Need Explanation Of Memory Split Stuff

[dninja]

I've just got a 5500 and started playing with it. I've installed OZ with a 32-32 split because that is what I saw recommended somewhere but I don't know why. I've read that that means that 32 meg of ram is devoted to apps and 32 to holding a copy of the stuff from initrd file. Is this true and if so, why do you have to have a definite split?

I've also read stuff about booting from a memory card (it would be an SD one in my case). If I do this and use initrd (which I belive is a disk image loaded into memory) then when I install things surely they will be lost after a reboot as the image will be loaded again and so changes lost.

I've tried to find info on this, but most sites just tell how to do things, not why or the benefits of doing it different ways.

Can someone explain all this or point to a doc that will do?

If it makes a difference, I'll be using it for a wide range of things, from wireless security stuff (with kismet etc) to playing mp3s to keeping my calender.

Thanks

A confused Zaurus beginner

[chiark]

I've just got a 5500 and started playing with it. I've installed OZ with a 32-32 split because that is what I saw recommended somewhere but I don't know why. I've read that that means that 32 meg of ram is devoted to apps and 32 to holding a copy of the stuff from initrd file. Is this true and if so, why do you have to have a definite split?

The 32-32 split means that 32MB is devoted to storage space, and 32MB is devoted to RAM.  The storage space is akin to hard drive space on your PC, the RAM is - er - RAM

Personally I've gone for a 64MB/0MB config, which has 64MB of RAM and 0MB of storage - the storage is moved to the SD card.  See the Cacko pages for more info.

Hope this helps somewhat - I'm new to all this too.
Nick.

[dninja]

Thats what I figured so if I go for the 64/0 and put the boot stuff on an sd card then I'll have more memory.

Does this mean that you can't remove the sd card once booted?

Also I'm still not sure about the initrd boot image. I don't get how an image file can be updated after stuff has been installed.

I'll have a look at the Cacko stuff see if that helps.

Ta