Vista Tutorial - CPU Priority for Processes

**Brink**

How to Make a Program or Process Run with a Higher or Lower CPU Priority in Vista

Information

This will show you how to set a Program or Process to temporarily run with a higher or lower CPU priority in Vista. The higher the priority is set for it will mean the more resources will be made available for it.

Tip

It can be helpful to tell vista how a program should receive more or less CPU priority depending on your needs. For example, this can help speed up a heavy resource demanding program temporarily to help it finish faster.

NOTE

The CPU priority setting you make for a process will only last as long as the process is open. If you close the application (process) or restart the computer, then the CPU priority will return to normal for that process automatically.
This will not work on processes that are Services, programs that creates and use their own service (Ex: Antivirus), or on some Vista system files.

RELATED LINKS:

Here's How:

1. Right click on the Taskbar.

2. Click on Task Manager.

3. Click on the Processes tab. (See screenshot below step 5)

4. Click on the Show processes from all users button.

5. If prompted, click on the Continue button in the UAC prompt.

6. Right click on the process you want to change the CPU priority level on.

7. Click on Set Priority and then click (dot) the CPU priority level you want it to be set on. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: Realtime is the highest CPU priority, and Low is the lowest CPU priority.

8. Click on the Change Priority button in the confirmation pop-up. (See screenshot below)

9. Close Task Manager.

10. Now this process will run with the cpu priority you set in step 7 until the process is closed or you logoff or shutdown Vista.

That's it,
Shawn

Juca · 11-29-2007

i have a question:

Why doesn't my pc let me choose Real Time priority?

And how can i solve it?

---

oh yeah, i also would like to get rid of the error logs...

when programs stop working, a window pops up, I would like to get rid of it.

Thanks

**Brink** · 11-29-2007

Hi Juca,

Welcome to the forum.

	Quote:
	Why doesn't my pc let me choose Real Time priority? And how can i solve it?

What process are your try to set the Real Time Priority for?

	Quote:
	oh yeah, i also would like to get rid of the error logs... when programs stop working, a window pops up, I would like to get rid of it.

You can disable the Windows Error Reporting Service service. This tutorial will show you how if needed.

You may also want to disable the diagnostic services to if they bug you to.

Diagnostic Policy Service
Diagnostic Service Host
Diagnostic System Host

How to Disable or Enable Vista Services With a Advice Guide

Shawn

Silent_Guardian · 06-27-2008

hi,can i set svchost.exe set priority low?

**Brink** · 06-27-2008

Hello Silent_Guardian,

Sorry, but the svchost.exe process's priority cannot be changed since it is a system process. You can right click on the svchost.exe process and click Go to Services(s) to see what it is for. They will be the highlighted ones with the same PID number.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Merrick001 · 06-27-2008

Here's one for ya.

I have winUHA running and for some reason it won't let me change its priority, saying access is denied. I tried changing permissions for users, but that doesn't do anything.

Please help me out.

**Brink** · 06-28-2008

Hi Merrick,

If it is a protected process, then you will not be able to change the CPU priority for it unless there is an option for it in the program itself to set.

Sorry,

Shawn

Merrick001 · 06-29-2008

	Quote:	Brink
	Hi Merrick, If it is a protected process, then you will not be able to change the CPU priority for it unless there is an option for it in the program itself to set. Sorry, Shawn

Ah thats ok, I actually got it to work somehow. Must have been my luck.

**Brink** · 06-29-2008

Merrick, that's great news. Please share if you discover how you got it to work for you.

Thank you for the feedback,
Shawn

masterjego · 07-10-2008

Ok well i think i found out how to set the ones that give you the access denied sign. Its actually really easy just click on show processes from all users and hit ok then you can change it. except it doesnt seem like Auslogics Disk Wiper is using any more resources... It was using 5.9K memory before and after i set it to realtime it still is using 5.9K. Well either way it works now.