When trying to install a small app (ipHome) from the garage, I get a message saying "Not enough free memory on device. Downloading paused."

df gives:

Filesystem 1k-blocks Used Available Use% Mounted on
/dev/mtdblock4 2048 2048 0 100% /mnt/initfs
none 512 120 392 23% /mnt/initfs/tmp
/dev/mtdblock4 257536 121308 136228 47% /
none 512 120 392 23% /tmp
none 1024 60 964 6% /dev
/dev/mmcblk1p1 1992320 1678592 313728 84% /media/mmc1
/dev/mmcblk0p1 1992320 234976 1757344 12% /media/mmc2

I guess that initfs is the problem, but what is it and what can I do?

initfs is not the problem. .debs should be downloaded to /tmp which is a tmpfs (i.e. in RAM iirc).

It's possible this is a generic error message for failure of wget (which might not actually be failing due to lack of space).

Also "lack of memory" implies something other than "lack of space" to me.

I'd agree. But Control panel - Memory includes disk usage and initfs was the only thing that looked iffy to my untutored eyes.

I hadn't extended the virtual memory. Now I have, but I still have the same problem.

I'm lost.

Do you have lots of browser windows open? Where does this error come from, the application manager or the web browser or is this using apt-get on the command line?

The browser always give me the opportunity to download to a specified directory, so I download all my debs to a directory on one SD card and install from there, instead of installing directly (i.e. I save first, install later). That also leaves a nice backup ready for re-installing after a flash restore (those apps not installed from repository).

I just have one browser window open (at the maemo garage download page).

I have no other windows or apps running.

The error message comes from the application manager. Here is teh sequence:

1. click on green arrow
2. select Open (to open with Application Manager)
3. Download window appears
4. Error message appears "Not enough free memory on device. Downloading paused."

I get exactly the same message if I change the procedure and try to save the install file in the internal or external memory card. It's 0.15kb.

I also get the same results if I try and install a different application.

I have successfully installed the application by downloading the deb file from the authors web page and installing that using application manager.

Application manager has a log (on one of the menus), if you see this error again take a look at what the log is reporting, it might give you more of an idea

I had actually checked the log before.

It only had one entry, the software version number.

I'm beginning to think this is a problem with maemo garage. I, and some others, had problems a couple of weeks ago when trying to install software (thread). The problem wasn't identical, but occurred at the same point in the installation process.

Are your memory cards accessible? I've got 128MB of virtual memory on the internal card but the N800 gave me memory errors, too. The problem is the N800 loses connectivity with BOTH of my 8GB SDHC Class 6 Transcend memory cards "every so often" and for no apparent reason. The cards are fine. The OS2007 upgrade is successful. It doesn't scramble the cards, it simply stops talking to them.

Nokia was no help. "Those are not Nokia memory cards." and "The N800 only supports 2GB memory cards." was the answer I got after being on hold for "research". I knew I was in trouble when the support guy said it might be a hard drive problem....(c;

The solution is easy and simple but frustrating. Do a normal shutdown. Remove the battery. Count to 5. Replace the battery. (Make sure the chargers aren't connected!) ...and boot up again. All memory cards are back in action until the next time the bug in the boot ROM appears and dumps the cards, yet again.

Once the cards are back online, the memory errors stop as it's using virtual memory, I suppose, it couldn't find before.