What is FreeNVMe? FreeNVMe is the next generation of Open Source RISC OS Storage technology. And it's completely free! As the result of partnering with Stader Softwareentwicklung and RISC OS Open, RISCOSbits have been instrumental in developing the new free and Open Source NVMe driver and filing system, that we first demonstrated back in December 2023. And it has been in reliable use on RISCOSbits' Compute Module 4 systems ever since. Designed from the ground up to fit perfectly with existing RISC OS filesystems, FreeNVMe follows all the usual FileCore conventions so that all existing tools, such as DiscKnight, work straight out of the box - no custom tools are required. A conscious decision was made to adopt the existing standards for filing systems, so that any developments to the core of RISC OS would automatically integrate with FreeNVMe. There's no need to join a paid-for support scheme - our driver is designed to work with the nightly Raspberry Pi ROM builds. And it's completely free. You can download it now, without having to buy anything. And FreeNVMe is genuinely open source. You can look at, and download, the source code directly from the RISC OS Open repository now, by going here and here. You have the opportunity to contribute to the code to improve FreeNVMe and make it into the real community-led filing system it was intended to be. And FreeNVMe is FAST! So fast that we felt comfortable incorporating it into our premium RISCOSFAST range of computers.

FreeNVMe Speeds

• ROM Build with NVMe 3m 38s • ROM Build with RAM Disc 2m 51s • HD Read - Block Load 8MB file: 12119% • HD Write - Block Save 8MB file: 11884%

FreeNVMe Features

 4Kn Support  Multi-format Partition Support  Multi-OS Discs  DiscKnight Compatibility  Community Support  Standard file system and icon Features Comparison

Frequently Asked Questions: Q1: What is the FreeNVMe Driver? A: The FreeNVMe driver is a software solution developed to enable RISC OS systems to access and utilise NVMe (Non-Volatile Memory Express) SSDs. It’s designed to improve storage performance by taking advantage of the fast data transfer capabilities of NVMe drives. This gives RISC OS users access to the next generation of storage for faster disc access. Q2. Is it really free, or is that just a gimmick? A: It really is free! As in “free beer!” And it really is free as in “free access to the source code” - it is a genuinely free and open source driver for RISC OS. We don’t want users to have to pay for access to one of the next generations of storage technology. It’s available for free on most other platforms, so we’re giving it away for free on RISC OS! Q3: Which RISC OS versions are compatible with FreeNVMe? A: FreeNVMe Driver is compatible with RISC OS 5, from version 5.29 and above. Q4: What hardware do I need to use FreeNVMe? A: You need a Compute Module 4 carrier board compatible with RISC OS systems, and a compatible NVMe drive . Some configurations might require additional hardware to ensure proper interfacing with your system, such as a PCIe - NVMe adaptor. Q5: How do I install FreeNVMe? A: Installation instructions are provided in the driver documentation. Typically, it involves copying the driver files to the correct directory and the system should recognise the NVMe device at when the driver is loaded, either by double-clicking or at next boot. Q6: Can I use FreeNVMe alongside other storage devices? A: Yes, you can use FreeNVMe alongside other storage devices like USB drives, and SD cards. The system can recognize multiple storage devices simultaneously, allowing flexible storage solutions. Q7: Does FreeNVMe improve performance significantly? A: Yes, NVMe drives are generally much faster than traditional SD cards, eMMC or USB storage solutions, especially for data- intensive tasks. However, actual performance gains will vary based on the specific NVMe driveand system configuration, but even with poorly performing systems, the other options for storage will feel sluggish in comparison! Q8: Are there any limitations on storage capacity with FreeNVMe? A: The driver supports a range of storage capacities, up to 2TB. For drives up to 256GB, the standard !Hform, as supplied with RISC OS 5.30 can format drives connected using FreeNVMe. For drives connected using FreeNVMe that are between 256GB and 2TB, there is an exclusive RISC OS formatting tool that only works with FreeNVMe. This can even switch the drive from 512 byte sectors to 4K sectors. Q9: Is FreeNVMe compatible with all NVMe drives? A: FreeNVMe is designed to work with most standard NVMe drives. However, some brands or models might have specific requirements, so check the compatibility list in the documentation or give us a shout - we’re happy to guide you. Q10. How many NVMe drives can my RISC OS system have? For now, just the one. There are technical and hardware limitations that mean we can’t utilise multiple NVMe drives at this point. Q11: How do I troubleshoot issues with FreeNVMe? A: Most issues can be resolved by simply using a drive with proven compatibility. For advanced help, contact us for support, or use the RISC OS Open forum for community support. Q12: Can I boot RISC OS directly from an NVMe drive? A: Booting directly from any NVMe drive requires some changes to RISC OS itself. For now, there is a way to load the firmware and driver from a supported medium, before running !Boot from the NVMe drive. This still gives you all of the speed benefits of booting from NVMe. Q13: How do I update FreeNVMe? A: Updates are provided through our website or the official RISC OS Open website. Instructions on how to apply updates are included with the update package. Q14: Is FreeNVMe compatible with other NVMe drivers? A: As far as we can tell, if you use a FreeNVMe compatible drive, it might work with other NVMe drivers. You’d need to ask the retailer of the other paid-for NVMe drivers about compatibility with that driver. Q15. Will your hardware work with other NVMe drivers? A: We’ve commissioned independent testing to ensure all of our hardware works with other RISC OS NVMe drivers. This gives you the advantage of buying excellent value hardware from us, complete with FreeNVMe, but switching to alternative driver should you wish. Q16. Do you provide support for NVMe drivers other than FreeNVMe? A: We’ll do what we can, but we don’t have access to either the drivers themselves, or the source code. So we may have to refer you back to the vendors of alternative NVMe drivers for issues arising from those drivers. We will still continue to support FreeNVME, and any hardware we’ve supplied. Q17. Can I improve or help develop FreeNVMe? Please do! We would LOVE for people to become involved in our genuinely open-source and community-led drivers! You can access the source for FreeNVMe from the RISC OS Open Gitlab repository. Any changes, enhancements or modifications will need to be fed back to RISC OS Open for approval and merging in the usual manner. Suggestions for improvements can be emailed directly to us, but don’t send us code - use RISC OS Open in that instance.