solved DCS.exe not staying high priority

[SickSidewinder9]

I have noticed that after setting DCS.exe to high priority in the task manager, or even with a reg entry, so that it always starts in high, at some point it will reset to normal.  I have never seen an app do this before.  This would be with the latest MT build.  Doing things like clicking multiplayer definitely seem to change it.  Or it just changes back itself after a while?
Does anyone know how to get it to stay high priority without constantly going back into Task Manager and checking on it?  Yes, it does help a little for me.  I think I'm running full screen windowed if that helps.  Or whatever it's called.

[Raven (Elysian Angel)]

I used to have the same problem with Task Manager. These days I use Project Lasso for that, which does seem to remember my settings.

[SickSidewinder9]

On 7/18/2023 at 5:06 AM, Raven (Elysian Angel) said:

I used to have the same problem with Task Manager. These days I use Project Lasso for that, which does seem to remember my settings.

Interesting.  I've been using Process Explorer too, but I'll have to check that out.  Just seems weird that the original object would downgrade by itself somehow.  Is it a new Windows "feature"?  I'm using 10.

[Raven (Elysian Angel)]

Probably a “safety” feature…

[speed-of-heat]

I'm not seeing this behaviour? where is it happening? only under particular missions or events? what is your hardware , i am on 12th gen intel ? could that be a factor ?

[SickSidewinder9]

13 hours ago, speed-of-heat said:

I'm not seeing this behaviour? where is it happening? only under particular missions or events? what is your hardware , i am on 12th gen intel ? could that be a factor ?

I have an i5.  I think 11th gen.  Don't think that's the problem.

It basically happens whenever I do anything in game, like load a map.  Or at least a multiplayer map.  And I think it'll just fallback on its own after a while too, because I was checking on it and that's what it seemed like.

Maybe it's a temperature thing?  It's been hot here.  AC isn't much of a thing where I live either.  At least I can still tube on the river.

[SickSidewinder9]

Might it be a Steam thing?  Steam is still ultimately launching dcs.exe, though.

[speed-of-heat]

8 minutes ago, SickSidewinder9 said:

I have an i5.  I think 11th gen.  Don't think that's the problem.

It basically happens whenever I do anything in game, like load a map.  Or at least a multiplayer map.  And I think it'll just fallback on its own after a while too, because I was checking on it and that's what it seemed like.

Maybe it's a temperature thing?  It's been hot here.  AC isn't much of a thing where I live either.  At least I can still tube on the river.

Temp might cause you to down clock but not drop process priority... I can't explain the behaviour all I can tell you is I can't repro it..

It might be steam I suppose I don't play dcs from steam, but, the reg change just cares about the exe name, not the way it's launched..l

[MAXsenna]

Probably a “safety” feature…

True. Back in the days, one of the lab exercises for NT 4.0 Server was to set affinity to unlimited/infinite or what it's called for a special app. Then make it calculate/do some work that took all resources, and the only remedy was a reboot.
Haven't bothered to try the reg change or Lasso yet, as it doesn't make a difference for me. But I would assume the reg chance was persistent, but not from TM.

Sent from my MAR-LX1A using Tapatalk

[SkateZilla]

Windows will re-assign processes priority automatically if it interferes with normal operation.

Seeing as at normal, DCS will seem like it almost locked up, and windows will ask if you want to kill the process, its likely windows is seeing a High priority process locking resources and boots it back to normal to allow other system processes to run correctly.

bumping Processes above Normal isn't really recommended as they can cause other processes to stop responding as it locks resources.

Apps can also temporarily control their own Process Priority (ie WinRAR, moves the process priority up to allow faster compression/extraction).

[SickSidewinder9]

20 hours ago, SkateZilla said:

Windows will re-assign processes priority automatically if it interferes with normal operation.

Seeing as at normal, DCS will seem like it almost locked up, and windows will ask if you want to kill the process, its likely windows is seeing a High priority process locking resources and boots it back to normal to allow other system processes to run correctly.

bumping Processes above Normal isn't really recommended as they can cause other processes to stop responding as it locks resources.

Apps can also temporarily control their own Process Priority (ie WinRAR, moves the process priority up to allow faster compression/extraction).

It actually seems to bump down to background priority sometimes now.  And no, setting high priority isn't going to cause problems.  Not on a modern system with plenty of CPU power and RAM and a solid state drive.  If anything is going to stop responding, it's gonna be DCS as that is what's using up all the resources.

I think some of it might have to do with it being launched under Steam.  In Process Explorer, DCS shows as a sub process of that.  And if the game is hitching, it's usually because I need to set it back to high priority.  Thanks Windows?  Maybe Windows is also getting confused because of the face tracker using a fair amount of CPU?
Seems weird.  I think I have Pro, if that matters.  Should I set the game to run as admin?  Obviously, my account is the admin account, but running apps as admin can produce different results.

[SickSidewinder9]

I'm wondering if just the act of checking on it with task manager on the other monitor is what bumps it down.  Also, going into and out of the F10 map seems to cause a slowdown of some kind.  Check task manager, have to select high priority again as it has bumped down to background app.
Very strange behavior.

[SickSidewinder9]

Seems to have to do with whether or not it's full screen.  I checked that box and it helped.  Thanks Windows.  I was using full screen windowed for some reason.  Probably because you can click on other stuff on the other monitor without the game minimizing.  Marking solved because I think it's a Windows issue.

[speed-of-heat]

I had full screen checked already, so maybe that's why i couldn't repo your problem .

[LOW_Hitman]

What's the sense of giving dcs a higher priority? Do you gain more fps or a stable gameplay, or do you only "feel" that it runs better? Anyone testet it with on and off? Because i saw absolutely no difference within the game by setting priority to high