Setting process priority everytime it is launched?

Setting process priority everytime it is launched? My work computer experiences a lot of slowdown, so I want to do what I can to make sure the stuff I need to be response actually is responsive. For example, I run Pidgin, which loads everytime I boot. How can I tell Windows XP to always set its thread priority to low?
Asked by: Guest \| Views: 178

Total answers/comments: 4

Comments display order:

Guest [Entry]

"Option 1

There is Prio. Prio extends the Windows standard TaskManager and adds a ""Save priority"" option to the ""Set Priority"" menu.

caveat #1: I used it a while ago (under Win-XP) and it worked fine, but I did not test it extensively.

caveat #2: Reason for deinstalling was licensing because:

Prio - is distributed as freeware for personal use only. This means:
All copyrights to Prio are exclusively owned by O&K Software Ltd.
The program is free for personal use only.
The business license has the cost $19.95 USD.

(quote from their website)

Option 2

I found ProcessTamer which may also help with your problem (maybe even more so). It seems to be freeware - the author just likes you to register for a free license key (otherwise a few nag windows pop up).

Option 3

If you want this only for a few select programs, you can create a batchfile that does not call it directly but indirectly via start (the Windows command shell built-in) and then use that batchfile (a shortcut to it).

start can be used with the following options that set the process priority:

/LOW
/NORMAL
/HIGH
/REALTIME
/ABOVENORMAL
/BELOWNORMAL"

Guest [Entry]

"ProcessHacker allows priorities to be set and saved for individual processes:

Process Hacker was started in 2008 as an open source alternative to programs such as Task Manager and Process Explorer.

Licence: GNU General Public License version 3.0 GPLv3"

Guest [Entry]

"If you have a stubborn application that is resetting its priority after being launched, the start /option answers above won't work.

I found the following info about a command line application already built into windows which can be executed on any running process. And, yes, it does work all the way back to XP when used as follows:

wmic process where name=""program_name.exe"" CALL setpriority PriorityLevelID

where PriorityLevelID is:

Priority
Level ID Meaning
======== ============
256 Realtime
128 High
32768 Above normal
32 Normal
16384 Below normal
64 Low

You can create a batch file to start the program like this:

start ""drive:path\program_name.exe""
wmic process where name=""program_name.exe"" CALL setpriority PriorityLevelID

Reference: www.tenforums.com/tutorials/89548-set-cpu-process-priority-applications-windows-10-a.html"

Guest [Entry]

"Another way is to change the start options for the program.
You can see that setting the priority of a process at the time of invocation.

Changing the application shortcut to 'start /low [program.exe]' should work for you."