How to reduce the System Idle Process cpu utilization?

[IsOs]

In a dual cpu via 694D chipset system running Windows 2000 Pro, how can I reduce the amount of cpu time for the System Idel Process? I've tried setting the process that I've wanted to have the highest priority to realtime - it help a little, now that process is about 50% but the system idle process still uses the other 50%.

 

[Zach]

The system idle process just catches what CPU time isn't being used by other apps, so launch more apps if you don't like seeing it. Wanting to decress the percentage of CPU time it uses is like thinking that your car should be red-lined no matter how fast you are going.

 

[kyoshozx]

There is no reason to reduce the idle process. It runs when your cpu is not at 100% usage. If you program needed 100% of the cpu time it will get it. Idle process is only issued when there is free time on the cpu. So it's not taking away your performance.

A great example is launch a game like quake3 and you'll see that process will take close to 100% of cpu time and the idle process will drop to zero.

So basically what this means is that the program you're running isn't cpu intensive enough to use 100% of it's time.

 

[owensdj]

Install the Distributed.net client software and you won't see any idle CPU time given to the System Idle Process.

Seriously, it's normal for your System Idle Process to be "using" much of your CPU time. It only gets the CPU time that nothing else needs. When the System Idle Process gets CPU time, it uses the HALT instruction to keep your processor cooler.

Here's the link to Distributed.net: http://www.distributed.net

 

[IsOs]

I guess Videowave is not properly programed for dual cpu and Windows 2000. In Windows 98, it gets 100% of cpu every time. Thanks for the responses.

Yes if I continue running RC5 system idle is almost non existent. But Videowave still get only 41% - this is when Processing is set to realtime.

 

[kyoshozx]

well what it basically mean is that Videowave only needs 41% of the cpu time to get it's work done. This is a good thing.

Win98 doesn't support SMP so basically one of your cpu's is idle in win98.

 

[IsOs]

Videowave loads and run slower in Windows 3000 than in Windows 98SE. In Windows 98, when Videowave is the only program running, it's fast and gets all the cpu time.

In Windows 2000, it seems that other tasks are given higher priority.

Also, how can I make a program starts with realtime priority? I could do this in the taks manager but is there a way so that when the program starts it's set to the highest or realtime priority?

 

[owensdj]

IsOS, how much memory does your machine have? It's possible that Videowave is running slower on Windows 2000 than on Win98 because you don't have enough memory. Given enough memory, almost all non-game applications run faster on Windows 2000 than on Win98.

 

[kyoshozx]

There is 2 ways to make a program run in realtime first way is use the command
Start "program" /realtime

Second way is in task manager, select the process that is running right click on it then go to select priority then click realtime.
They usually sugguests not to run anything in realtime because it might make some system process really sluggish for example the mouse movement.

 

[IsOs]

It has 384MB.

I would guess that the BETA video drivers for Matrox G200-TV might be causing the problem. I dual boot to Windows 98 and it's much better than running this program in Windows 2000.