Increase CPU Priority

[enguy]

• Navigate to Start > Run and click on Run.
• In the input field, type "regedit" and then press enter.
• Navigate to the following key in the registry by clicking on the +'s next to the folders in the left pane (see picture below).
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlPr iorityControl
• Find the key called "Win32PrioritySeparation".
• Double click that key.
• Set the value of "Win32PrioritySeparation" to 38.
• Click OK.
• Close regedit.
• Navigate to Start > My Computer (Click on My Computer).
• Click on "Tools" (at the top) and click on "Folder Options".
• Go to the "View" tab.
• Find the checkbox called "Launch folder windows in separate process" and make sure that it's checked.
• Click OK.
• Close My Computer.

[cmpolis]

Great tutorial. This is one of the good tools that Windows has to offer that few people know about. I usually set the program I am using to high priority and all the background ones low.

-C

[kelp]

What exactly does this do? If I game a lot, will this help with the performance of my game? Or does it just dedicate a little more memory to the selected application?

[H Brando]

I have always wondered about this functionality in Windows. Any time I have played around with it I have seen no real performance change.

Are you actually seeing noticeable results when making these changes?

[Bender]

You will notice results if you have some programs that take up alot of CPU activity *cough* Norton *cough* :P

[compnut]

This is another very helpful hint. I've already used five hints today and changed the settings on my computer. What a difference! I'm all for increasing anything! Thanks again!

[VODKA]

Unfortunately changing priority doesn’t cause real speeding up system performance (Try to archive files or check FPS in 3d games and you couldn’t see any essential distinctions). So I think that is useless on most of modern CPU.

[darviria]

It might not speed up games but it will help with things like nortan as mentioned....although it's best to just ditch bloatware like that all together.

[Mastertech]

The Win32PrioritySeparation is already set optimal by default. Changing it to 38 is a Myth and due to confusion of the default Hexadecimal and Decimal value settings for this key.

The second "tweak" of Launching Folders in a Separate Process will actually reduce performance.

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/SupportCD/XPMyths.html