non-XIP mode).
> > Is it possible to use the EXT partition for persistent storage and
> > hive based registry ?
> > Do I need for something like Intel IPSM or the NOR strata flash driver
> > (from PB) and some registry settings (as I see in PB Help) are enough?
> > Do I have to modify my bootloader to create a FAT partition instead of
> > an EXTENDED?
> > Now, when my platform boot, I can see (with stguil) only a BINFS
> > partition.
> > I would like to have the storage/registry partition automatically
> > created at boot time, is it possible?
> >
> >
> > Thanks in advance,
> > best regards.
> >
> > Fabio Melandri
> > ElettronicaGF
>
>

Relevant Pages

  • XIP vs RAM
    ... Maybe the system can even get away with the next small size RAM ... Does anyone know if/what the premimum of the "K" Strata FLASH is? ... Also what are the steps needed to transition to a XIP OS? ... >>> My bootloader create a BINFS partition and an EXTENDED partition on ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsce.platbuilder)
  • RE: Dynamically partitoning flash memory from Bootloader.
    ... I could find some E-boot source somewhere in the bulverde 4.2 bsp, ... "Program RAM Image into Flash". ... This one actuallly donwloads the Nk.bin RAMIMAGE (Write Image to flash ... disabled), in to the RAM, Creates a partition in the flash (one for storing ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsce.platbuilder)
  • Re: Flash for persistent storage and hive based registry
    ... > from Flash as opposed to RAM. ... Yes, Flash is slower than RAM, no question. ... In fact, since BinFS is already running, the ... >>> My bootloader create a BINFS partition and an EXTENDED partition on ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsce.platbuilder)
  • Re: Flash Memory - Loading an Application of 2M size into 1M Flash memory
    ... your development platform only has 1 MB of flash??? ... I do RAM execution, debugging and development. ... You don't say whether or not you are executing in-place from the ...
    (comp.arch.embedded)
  • Re: Flash Memory has RAM
    ... What is the difference between FRAM and NOR Flash Memory ... w.r.t executing a complete application? ... we need not copy the code from Flash to RAM and execute in RAM. ... Acheiving Execution speed in Flash Memory just like RAM. ...
    (comp.arch.embedded)