atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums Computers & Programming Computers, Software, Accessories Does XP sort application priorities?

I'm running XP and have found that my Magic Jack runs flawlessly when it is the first application that I start. If it is started after other programs, it becomes unstable (comes and goes as it pleases). In most cases, I can open "My Computer" and simply hover the mouse over my "F" drive and it starts back up. Sometimes, I may have to go as far as right-clicking on the "F" drive, but it still starts back up without further intervention.

I've set my system to allocate more memory for "background" programs, but that doesn't seem to affect anything. I've also set the system to not allow power management to kill the USB ports when idle.

I've used all of MJ's canned support options and none have had any effect. As I'm typing this, It has stayed on-line for almost an hour as my primary program running. Have I missed something?

1. Press CNTL+ALT+DEL to bring up the Task Manager (Processes tab will be active)
2. Select the Magic Jack's process from the list
3. Right-click and select "Set Priority"
4. Bump the priority up one, i.e. If at "Normal", then set to "AboveNormal"

I would be a little cautious about setting anything to "Realtime" as it can make everything else horribly sluggish. Same goes if you set several things to "High".

Follow the same steps to return the priority level if things go awry. BTW, I would also change the memory allocation from "Background" back to "Programs". Also make sure that Visual Effects is set for "Adjust for best performance"

Is your F: drive an external harddrive? If so, it is probably the power management setting on the computer or built into the harddrive that spins the harddrive down to save power. I'd recommend moving the magic application (if it has one) to an internal harddrive. AFAIK, external harddrives that spin down after inactivity, that setting cannot be adjusted, even after disabling power management in the device manager.

Hawk, the F: drive is the actual MJ unit, identified as a "mass storage device". There is also a virtual G: drive associated with it.

Tim, I went ahead and tried what you suggested. I'll check back with my progress. Thanks for the help.

Windows prioritizes processes the same way any OS does; an algorithm called most likely to run. It is a stat maintained for each process whereby the amount of time spent in the que versus CPU time is used to calculate a process priority for the next run state. You can, as Tim stated, set your own priority at the risk of monopolizing resources for other processes.

Ed Did you happen to call the Magic Jack tech support line?

Mike

Mike, I hope you were joking! :rofl:

Anyway, it appears to be back to working like it should since I adjusted the process priority level. Thanks again, guys. I knew I'd get an answer here.

Now that I'm beyond this issue, I've started having some trouble with my car..........

Ed, I was joking. I could hardly keep a straight face when I posted. Like they would even have a clue about what your problem was. MJ support does not exist...does it? As far as the car goes your on your own. If it has grease on it in it or any where near it I don't want anything to do with it. That's what mechanics are for.

Mike

Sorry Ed, pre-EGR only!