Making more of RAM: it never rains, then it pours - RAMblow

Published by Steve Litchfield at 15:17 GMT, February 2nd 2010

After months of struggling with low RAM (in which CellPhoneSoft came up with RAMblow) on the Nokia N97 and N97 mini, we now have firmware for most N97 product codes that has more free RAM and handles memory much better. Still, the appearance of RAMblow, screenshotted, linked and detailed below, may help anyone trying to clear extra RAM for a big game, for those whom the new firmware has not yet been released and for those with other devices with RAM problems.

Here's the RAMblow Download link... It's apparently compatible with all Symbian OS 9 and above smartphones from all manufacturers.

From the CellPhoneSoft web site:

"RAMblow aims to maintain a healthy amount of available memory, or RAM, to help running the phone smooth for a long time. The application provides automated memory management, as well as manual termination of running programs. The memory boost feature can blow RAM up to amounts never before seen. RAMblow is very simple to use, just let it run in the background, and you will never again find your phone lacking memory. By its advanced memory management functions RAMblow can serve up to 50 MB free memory after prolonged use on phones like the Nokia N97."

The utility essentially automates the manual killing of old applications which are hanging around in RAM. Of course, by killing these apps, you eliminate the benefit of multitasking and having these apps available instantly the next time they're needed, but this is a tradeoff that anyone thirsty for more RAM will be likely to accept.

Major claimed features:

• Unattended and manual management of running applications. The idea is that you can 'set it and forget' the utility.
   
• Maintaining a healthy amount of free available memory for smooth operation of the phone.
    
• Memory optimization for executing large programs. This includes 'Memory boost', which as far as I can gather cleans up orphaned memory from the OS and claims to often give you back up to 5MB extra RAM.
   
• Automatic memory cleanup after set idle time. Again, set and forget operation.
   
• Examination and manual closing of unwanted programs.
   

The trial version is fully working and your comments are welcomed with regard to how effective RAMblow is? An essential utility or something that gets into the way of Symbian OS trying to do its job? Your call! Either way, it seems like a useful tool in your Symbian armoury.

Here's the main RAMblow product page. 

Steve Litchfield

PS. In case the image and name weren't clear, to you, it's of Rambo (the movie character) and the utility name is an obvious pun. But of course you got that far faster than I did!

Categories: Software, Links of Interest
Platforms: S60 3rd Edition, S60 5th Edition

Quote:

Originally Posted by yade I am running several apps including reply to this using opera and downloading ovi racing from ovi store on my i8910. i currently have 78mb of free RAM. In 2010 this app shouldn't need to exist

Does Ovi Racing work? All I get on my i8910 (Italian firmware) are interference patterns.

What firmware are you using to get 78mb free RAM? Mine starts nowhere near that and currently I am playing a balancing act with 18mb :con?

Quote:

Originally Posted by John C My i8910 also starts with around 155mb of ram on boot up. Been running for around 6 days without switching off and running around 6 apps and still it sits at 118mb. Think maybe some are talking about the 'C' drive?

You're right, I'm on the wrong tack. My problem is the C drive. It starts with only 40.48Mb (That's from DeviceInfo) and unfortunately programs such as Ovi Maps insist on loading onto it rather than mass memory or memory card. Hence I'm currently down to 18Mb.

RAM starts with 254 I've had no problems there (i8910).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Support@CPS Yes, you are mixing two different things: (1) RAM, also called runtime memory: space in which active programs are running. This is what RAMblow cleans up, to make sure you can start up other programs. (2) Drive C, also called phone memory: space where data are permanently stored, including installed programs. RAMblow has nothing to do with this item, file managers serve for that purpose. If your problem is surely the little space on Drive C, then you need to uninstall applications, or delete some other data (like messages, images, video, etc.).

The Samsung i8910 seems to differ slightly from the standard Symbian way of handling memory. Ignoring the memory card there are three separate areas of memory:

(1) RAM - As above but having 250Mb or so there is no problem here.

(2) Drive C - As above, the phone memory. This is where the Samsung has problems because this memory starts at only about 40Mb and rapidly fills (I'm currently operating on 15Mb). Only certain data and programs are installed here, generally those such as Ovi Maps or Messaging that do not give an option as to where to store them. Another memory hog is the Quick Office upgrade. Certainly using file managers can help but a lot of this memory seems taken up by various System files that I would not risk deleting.

(3) Drive E - Also known as Mass Memory. This is where most programs can be installed and data stored. Starting with 16GB I'm not expecting any problems here!

So in summary it looks like Ramblow does not solve the i8910 memory problem. Rather judicious use of the small Drive C memory is the only way.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Support@CPS Drive E: is the memory card itself on most S60 devices!

Ah, that's where the i8910 really wins out since as well as the onboard Drive E: 16Mb Mass Memory it also takes a memory card in drive F:. Currently that adds another 16Mb so I can carry all sorts of rubbish about with me in a pretty unlimited sort of way :)

Full thread: 22 Comments / Post New Comment