700W-Fix for lower memory limits...

Folkie · 09/24/2006, 12:59 PM

When Palm released their OS update earlier this year, they changed the way memory was managed. Once free RAM fell below 5Mb, programs would be closed automatically. Before the update, this did not occur until free RAM fell below 2Mb.

Bad move, Palm. Seriously bad move.

I think I've found the solution, in the form of a registry change.

HKLM->System->OOM->Reserved
Changing this key from it's default of 500000 (5Mb dec.) to 200000 (2Mb decimal) seems to have fixed this issue.

I'll keep testing and post followups if I find any problems. So far, I've found it works great. The whole phone even seems a bit faster.

fondoo · 09/24/2006, 02:04 PM

thanks, i'll give it a shot!

Beryl · 09/24/2006, 02:54 PM

Good find. Looking forward to reading results.

cwranger · 09/24/2006, 05:42 PM

Did yours have 500000 even? My has 5242880 in that spot.

plasmo · 09/24/2006, 05:56 PM

great find. if this works, it may be worth a Sticky!

plasmo · 09/24/2006, 06:17 PM

Looks like this Hack helps, but I still got some auto-closing of PIE when switching back and forth from Newsbreak when switched down to 200000.

I noticed my memory was at 1.7megs free when using PIE, Newsbreak, and Activesync running in the background...so i switched it to 100000, and everything stayed open...but kinda unstable.

anyway, it seems better than before though. thanks

fumblerooski · 09/24/2006, 08:21 PM

This made things MUCH WORSE on my phone. Off to another hard reset...

Folkie · 09/24/2006, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tre-i-e-i-o

This made things MUCH WORSE on my phone. Off to another hard reset...

In what way was the phone worse?

Folkie · 09/24/2006, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cwranger

Did yours have 500000 even? My has 5242880 in that spot.

500000 is hexadecimal. That is the same as 5242880 decimal.
200000 would be 2097152 decimal.

fumblerooski · 09/24/2006, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Folkie

In what way was the phone worse?

Things slowed down considerably while surfing. my phone nearly froze while posting that reply and TC is usually pretty good. My phones have just never done well on the internet and when it starts to OTA sync...forget about it! Everything slows to an absolute crawl and I have to soft reset. This has happened on 2 straight 700w's so I know it's not me. It might be XCPUScalar so I am going to try removing that and see if that makes things better...

trev230 · 09/24/2006, 10:10 PM

Ok, I want to do this and have been reading stuff on here for a while.

I'm comfortable with trying registry hacks but I have never seen anything that I figured was worth it to me.

I need some type of registry hacker to do this, right?

RichTJ99 · 09/24/2006, 10:52 PM

I would also like to hear more results. That would be huge to go from an email to IE, back to the email.

fumblerooski · 09/25/2006, 09:02 AM

yeah it would be nice to have a phone with enough memory for once. WMP just auto shut off as I was typing this...guess I'm below 5megs again. God forbid I actually have two apps open at once. Thanks Palm!

Folkie · 09/25/2006, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trev230

Ok, I want to do this and have been reading stuff on here for a while.

I'm comfortable with trying registry hacks but I have never seen anything that I figured was worth it to me.

I need some type of registry hacker to do this, right?

Yep.
I use Tascal TRE. Google it. There are lots of download sites.

Folkie · 09/25/2006, 02:26 PM

Update:
It's been a couple days and the registry change does seem to do what it is supposed to do.
More applications can stay open simultaneously, although I did find the problem with IE closing as soon as it starts does recur at times. In fact, Resco Sudoku, which wouldn't open at all unless there was over 6.5MB free has started without problem, even with the free memory quite low.

I had some concerns that, perhaps, Palm raised the reserved limit because some there was need to had more reserved memory for some process or another. I've raised the reserved setting to 300000 hex and found that the system seems a bit more stable while still allowing more open programs. More testing is needed.

Beryl · 09/27/2006, 03:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tre-i-e-i-o

t might be XCPUScalar so I am going to try removing that and see if that makes things better...

What is the verdict sans XCPUScalar?

Folkie · 09/28/2006, 10:02 AM

I've been running the Treo with XCPUScalar and the reserved memory at 3mb for a few days now. It's really not any less stable than it was before. In fact, it seems better overall.
Anyone else try the registry mod? Experiences?

Dieter Bohn · 09/28/2006, 11:08 AM

I stuck the thread because this is a *super important find*.

Would other brave 700w users please test this?!

It was my understanding the the memory divisions were not editable in the registry, unlike with other PPC devices. Can anybody comment on that?

Chudman · 09/28/2006, 11:48 AM

Seems to be working MUCH better! Programs now running on mine (as I type this):

XCPUScaler
Magic Button
PIE
Resco Explorer
Excel Mobile
Outlook email
ActiveSync
Contacts
Word Mobile
Mapopolis

It now shows 3.05 MB free, and the Treo is still responding snappy and with a faster screen update when switching between programs (via Magic Button) than before the hack, even with XCPUScaler locked at 312 MHz.

Folkie deserves a Treo Medal of Honor for this discovery!!

CM

JimmieGeddes · 09/28/2006, 12:22 PM

I'm new to the whole Windows Mobile way of using memory. What are you guys looking at? Storage or prgram memory?

I did this hack to my 700wx (not sure if it applies to only the 700w?) and I've got all these running:

calendar
file explorer
outlook mobile
excel mobile
newscopier
calculator
notes
internet explorer
styletap
aol
windows media
tcpmp

Under storage I have 9.17mb free
Under program I have 23.91mb free

Like I said I am new to Windows Mobile, so I'm not even sure if I should have done this hack, but I love editing the registry