# Programs vs background services?



## HoodooTheGreat

Under the Advanced Performance Options of System Properties, which of the two choices would increase performance in games?(Programs or background service) I'm constantly hearing about people using System Cache instead of Programs and seeing an improvement in game-play, but I'd like more input.

Thanks.


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## GanjaSMK

Hrm.. I'd like to see some conversation on this too!

(Sorry I don't have a definitive answer or input!







)


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## TwoCables

Quote:


Originally Posted by *GanjaSMK* 
Hrm.. I'd like to see some conversation on this too!

(Sorry I don't have a definitive answer or input!







)

Thread Tools > Subscribe to this Thread.


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## GanjaSMK

Quote:


Originally Posted by *TwoCables* 
Thread Tools > Subscribe to this Thread.









Duh!


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## TwoCables

Quote:


Originally Posted by *GanjaSMK* 
Duh!









My bad. I thought you were posting in order to subscribe.


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## GanjaSMK

Well in reading a little bit about it I would say leaving the option set to 'Programs' is probably the best option. Running a server you would want this set to 'Background Services'.

I'm not sure how changing it to 'Background Services' would increase gaming performance but (@ OP) do you have links somewhere that you've read that support this?

@TwoCables - Oh you got it right, I was subscribing by posting!


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## xandypx

Quote:


Originally Posted by *GanjaSMK* 
Well in reading a little bit about it I would say leaving the option set to 'Programs' is probably the best option. Running a server you would want this set to 'Background Services'.

I'm not sure how changing it to 'Background Services' would increase gaming performance but (@ OP) do you have links somewhere that you've read that support this?

@TwoCables - Oh you got it right, I was subscribing by posting!









^^^THIS
For most users, programs should be the preference. The setting simply tells the system which threads should take priority if there is competition for your processor's attention. If there is no competition for needed processor time, there is no affect on the system. Changing this setting provides a negligible change for most home user systems, as there are typically not many intense background processes running on the system, as compared to a server, so the setting rarely comes into play.

The background services option is typically used to optimize the performance of web servers.

Basically, when you select Background Services, higher priority is given to the operating system, and when you select Programs, higher priority is given to user mode programs, (your game).


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