Well, I have definitely neglected my XPE blog for a while now... I am also trying to move my XPE blog to XPEFiles and only keeping the .NET stuff on dotnet.org.za. As soon as my blog is setup, I will post the link! This will probably be my last post about XPE on the dotnet.org.za.
I thought I would start off by supplying links to some cool devices I have found that use XPE! What better way to start off than a virtual bartender?
http://www.windowsfordevices.com/news/NS7609485152.html
Other devices include DVRs, Robotic Dogs, Cameras and UMPC's...
http://www.windowsfordevices.com/news/NS3126210293.html
http://www.windowsfordevices.com/news/NS2917753760.html
http://www.windowsfordevices.com/news/NS6869653777.html
http://www.windowsfordevices.com/news/NS3657258832.html
As promised in the previous edition, I would like to discuss another Embedded Enabling Feature (EEF) of XPE called Enhance Write Filter (EWF).
"Enhanced Write Filter (EWF) provides a means for protecting a volume from writes. This allows the Operating System (OS) to boot from read-only media such as CD-ROMs, write-protected hard disks, or flash media. All writes to a EWF-protected volume are redirected to an overlay. These writes are cached in the overlay and made available as part of the volume. This gives the appearance that the volume is writeable. The overlay may exist either on disk or in Random Access Memory (RAM). If desired, the data stored in the overlay may be committed to the protected volume."
One of the most common uses of an XPE device is in a vehicle environment where the system might experience loads of vibration. As we all know, devices with moving parts, like hard drives, don't like vibration. The solution to this is to use a solid state storage device like compact flash. One of the biggest drawbacks of using a compact flash is that it only has a limited amount of write cycles. Compact flashes have improved in the last couple of years and use various new technologies and tricks like wear-leveling to improve the life span of the compact flash. Would it not be great to somehow make the compact flash read-only and thus protect the CF from excessive writes? EWF allows you to mark a partition as read-only!
Some of the added features provided by EWF:
- You are now capable of booting XPE from a read-only medium like a CD-ROM.
- EWF also makes it possible to hibernate your system only once and then all the subsequent boot-up's boot up quicker because it only brings the system out of hibernation and doesn't need to go through the complete boot up process. Boot-up can be reduced to roughly 30 seconds by using Hibernate Once Resume Many (HORM).