I installed this free little program "MZ CPU Accelerator" 3.1 on my Win XP 32 bit with FS9. It is supposed to maximise the CPU to the foreground application. My first testing seems to show an improvement. The terrain in FS9 definitely looks less blurry to me (I have unlimited fps). Give it a try...

I wonder if it's the same as doing this...[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\PriorityControl]"Win32PrioritySeparation"=dword:00000026Hummm...anyone know?MarkOh, that's a hex 26...

I downloaded from freeware files.com (http://www.freewarefiles.com/downloads_counter.php?programid=32480)and got a file named Mz_CpuAcc.exe of 916 KB which basically was not detected as a virus when downloaded (AVG free) but had a strong behaviour.It just opened a dos windows, did something I did not have time to see and closed.There does not seem to be any strange process running nor application to be started with windows.I am now scanning the PC in depth to make sure.Has someone else noticed this?I downloaded the file from another site and now it is 903KB and has a typical setup icon. I don't dare do anything now.Thanks for your helpGhiom

Everyone please be careful downloading unknown 'optimizing' programs. Most, if not all, DO NOT WORK and will be some sort of spyware/adware. There is no magic fix that will make your comptuer 50% faster from a 1MB program. If such thing existed it would be much more well known. Visit more popular and accepted sites and learn how to properly optimize your windows install, and don't bother with the programs.Anyways, an easy way to improve performance without money is overclock your system. Read up on that first though.

ThanksThe thing is that it is always tempting to try as it is free.Do you have any idea if this file could be harmful. No virus/trojan detected by my tools.But I don't like not to know what happened...ThanksGhiom

Guys...go into your registry and look for this key...[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\PriorityControl]"Win32PrioritySeparation"=dword:00000026If the value is 26 Hex then most likely that's what the program changed. I believe that the default value for this key is 2 Hex.Mark

ThanksI still have 2, so the exe did not touch this. I don't know what it did...

Well, it's on CNET and it doesn't appear to be doing any damage or you can be sure that they would pull it and let you know. The only things that I would check would be the following for XP...1) Autoexec.bat2) Config.sys3) HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run4) HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run5) StartMenu Startup folder6) Clear you local machine temp folders7) Clear you windows temp folders8) Make sure that you don't have any new services running9) Make sure that there an no new DCom objects (dcomcnfg.exe)10) Run msconfig.exe and check your startup services there too11) Clear your "C:\WINDOWS\Prefetch" folderForgot one more registry key to check...HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnceThen run a virus scan and if you don't find anything unusual then you're probably fine...Mark

Thanks for you help1) Autoexec.bat2) Config.sys---couldn't find these 2 files... I know they exist but where?3) HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run--- checked4) HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run--- checked5) StartMenu Startup folder--- checked6) Clear you local machine temp folders--- with ccleaner7) Clear you windows temp folders--- with ccleaner8) Make sure that you don't have any new services running--- checked9) Make sure that there an no new DCom objects (dcomcnfg.exe)--- what exactly I should do?10) Run msconfig.exe and check your startup services there too--- checked11) Clear your "C:\WINDOWS\Prefetch" folder--- I have a bunch of old files (.pf) and two created today: NTOSBOOT-B00DFAAD.pf and Layout.ini. What shoudl I do?Forgot one more registry key to check...HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce--- emptyThen run a virus scan and if you don't find anything unusual then you're probably fine...--- I did it. AVG free and a-squared free. nothing found.Two questions:- where are the autoexec.bat and config.sys and what about the prefetch folder, should I really delete the content safely?Thanks againghiom

Two questions:- where are the autoexec.bat and config.sys and what about the prefetch folder, should I really delete the content safely?The autoexec.bat and config.sys files are in your C:\ root directory. They are system files so they are normally hidden. You need to go into Windows Explorer and select the C:\ folder. Then under the tools...folder options...view dialog there is a radio button named "Show Hidden Files and Folders" which should be selected. You should then be able to see both files in you C:\ root directory. They are simply legacy DOS startup files like boot.ini is to XP. If there is nothing in them, (they both in all likelyhood should be zero bytes), then don't worry about them...they're fineThe prefetch directory is simply used for faster file access in XP. So Windows already knows where the program file is on the disk and can access it faster then going into the MFT. You can safetly delete all files in that folder.Mark

You're rightI did not have the "Hide protected...: unclick...What about the prefetch?Is it normal to have the NTOSBOOT-B00DFAAD.pf dated from the type I booted my PC for the last time?and the dcomcnfg.exe? What to do?ThanksGhiom

I think after you've done all of that you don't have anything to worry about. If you still feel a bit unsure then you can run process monitor from SysInternals which will show you what Task Manager doesn't.Mark

You're rightI did not have the "Hide protected...: unclick...What about the prefetch?Is it normal to have the NTOSBOOT-B00DFAAD.pf dated from the type I booted my PC for the last time?and the dcomcnfg.exe? What to do?ThanksGhiom

Yeah, that's totally normal. We all have that file...mine is the same...NTOSBOOT-B00DFAAD.pfIf you don't know what DCom services you've got running then really don't stress, most likely you would have seen it appear as a service or you would've seen something that was scheduled to run in all the places I've listed. I think you're system is looking peachy...Go take a flight an chillax bro...they didn't get you this time!Mark

Yes, I checked and I did not see anyhting special.OK, I should be fine, unless it explodes some day.I have been running this setup for 2 years and I would not like to start from scratch.I may do when Win7 comes out though.RegardsGhiom

Programs like this are a dime a dozen. I say stay away from them. Same (for me) goes for Aclarity PC and some of those other more volatile "memory boosters". I can change the affinity and priority my self at the twitch of the wrist. The more crap that piles up on the HDD, the worse.Here are some programs that, in my experience (and many others) DO boost performance.-Defrag software (I use O&O Defrag)-Registry Mechanic (boot up)-Driver Sweeper (Use it after you uninstall video drivers everytime, then install the newest version)-Spybot Search and Destroy-AVG Free-CCleaner for uninstalling any and all software.-Nhancer (if you know how to use it)As you can see, I'm cheap. The only two programs here that cost $$ are O&O and Registry mechanic. Go download the O&O Trial and see how you like it. Perfect Disk and Ultimate Defrag also supposedly do great.