I just:

-task manager (I have XP home)
-processes
-right click on WCGRID_Autodock.exe
-Set priority (don't choose realtime)


The default is Low, I set it to High or Above Normal when I'm away from my computer.

This has absolutely no effect on the true priority of the grid task. To know why this is, you have to understand how the Windows scheduler works. The task manager only shows you the priority class of a process, not it's true priority. In Windows, a thread/process priority is set by two values: the priority class and the relative priority within the class. All classes except realtime overlap. Depending on the relative priorities, it's possible for a 'Low' class process to actually be higher priority than a 'High' class process.

The grid application's relative priority (which you can not easily see or change) is also at set to the lowest (called 'Idle'). 'Idle' priority happens to be equal in all priority classes except realitime (i.e. always 1), thus changing the priority class via Task Manager or other tools does absolutely nothing.

The only way you can change the priority of the agent task is to set it to Realtime, but you should never do this or you'll end up with an unusable machine because nothing will be allowed to run exept the grid process.

Even if you could change it to a higher priority, why would you? The whole point is to allow people to use their computers normally, while contributing in the background. Changing it to high while you're asleep doesn't change anything. Since your machine isn't doing anything the grid app is getting all the CPU already. Setting it to high is pointless....unless, of course, you want to block that critical virus scan or backup that was blocked because the grid app was using all the CPU....

If you had not noticed, a throttle feature was implemented at the request of several users early on in the project. As others have suggested, you should be able to run flat out at 100% if you maintain your system and keep the fans/cooling fins free from dust. You can see a description of the throttle feature here.

Dear members, although my system do not overheat - in the strict sense of the word - and in such case the processor speed would be automatically lowered, I have the cooler constantly on at the maximum speed. Noise is OK but situations like this may arise the suspect that the machine lifetime - or mean time before failure - could diminish. Setting the agent to run in screen saver mode may be an answer but could drastically reduce the time dedicated to the projects, or may not be the solution when the computer is substantially unused for much time during the day. I would also welcome the possibility to control the processor percentace allocated to WCG projects.

Greetings.

Yes, sorry . I didn't read carefully enough that post, so I've used ThreadMaster.