Author Topic: Building a ROM (Read 2477 times)

edwinbradford · « **on:** August 07, 2004, 05:42:57 am »

First of all thanks to everyone, especially StuBear, for all the help gettng me up and running with my C700. It's been great fun and I now have it looking just how I want.

I'd like to ask about the way Zaurii handle memory, from reading the FAQ http://www.zaurususergroup.com/modules.php...lding%20a%20ROM am I right in saying that if you reduce the number of unwanted applications by building a custom ROM, it will free up more memory which can be used as RAM (so it becomes a RAM upgrade)? If so it's something I'd like to try. Am I also right in saying that the only requirement on my Apple Mac is to be running the Terminal?

Thanks again.

Mickeyl · « **Reply #1 on:** August 07, 2004, 07:50:15 am »

There's no sane way you could use unused Flash as RAM.

lardman · « **Reply #2 on:** August 07, 2004, 10:54:18 am »

As Mickeyl says you don't want to do this. RAM is accessed rather a lot, and flash memory has a finite (if long) life. Also flash memory is orders of magnitude slower than RAM.

That said, it might be possible to create a swap file in the unused bit of flashROM. But don't do it, not a good idea.

What do you need more memory for anyway?

Si

edwinbradford · « **Reply #3 on:** August 07, 2004, 12:29:08 pm »

OK guys thanks. I must have misunderstood that then. I was reading it that freeing up Memory with a smaller ROM meant more RAM. Obviously that's not the case with a PC but I thought maybe it was different on the Zaurus. It seems to me that you're saying you could only use the freed up space as a swap file and I've read that's a bad idea on the internal memory.

The basic reason for the memory increase, thanks for asking, is that I found that when I had the tkc ROM installed which I understand is a minimal system, I seemed to be able to open several programmes but with the Sharp ROM (which I am retaining for it's Japanese Language ability) I seem to run out of RAM memory sometimes with only two applications open.

lardman · « **Reply #4 on:** August 07, 2004, 01:48:36 pm »

With a 5500 or 5000D the standard Sharp ROMs use half of the RAM as a RAM-disk, and so in this case changing ROMs (to a non-Sharp ROM) will give you more RAM. This is not the case for the 5600 and C machines.

This could be where the confusion arose.

Si

edwinbradford · « **Reply #5 on:** August 07, 2004, 07:29:18 pm »

Ahaaa, thanks Lardman, makes me feel less like a clown and also as everyone says, I'd be wasting my time then to make a ROM.

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Author Topic: Building a ROM (Read 2477 times)