Simviation Forums

Does anyone have any input as to the pros or cons on using AlacrityPC with FSX?

I have it. I don't use it that often though because of the potential risks. I get about 30 MB more available RAM when I do use it, but I didn't notice that big a difference. I assume the only way you're going to get a huge improvment is by shutting down A LOT of processes, and when I look at the processes that I can choose from, a lot of them seem to be vital to the computer. As far as royaly skrewing up your machine, I don't think it can, because it is a program. If you shut the computer down (or unplug it), the program dies. When you restart your computer, it starts those vital processes over again. So it you're willing to take the risk, go for it!

-=CX=-

Three issues with such software...

1. Shutting down the wrong services can make Windows run WORSE because Windows will sit there looking for a service that may have dependencies on loaded drivers or other things. That background 'loop' activity therefore removes CPU and memory resources from a running application.

2. The method that type of software uses to shut down services will not truly recover resources. The only way a service can be correctly shut down is to restrict its use at LOGON which means the service must be shut down and the system rebooted.

3. That method will never shut down the performance counters which run in the background regardless. My list provides the method and access to disabling that activity.

That software will net little or no change. Those who do see a change are typically seeing the result of being lucky in shutting down startup items on a slow system but the result of killing the wrong services has the opposite effect in many cases so the result in use becomes the luck of the draw and has no real consistent value.


My list posted in page 2 of the FSX sticky thread at the top of this forum outlines the services that really do you any good in removing. System Restore, Indexing are the major ones. My list also outlines the correct way to shut them all down.

Shutting down processes as in Windows boot items like Real Player, MS Messenger and other programs that do not need to be booted with Windows is the users responsibility. OEM systems like Dell, HP, etc usually come loaded with so much useless crap the system is bogged down before it ever boots FSX. That area is difficult for a typical user to understand what is required and not required to have 'startup rights' in order to function properly. Any user on WindowsXP should strive for 35 running processes or less at Windows boot... lower is better and 35 is the high limit. Vista will have more and is one of the reasons the OS is a resource killer by nature. Any system running 50+ processes at boot has a problem and needs attention in the startup registry to get rind of crap it does not need.

Many of those start programs have absolutely no need to be started with Windows and if removed will still run fine when launched manually. The problem is most users do not understand which ones or how to go about cleaning that area safely.


Shutting down a massive amount of services had value back when 512-768MB of system memory was a norm. Those days are gone and software like FSAutostart and AlacrityPC, cache and memory cleaners, are throwbacks to an era that no longer exists.

Well that answers my question. I figured it was probably not much good. I was looking for a easy way to shut all that crap down. I have read your sticky Nick on how to go about doing this , but I'm afraid it's a little to much for me to attempt. My HP computer right now is running 78 processes as I type this. I don't have any idea what most of them do or if they are needed or not. They far exceed the ones that are on your list. I have quite a few other programs besides FSX that I use all the time and I expect that they are dependent on some of these processes. I'm still amazed that FSX still runs fairly well on my computer with all that stuff running, but I know it could be a lot better. I know what you are saying about HP. My wifes computer right out of the box is running around 50 processes with nothing added to it. I guess I'll just be happy with FSX as it's running. I've got all my settings pretty much on the high side and getting good frames except when I get over the really big cities.

Its like this Bob...  when it comes to recovering resources, to do it after Windows is booted has limited effect. The name of the game is to shut down things permanently and then reboot.. the reboot clears the memory and the kernel from having any access to them and therefore you actually recover what was lost.

If I had time Bob I would have you post your processes list, and, install Spybot Search and Destroy to display the startup registry using that software.. then research every one of those processes and give you a list to shut down.

Unfortunately I just don

Ah thanks Nick:  I had failed to note your requirement to reboot after shutting down processes.  I must say though that I am like most, I shut down the obvious, but others that I can't identify I leave running.

Rather than you do it for us, is there a way via Microsoft and/or Google to work out whether these other processes are essential or not. Certainly my custom computer does not have 70+ processes running but it is hard to get it down into the low 30s.

yes.. google is your friend but you still need to be very careful

some things i know do not need to be enabled even though they may be listed as critical and others do need to be enabled even though they may be listed as safe..   you can get closer using Google but it still takes some experience to sucessfully accomplish a cleanup

Just a question as I've been following this thread; what's the input on the following site for streamlining OS processes?:

http://www.blackviper.com/index.html

Just a question as I've been following this thread; what's the input on the following site for streamlining OS processes?:

http://www.blackviper.com/index.html

Nick (The guy above ) said that many of the tweaks are unwise and can potentially mess up your computer. I'd ONLY follow the tweaks in the Flight Simulator X forum stickies (ones at the top), unless you know exactly what you're doing.

Just a question as I've been following this thread; what's the input on the following site for streamlining OS processes?:

http://www.blackviper.com/index.html

My list specifically states black viper is dangerous

Not only are many of the items listed at that site not safe to shut down the method listed for shutting them down, is wrong