With the first NVFS handhelds, a memory region commonly known as DBCache has been introduced. The DBCache holds databases that have been decompressed from Flash in order to be used – if it runs out, no more databases can be opened. So far, flushing the DBCache required you to either use Resco Explorer or softreset the device – can this app improve the situation?
OffFlush has a very simple, self explaining UI:
When the handheld is powered off and the free DBCache is below the threshold, OffFlush delays the power-off and attempts to flush the DBCache. This process usually takes 30secs to 1 minute on my Treo 680 and can not be aborted.
The program needs 10k of RAM and cannot be installed onto an external memory card. It has not caused any crashes so far. This mini-review looked at version 2.0 of the program, it can be downloaded here.
In the end, one question remains: what for? This program can automatically flush your DBCache – but do you need it flashed automatically? My Treo 680 has never had any DBCache issues, so I say no. People having a Palm TX or a Treo 650 could consider it useful, though…
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Hi,
“People having a Palm TX or a Treo 650 could consider it useful, though…”
could->do
I use it all of the time on my T|X, it’s really lovely software and I’ve had it since I frist got my T|X.
Best re,
Ryan Rix
Hi Ryan,
the problem I had with it was that the flushes take waaay to long on my T680…
Best regards
Tam Hanna
on T5 i used dbcachetool before and it started to be much more stable. later i changed to flushit which works much faster. On Lifedrive and Treo680 i didn’t used anything similar so far
anyway on T5 automatic flush is a must, without it many applications simply refused to work or crashed very soon (docstogo when i tried to open ebooks in doc format, legacy game, tcpmp…)
Warning, Off Flush isn’t supported because there’s a small chance that it could brick your PDA. See http://forum.brighthand.com/showpost.php?p=1360050&postcount=33
all these apps are pointless. the device will flush the dbcache when it gets full. flushing it needlessly causes needless wear on the flash hardware, with NO gain.
Use cleanstart. http://www.1src.com/freeware/fileinfo.php?id=1797
I thought a reset didn’t always clear the dbcache… Regardless, though Dmitry (whos opinion I trust) says there are no gains and apps (or is it the OS) will flush when necessary, I do like to be able to flush it when I choose so I don’t have to wait for flush at random times – usually when I’m in a hurry to get to something.
I’ve used OffFlush since it’s inception on my TX. It is very good if you set it to flush only on poweroff and check the fast flush option. I have found that delays in flushing are greater when I let the OS do the work versus having OF do it on power off when I’m not using the device anyway. I also set mine at a threshold of 60%.
For example, blazer’s time to flush the cache is about a third to 50% longer than OffFlush 2.0 on my TX.