SLOW Loading file from HD to CF card

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.pocketpc (More info?)

I have the following setup:

iPaq 3670 with double CF slot Mempad sleeve :

http://www.yourmobiledesk.com/prod [...] 2&mfrID=na

- Slot 1 is Type I/II and Slot 2 is Type I only

- 512Mb Sandisk CF card (not Ultra) in Slot 2

- Older Pentium MMX233 laptop connected via to iPaq cradle via USB

I have a mapping program on the iPaq that uses maps loaded to the CF card.
These maps are quite large - Current one is about 450Mb.

I tried copying the file directly from a CD and gave up because it was very
slow. I suspected the CD drive, so first transferred the file to the laptop
HD and then started copying it to the CF card via an Activesync USB link. It
has been running for about 3/4hr and only looks about 1/3 complete!

How long should a 450Mb HD to CF card transfer take?

How could I speed it up?

I do have a higher speed desktop with USB, but don't have the iPaq synced
with it. I could get an adapter and copy the files to the CF cards on this
machine, but don't know if this would speed things up or not. Note sure
where the bottleneck is - USB, CF card or maybe the sleeve?

Any suggestions appreciated,

Graham

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.pocketpc (More info?)

> Get a card reader...it will be well worth the $15.
>
> --
> Dave
> www.davespda.com
> Microsoft MVP (Mobile Devices)

Dave,

The software I am using is designed to generate a map from compressed files
on a CD and load it directly via the USB Activesync connection to the CF
card in my iPaq sleeve.

For a 450MB file, this took many hours - I actually never ever let it
complete.
If I generated the file to the laptop hard drive, this went quicker. But if
I tried to copy this file via the USB connection to the iPaq, it again
bogged down.

I then tried copying to the CF card in a PCMCIA adapter on the laptop - this
was quite quick - just a few minutes - maybe a 50:1 improvement.

I don't have reader to try right now, but that would then also use the USB
port.

Do you think it is the USB connection that is slow, or is it the iPaq that
is slow in processing the data and sending it to the storage card?

BTW - the software is IGuidance by iNav - V2.01, but should be beta!

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.pocketpc (More info?)

Yes, the same happens with Pocket Map Navigator. What software are you
using JT?

--
Dave
www.davespda.com
Microsoft MVP (Mobile Devices)

"René" <kar98@the-coalition.us> wrote in message
news:yVmGd.15200$wi2.10841@newssvr11.news.prodigy.com...
> JT wrote:
>> The software I am using is designed to generate a map from compressed
>> files on a CD and load it directly via the USB Activesync connection to
>> the CF card in my iPaq sleeve.
>
> I'm using Ostia 7 which works pretty much the same way, and the program,
> although giving you the option to it either way, recommends copying the
> maps onto a card by means of a card reader, rather than the ActiveSync
> function.
>
>> For a 450MB file, this took many hours - I actually never ever let it
>> complete.
>
> "Many hours" seems excessive. I loaded the entire collection of Ark-La-Tex
> maps on a SD card last night (around 400 MB), and was done in under an
> hour, using ActiveSync.
>
>> I then tried copying to the CF card in a PCMCIA adapter on the laptop -
>> this was quite quick - just a few minutes - maybe a 50:1 improvement.
>
> Well, there you go then.
>
>> I don't have reader to try right now, but that would then also use the
>> USB port.
>
> You wouldn't need one, if you already have the PCMCIA adapter to
> read/write CF cards.
>
>> Do you think it is the USB connection that is slow, or is it the iPaq
>> that is slow in processing the data and sending it to the storage card?
>
> Nope, it's the data port on your Pocket PC that's bottleneck here. Nothing
> you can do about, except using your PCMCIA adapter for those purpose, or a
> card reader for your computers with PCMCIA slot.
>

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.pocketpc (More info?)

"David Conger, MS-MVP/Mobile Devices" <dave at davespda.com> wrote in
message news:%23LWT4F7%23EHA.2572@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
> Yes, the same happens with Pocket Map Navigator. What software are you
> using JT?
>
> --
> Dave
> www.davespda.com
> Microsoft MVP (Mobile Devices)

> Yes, the same happens with Pocket Map Navigator. What software are you
> using JT?
>

Dave,

It is iGuidance v2.0.

I have not had it for long, but it seems to me it is not fully developed.
The map coverage in Canada is not up to date even although they use Navteq
mapping. POI,s are also limited. MS S&T 2003 has much better mapping and
POI,s !

There are also memory management problems - It crashes out on low memory
when asked to create long routes - It seems that this is because data files
such as Cities or POI,s are loaded into memory and not cleared before
starting the route calculation. I found a work-around by first converting to
"favourites" and then calculating the route.

It does seem to work OK in the city although it does seem to get confused at
times when it needs to re-route.

I can't believe I would suggest this, but there are too many small auto nav
programs which from the reviews, all have problems of one kind or another -
Perhaps it is time for MS to buy one of them and develop a "proper" program
using the data they already have from S&T and Mapoint

PS: The one recent acquisition I am really pleased with, is the double
CF/ext battery version of the Mempad sleeve for the iPaq (See previous
post) - This has given my old iPaq a whole new lease of life! I have not
seen this reviewed anywhere.

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.pocketpc (More info?)

Reply to message from "JT" <REMOVED@cogeco.ca> (Sun, 16 Jan 2005 09:05:05)
about ""Re: SLOW Loading file from HD to CF card"":



J> Not sure I know how to do this!

J> I just recently went to a wireless network. I have the MS router and PC
J> Wifi Card (for laptop) and I have a Symbol wifi card for the iPaq. I
J> can access the internet - How do I access the shared files from the
J> other network computers from the iPaq?


Use something like Resco file explorer on the ppc) to map the drives (or
shares), then copy to your storage card. A free demo will show you if it is
worth pursuing (Actually the demo will even allow you to map the drives,
move the network shares to the root of the device where they can be seen by
total commander, mp, etc. )

You will need to make sure that the source is shared, as it would be in any
typical network access. You probably know this, but it bears mentioning.

As far as speed goes, in a section of the house that does suffer some
signal degradation ( Real world test of convenience), I can move 50 meg
videos from the server on to the 1g sd card in about 2.6 minutes, so about
5 min per 100 meg. Not as fast as a card reader, but smoking compared to
the active sync shuffle (at least in my experience ). Normally I do other
things on the ppc while copying so I don't begrudge the transfer time.