Improve Computer Responsiveness and Performance: Win32 Priority Separation

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What is Win32PrioritySeparation?

Win32PrioritySeparation is a setting in Windows that helps your computer decide which tasks are more important. It decides how much attention the computer gives to programs you are using (foreground) compared to programs running in the background.

This setting's main purpose is to make your computer work faster and respond quicker. You can change it to either make the programs you are actively using run better or help background tasks perform well.

How Windows Manages Tasks

Win32PrioritySeparation involves ideas like short and long tasks, fixed and variable timing, and foreground boost.

• Short and Long Tasks:
  This refers to the processing time of tasks. Short tasks can be completed quickly, leading to lower latency, while long tasks take more time to finish. Short tasks may use more CPU resources if there are many of them, which affects how the system prioritizes tasks based on their urgency and processing time.
• Fixed and Variable Timing:
  This describes how consistently tasks are done. Fixed timing means tasks are done at regular intervals, which is more predictable. Variable timing can be faster but might not be as steady, which can cause uneven performance. This is part of how Windows organizes tasks.
• Foreground Boost:
  This means giving more attention to the program you are using right now. It ensures apps you are focused on work smoothly, which is important for activities like gaming or streaming.

Priority Separation Values/Settings:

These values are in hexadecimal.

• 2A = Short, Fixed , High foreground boost.
• 29 = Short, Fixed , Medium foreground boost.
• 28 = Short, Fixed , No foreground boost.
• 26 = Short, Variable , High foreground boost.
• 25 = Short, Variable , Medium foreground boost.
• 24 = Short, Variable , No foreground boost.
• 1A = Long, Fixed, High foreground boost.
• 19 = Long, Fixed, Medium foreground boost.
• 18 = Long, Fixed, No foreground boost.
• 16 = Long, Variable, High foreground boost.
• 15 = Long, Variable, Medium foreground boost.
• 14 = Long, Variable, No foreground boost.

How to change Win32PrioritySeparation Settings

Do this at your own risk. It is recommended to backup the registry before doing any changes.

1. Click Start and type regedit to search for Registry Editor.
2. Navigate to the path below:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\PriorityControl

The default value for Win32PrioritySeparation is usually 2 (in hexadecimal). This setting balances attention between foreground and background tasks.

You don’t need to restart your computer every time you change the Win32PrioritySeparation settings. Most changes work immediately, but sometimes you might need to restart specific programs for the changes to take effect.

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Source/Reference: Reddit, Blur Busters

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