Microsoft KB Archive/90910

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INFO: Win32 Priority Class Mechanism and the START Command

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Q90910

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Win32 Application Programming Interface (API), used with:
 * the operating system: Microsoft Windows NT, versions 3.5, 3.51, 4.0
 * the operating system: Microsoft Windows 2000

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SUMMARY
The Win32 priority class mechanism is exposed through CMD.EXE's START command.

START accepts the following switches:

  /LOW        -  Start the command in the idle priority class.

/NORMAL    -  Start the command in the normal priority class (this is the default).

/HIGH      -  Start the command in the high priority class.

/REALTIME  -  Start the command in the real-time priority class.

/ABOVENORMAL - Start the command in the above normal priority class.

/BELOWNORMAL - Start the command in the below normal priority class. For a complete list of START switches, type the following command at the Windows NT command prompt:

"start /?" Win32 has also been modified to inherit priority class if the parent's priority class is idle; thus, a command such as

"start /LOW nmake" causes build and all descendants (compiles, links, and so on) to run in the idle priority class. Use this method to do a real background build that will not interfere with anything else on your system.

A command such as

"start /HIGH nmake" runs BUILD.EXE in the high priority class, but all descendants run in the normal priority class.

MORE INFORMATION
Be very careful with START /HIGH and START /REALTIME. If you use either of these switches to start applications that require a lot of cycles, the applications will get all the cycles they ask for, that may cause the system to appear hung.

Additional query words: 3.50

Keywords : kbKernBase kbOSWinNT350 kbOSWinNT351 kbOSWinNT400 kbOSWin2000 kbThread kbDSupport kbGrpDSKernBase

Issue type : kbinfo

Technology : kbAudDeveloper kbWin32sSearch kbWin32API