Flash memory guessing game... (POLL for fun)

[Krumlink]

So, for the team synergy robot (now called project synth) we are guessing at what size memory we will be needing. For a complete install of XP pro, visual C# and several other small programs (probably 100mb), what size flash memory (CF card OR SD) would you suggest? We have been thinking that we could pull it off with 4gb, but to be safe would you suggest 8gb?

 

[dknguyen]

Gb? or GB? It's a very important detail that should be shown more care in the future. I will assume you are saying Gigabyte.

32GB is high density and requires different implementation I think...8GB might be the same too I'm not sure if 8GB is high density or not. Size doesn't really matter as long as the implementation is the same...even the smallest size is overblown and the cost difference between sizes is almost nothing compared to the project.

 

[Krumlink]

Gb? or GB? It's a very important detail that should be shown more care in the future. I will assume you are saying Gigabyte.

32GB is high density and requires different implementation I think...8GB might be the same too I'm not sure if 8GB is high density or not. Size doesn't really matter as long as the implementation is the same...even the smallest size is overblown and the cost difference between sizes is almost nothing compared to the project.

Any person looking at flash memory would automatically assume we are talking about gigabytes. Transfer rates (sata, wireless, etc) is more for bits.

It will be configured as a bootable disk.

 

[Krumlink]

Also, I have found cf cards at 8GB at 25 dollars, so they are fairly cheap.

 

[dknguyen]

Any person looking at flash memory would automatically assume we are talking about gigabytes. Transfer rates (sata, wireless, etc) is more for bits.

That's like assuming everyone knows you which temperature scale you are talking about when you just say 60 degrees or 135 degrees, except in this case you there is nothing to be implied because you are actually saying gigabits.

 

[tcmtech]

I am by no means a computer expert but if you strip down XP and get rid of all the unneeded stuff you can save a load of space. 2 Gig would work.
However do you need to have all service packs and system up dates and security blah blah blah installed too? If so I would say 4 is going to be tight.
I would go 8 gig and have some room to expand.

 

[mneary]

If you're watching costs, why Windows and not Open Source?

 

[Torben]

If you're watching costs, why Windows and not Open Source?

Indeed. It's a waste of money and system resources to use Windows.

And even if you are using Windows, why install the entire development environment on the device? Waste of space. . .just compile (I don't know about Visual C# but if it can't produce an executable then ditch it for embedded work) and include the executables and save a ton of space.


Regards,

Torben

 

[Mikebits]

Indeed. It's a waste of money and system resources to use Windows.

And even if you are using Windows, why install the entire development environment on the device? Waste of space. . .just compile (I don't know about Visual C# but if it can't produce an executable then ditch it for embedded work) and include the executables and save a ton of space.


Regards,

Torben

Agreed, an operating system used for an embedded design seems silly. If properly done a few to maybe a hundred megs should do it.

 

[Krumlink]

Its rather funny because at a recent event, where there were college navigational robots, some would have up to 3 computers and have complete operating systems on it, 250GB hard drive. I wanted the situation where i could program on the spot and have the complete environment there, not on another computer.

 

[Hero999]

One word of warning: do not use a flash drive for virtual memory - flash driver have a limited number of write cycles.

You're better off buying more RAM so you don't need any virtual memory.

Virtual memory should be obsolete by now anyway in my opinion: if you've got 4GB of RAM then you shouldn't need VM. If you go with the 32-bit version you may even be ably to get away with 2GB. Heck my PC only has 256MB of RAM and will boot with virtual memory disabled but I can't do much.