[MDA III, XDA III, PDA2k, 9090 Software Upgrading] Tuatara:
I've been working with the Wizard Port which mamaich has done, and have run into the 'normal' performance issues with WM2005 which most everyone has encountered.

Since our devices have so much RAM available, IMHO it should no longer be used for storage. Instead we can utilise huge SD Cards for all storage needs. We need one for the EXTROM installation anyways, and the Batteries will drain the same whether you're using 32Mb or 128Mb of your RAM.

My main focus has therefore been to improving RAM usage for Caching and Filesystem access (StorageManager). I'm trying things out to see if there are any improvements which can be done simply through registry changes. I'd felt I was relatively successful on my Himalaya (using BuzzROM 1.60c) with this style of performance tweak, so now it was time to try it out on the new Blue Angel.

I'm primarily concerned with stability and performance, as well as usability and resources. My focus has therefore been to make extensive use of the RAM Disk for all temporary elements (why make them persistant?), to add appropriate levels of caching and to set an appropriate number of buffers for all memory and filesystem access. My goal is to use the RAM to it's full potential - 32Mb for temp/ramdisk, and as much as beneficial for Cache/Buffers/Paging/etc. leaving the remainder (64Mb+) available for applications to use.

For this I've been scanning the forums and have gleaned the 'pearls of wisdom' from many developers who have been trying to improve the performance of their devices. For everything which I've found, I've researched the origins of the registry modification, and have verified (to the best of available information) that the flags/settings/values or other parameters as I've changed them in the attached registry files below, are legal and valid.

I've geared things to be a 'workhorse' device - i.e. the initial application open/start may be slightly slower (first run), but once the application is up and running, it responds very quickly. The point is then to keep all the commonly used applications running and using the RAM, not to try to have untold Mb of RAM free. All those 'Task OK Button Close' are a real waste when using WM2005 now.

If you do have some memory intensive application, then you may need to close applications, but with 64MB+ free I couldn't think of what you might want to run (except a game or something else 'useful'). The "Memory" Control Panel is all you'd ever need for this.

Ok ... enough rambling about what I've tried to achieve ... on to the details.

Device Configuration I'm using:

- mamaich Wizard ROM v2a (unmodified)

- Model No.: PH20B

- Model Name: iMate PDA2K

- ROM Version: 5.03.02 WWE

- ROM Date: 03/02/05

- Radio Version: Radio 1.15.00

- Protocol Version: 1337.45

- CPU: Intel(R) PXA263

- Speed: 400 Mhz

- RAM Size: 96 Mb

- Flash Size: 32 Mb

- Flash Chip Type: 28F128K3

- Storage Size: 60.30 Mb

Attached below are two principal registry files: Performance.reg, and Customize.reg

Performance is specifically for improving the Performance of the device.

Customize is specifically for setting 'default' customizations, which are user/owner preferences.

These can be imported using your favourite registry editor (I'm using Resco) and you can see what (if any) difference to performance they can make.

Performance.reg Details:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\ControlPanel\Phone]
- Disable Phone Sleep. May help with Bluetooth disconnect issues.

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\ControlPanel\Sounds\TTSAnnounce]
- Move Voice Command Caller Identification into RAM Disk

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders]
- Move all of IE's Temporary Files into RAM Disk

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings]
- Give IE More Connections

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main]
- Give IE More Threads

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ControlPanel\WiFi]
- Slow down the WiFi Scanning Interval

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Drivers\BuiltIn\QwertyKey]
- Improve Keyboard Responsiveness

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Drivers\BuiltIn\WaveDev]
- Improve Audio Responsiveness

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Security\Policies\Policies]
- Disable Signing

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\HTC\XPanel]
- Move Volatile elements to RAM Disk

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\FileSys]
- Move all Temporary Items to RAM Disk

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\GWE]
- Disable Animation

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\GWE\Menu]
- Disable Animation

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\StorageManager\Filters\fsreplxfilt]
- Set the File & Directory Exclusions for the Filesystem Filter

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\StorageManager\...]
- Tweak all the StorageManager settings to improve performance

Customize.reg Details:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ControlPanel\AdminPassword]
- Enable Admin Password Control Panel

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ControlPanel\GPS Settings]
- Move GPS Control Panel to Connections

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\GWE]
- Make THIN scroll bars (get a bit more screen space - I'm accurate with a stylus)

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\ControlPanel\Backlight]
- Default Backlight Settings

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\ControlPanel\Comm]
- Default USB Communications

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\ControlPanel\Notifications\ShellOverrides]
- Set the Volume

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\ControlPanel\PhoneExtendFunction]
- Set PAP and Class 8 (4 Receive, 1 Transmit) GPRS Settings

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\ControlPanel\Sip]
- Set SIP Input Word Suggestion Defaults

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\ControlPanel\SoundCategories\Ring]
- Set the Volume

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\ControlPanel\SoundCategories\RingPreview]
- Set the Volume

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\ControlPanel\Volume]
- Set the Volume

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main]
- Set some IE defaults (Google, History, Zoom, etc.)

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings]
- Set some IE Messages

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ControlPanel\Phone]
- Phone Flags

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Explorer]
- Show all Files

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\HTC\Camera\AppDefSettings\P3]
- Disable Recording Time Limit

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\HTC\Camera\AppDefSettings\P4]
- Enable additional Contacts Photo Mode

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Inbox\Svc\SMS]
- Change the SMS Text Message Confirmation

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Obex]
- Disable OBEX

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Pocket MSN]
- Permit any email address in Pocket MSN

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Shell\TaskBar]
- Clock in Taskbar

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings]
- ClearType in IE

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\AdvancedCPL]
- Enable Microphone AGC

*** NOTE: I forgot to mention to create the following directories in the RAM Disk in order to properly support things! ***

Cache

Cookies

History

Volatile

Improvements, comments, discussion and changes to these values (or adding more) is HIGHLY encouraged. We'll all benefit from faster machines, without needing to overclock them into instability. And if something is obviously WRONG in these settings, point out the mistake! 8)

Hope this helps others with their performance concerns.

Regards,

Tuatara.

*********************************************************

UPDATE: Version 2 of the Scripts: 5/Feb/2006

Performance:

1). Corrected the WaveDev Priority, and the QwertyKey Priority to values which will produce better performing results across all requirements.

2). Removed requirement for \Ram Disk32\Volatile since the \Volatile directory is NOT automatically created. This can lead to problems if the RAM gets corrupted and or is reformatted. Now all temporary (Volatile) Files have been placed in the root folder "\Ram Disk32\" instead.

NOTE: This means you DO NOT need to create any directories! All cache directories will automatically be created as required by IE on startup!

3). BufferSize has been reduced to a more 'sensible' value of 1024 buffers.

4). Added "EnableDataCacheWarm", "EnableFatCacheWarm", and "PathCacheEntries" to the filesystem specifications.

Customize:

1). Moved Key Deletion to END of registry script, since some registry imports fail to delete these keys properly. Can be done manually.

2). Changed Default Search Page to a more Mobile Friendly GOOGLE search page, which permits better searching of results.

3). Removed the /GWE elements which shrunk down the scroll bars, as I did begin to find it tiring to aim more carefully to scroll things. ;)

4). Removed the OBEX Disable, since this would probably confuse more than help.