PC onboard again! Solid state drives ?

[whipper_snapper]

I am intrigued by the idea of flash memory rather than a traditional hard drive for an onboard PC. I can see big advantages in reliability and power consumption.

However the biggest available seems to be 8Gb. Is it really possible to run windows, maxsea, Wx fax receive, airmail from such tiny disk space ? All of those programmes, plus charts would take perhaps 1Gb, but what about Windows ? Even if it could be squeezed on, would the lack of working space mean constant crashes ?


Does anyone fancy helping me to spec-up an ITX for ITX warehouse to build?! They haven't answered my vague and obviously naive email.

 

[BAtoo]

Windows XP with SP2 needs around 2GB depending on what features you have available (System restore is v space demanding but can be limited or removed I think)
An office system can be quite small - OpenOffice 450mb & is free, Office 97 is smaller at 150MB & you might have one.
So with your 1gb of programmes your up to 3.5gb.
If you want a smaller os then Windows 98 needs under 300mb but would it work with your charts etc.
So with Win 98SE, Office 97 & your files you are down to about 1.5GB or so...

Will think about the machine spec later as I am interested in this too.

 

[whipper_snapper]

[ QUOTE ]
Will think about the machine spec later as I am interested in this too.

[/ QUOTE ]

Maybe combined intellectual might (!) of this forum could come up with a configuration that would be appropriate for sailors and perhaps even negotiate a discount for multiple units. We must all have similar needs but they are very different from the non-yotty world.

 

[Ecosse120]

I would have thought that you could use more than one of these drives, one for programmes one for data ?

 

[Paulka]

Could this be the beginning of an answer?

 

[Wakatere]

I think we can get past 8GB - a quick search found this .
What do you mean you don't want to spend $65,000? /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

 

[cnh]

I don't think the real hurdle is the hard disk issue - more screen and keyboard. The screen uses a fair amount of power, it's difficult to find somewhere to mount it, and you have wires trailing everywhere. You can get wireless keyboards & mice, but I've found them more hassle than they're worth.

I think a laptop is still the answer - we may see Windows laptops with solid state disks in the next few years. There is a Linux one already, but most nav programs run on Windows, and it also has poor screen resolution.

Nicholas Hill

 

[captainslarty]

Windows with ssds has been out for a few years...

the samsung q30 for example.... like the one I type this one...

 

[Avocet]

Would this be any use?

http://www.microdirect.co.uk/(27683)Transcend-32GB-25-Inch-IDE-MLC-Flash-Solid.aspx

The same crowd were selling little notebooks with 7.5" screens and solid state hard disks for a couple of hundred quid the other day but Icouldn't find it. Still only 2 (or maybe 4GB) though

 

[BAtoo]

Have thought about a spec for a 12v machine & sent off for a "bundle" price from ITX - will post it when it arrives. The transcend ide flash drive looks good. The linutop runs Linux which probably wont run common plotters as they mostly use Windows I believe.