>Recently, for the first time, I stumbled over a shareware app for the
>Newton called Mobile Backup, whose features include the ability to defrag
>a Newton's internal memory. Is it true what they claim that by performing
>such a defragmentation you can reclaim between 10 and 400KB of memory?
>Can anyone on the list vouch for the value of this software?
Hi folks, hi Chris,
first I would like to wish everybody on the list a happy new year.
Second,
yes the memory of your Newton becomes fragmented after
some time of use and somewhere between 10 to 500 or 600 KB of
each store can vanish away...and your Newton becomes slower and slower...
To defrag the memory of your Newton you don't need any special software.
All you need is a full backup - I recommend a full backup on a memory card -
and about five minutes...
Although with Mobilebackup it is easier and a little bit faster...but
sometimes
MobileBackup has some "little" problems. And you have to pay for it ;-(
Let me describe the way how to defrag the memory of your Newton:
1. Open the Extra-Drawer and write down the used and free memory of your Newton
I have here an upgraded MP2000 with the following memory:
a) Total System RAM installed: 3984K
b) Used memory before defrag: 3195K
c) Free memory before defrag: 328K
d) So...total "available" memory on an UMP2K or MP21K is b) + c) : 3523k
e) d) - a) : 461k ...is used by the system...for the invisible "World
data" soup....Countries, cities, time zones, currencies, etc...!
2. Do a full backup with all information and all packages on a GOOD memory
card.
Please don't use the NBU or NCU backup....I'm not sure if all
information is really backuped. And after all the years with
OS 2.X, I only know 3 or 4 people with good experiences with that
software...;-((
3. Remove ALL memory cards (including the one with the backup) from your
Newton and store it in a safe place ;-)
4. Make a HARD Reset...that means: press the reset button and the hold the
power button of your Newton!
Please: make sure that you have a WORKING Backup of your system BEFORE
hard reset your Newton!
5. After a few minutes your Newton will reboot and the startup assistent
welcomes you.
Just tap "Continue" to go through this procedure...
6. Open once again the Extra-drawer and write down again the memory
information of your Newton:
a) 3984k total
b) 26K used (I don't know for what....??)
c) 3497k free
d) 3523k again
e) 461k used but invisible...
7. Now insert the memory card with the full backup into your Newton and do
a full restore....
8. After the restore the Newton will reboot once again.
9. Hey....your babe is back....so let's see if your memory was fragmented:
10. Open the Extra-drawer and write down once again the memory information:
a) 3984k total
b) 3094k used ( !!!! )
c) 429k free ( !!! )
d) 3523k
e) 461k used but invisible
And now please compare the values 1.c and 10.c....here in my case you will
see a difference of 101k FREE RAM !
So...with a simple backup and restore procedure I increased the free
internal memory of my Newton for about 100k.
Not bad, or ??
BTW, the most important trick of MobileBackup is to invoke the HARD RESET
of your Newton by software....yes, it IS possible!
But only a few people know how to do that....;-) And I think it is better
to keep this secret as a secret....
Any questions ? ;-)
Christian Fiutak
P.S. hey Paul...I couldn't find anything about this problem in the FAQ....
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Christian Fiutak, fiutak_at_newton-lifestyle.de
Redaktion Newton Lifestyle, Forum-Dad ;-)
@ http://www.newton-lifestyle.de
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
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