Protecting during non-graceful shutdowns

[Tony]

Hi. I am working on a project that will go on a single board
computer, using Compact Flash disks. It will be deployed as a
headless system. We need ethernet support for the application so we
are using a MinLogon XPe configuration (have not been able to produce
a kernel configuration with ethernet support).

Here's the bad part. When fielded, the product will NEVER be shutdown
properly - the users will be cutting power to the box (our only
option, unfortunately). I want to make sure that I am doing
everything in my power to minimize the possibility of OS corruptions
during these power-offs.

Q1: From what I have read, I should plan on using EWF to protect the
OS volume. Are there any other components or setups that I should
use?

Q2: Are my expectations unrealistic?

Thanks. - Tony H.

 

[Slobodan Brcin \(eMVP\)]

RAM EWF will protect you always when you cut the power. (At least software
part of your device)
In some rare occasions hardware can be damaged by power loss or when it get
back.

Also check this component it will allow you to configure EWF trough registry
instead trough extra partition.
http://www.xpefiles.com/a_file.cfm?custid=Components&fileid=ramewf.zip&group
Name=Other

Regards,
Slobodan

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Have an opinion on the effectiveness of Microsoft Embedded newsgroups? Tell
Microsoft!
https://www.windowsembeddedeval.com/community/newsgroups
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Tony]

Thanks (for this and all the other advice you give)!

What will this do to the Event Logs though? Are they still usable with
RAM EWF? i.e. do events logged before power off appear in the log the
next time the system is brought up?
- Tony H.

 

[KM]

Tony,

Unless you move the Event Log files to an unprotected partition, the event info will be lost on shutdown (without EWF commit).

To move Event Log files to an unprotected partition, change the following registry entries on your runtime:
[HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Eventlog\Application],"File" (default string %SystemRoot%\system32\config\AppEvent.Evt)
[HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Eventlog\Security],"File" (default string %SystemRoot%\system32\config\SecEvent.Evt)
[HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Eventlog\System],"File" (default string %SystemRoot%\system32\config\SysEvent.Evt)

 

[David Harris]

Here's the bad part. When fielded, the product will NEVER be shutdown

properly - the users will be cutting power to the box (our only
option, unfortunately). I want to make sure that I am doing
everything in my power to minimize the possibility of OS corruptions
during these power-offs.

If costs permit use a small, low-powered PCB-based UPS. This can be set to
maintain the system (excluding the display) for a short time (1 min) and then
shut it down gracefully.