Is there a windows application to simulate idle?

[ComputerRepairTech]

I got a family member bringing me a computer that only acts up while idle but doesn't know how long it has to be idle for before the problem starts. I'm sure it won't be a problem to diagnose but just to speed things up anyone know of a windows application to set how long youve been idle? I feel like there use to be a way to accomplish this with a 3rd party program but I can't seem to find anything.

 

[HCHTech]

I've never heard of such a thing. Makes me wonder what triggers are used to start processes based on idle time. How do you measure the lack of something?

 

[ComputerRepairTech]

I've never heard of such a thing. Makes me wonder what triggers are used to start processes based on idle time. How do you measure the lack of something?

Probably lack of user interaction and computing activity. I was thinking maybe some sort of win api or hack to directly manipulate the timer or something to that nature.

 

[nlinecomputers]

Define idle. Lack of movement of the mouse? Keyboard? No internet packets moving? System going into sleep mode?

 

[phaZed]

No hacks or anything special needed.

Check your Task Manager for any tasks that have a Trigger of "On Idle" - Check this MSDN: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa383561(v=vs.85).aspx

For implementing the IIdleTrigger see this MSDN - https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa380724(v=vs.85).aspx

In Windows 7, the Task Scheduler verifies that the computer is in an idle state every 15 minutes. Task Scheduler checks for an idle state using two criteria: user absence, and a lack of resource consumption. The user is considered absent if there is no keyboard or mouse input during this period of time. The computer is considered idle if all the processors and all the disks were idle for more than 90% of the last detection interval. (An exception would be for any presentation type application that sets the ES_DISPLAY_REQUIRED flag. This flag forces Task Schedule to not consider the system as being idle, regardless of user activity or resource consumption.)

In Windows 7, Task Scheduler considers a processor as idle even when low priority threads (thread priority < normal) execute.

In Windows 8, the CPU and IO thresholds are set to 80%.

When detecting the idle state in Windows 8 Server, Task Scheduler does not take user presence or absence into account. To mark the end of the idle state, Task Scheduler revises the resource consumption once in 90 minutes.

Which will also apply to windows 10.

I have setup such tasks using the Idle trigger and it can take anywhere from 20-80 minutes for a task to start when "Wait for Idle" is set to 1 minute or "Do Not Wait".

You cannot force an idle condition, you must wait for the Task Scheduler schema to set that condition, of which, programs can read the current state.

 

[ComputerRepairTech]

No hacks or anything special needed.

Check your Task Manager for any tasks that have a Trigger of "On Idle" - Check this MSDN: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa383561(v=vs.85).aspx

For implementing the IIdleTrigger see this MSDN - https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa380724(v=vs.85).aspx




Which will also apply to windows 10.

I have setup such tasks using the Idle trigger and it can take anywhere from 20-80 minutes for a task to start when "Wait for Idle" is set to 1 minute or "Do Not Wait".

You cannot force an idle condition, you must wait for the Task Scheduler schema to set that condition, of which, programs can read the current state.

Of course i'll check task scheduler that would be the first thing I do but its not a guarantee that the problem is a task and not an application. It shouldn't take me too long to figure it out I was just seeing if there was a way to speed it up. There must be a way, what about those old speed hacks that can speed up and slow down all processes I wonder if I can use that to speed up how quick its triggered.....actually seems I can't even find one of those anymore lol.

 

[phaZed]

Of course i'll check task scheduler that would be the first thing I do but its not a guarantee that the problem is a task and not an application. It shouldn't take me too long to figure it out I was just seeing if there was a way to speed it up. There must be a way, what about those old speed hacks that can speed up and slow down all processes I wonder if I can use that to speed up how quick its triggered.....actually seems I can't even find one of those anymore lol.

Is it Cheat Engine that you're looking for? I'm pretty sure it only allows for 'modifying' non-system processes. Maybe not the one you had in mind. https://github.com/cheat-engine/cheat-engine

 

[ComputerRepairTech]

Is it Cheat Engine that you're looking for? I'm pretty sure it only allows for 'modifying' non-system processes. Maybe not the one you had in mind. https://github.com/cheat-engine/cheat-engine

no this applied to whole system, but thanks that might come in handy one day

 

[phaZed]

Ah, you're looking for this!

 

[ComputerRepairTech]

Ah, you're looking for this!

HAHAHAHAHAHA I haven't seen one of those in forever!

 

[HCHTech]

Ah, you're looking for this!

Does anyone else remember a custom case manufacturer having a two position "gear shift" handle and knob to activate the turbo mode? I'll bet it was a picture in PC magazine or something. So foggy after all these years.

 

[mraikes]

HAHAHAHAHAHA I haven't seen one of those in forever!

Shoot, I had one last week that caught me by surprise, so I took a picture of it. The lady said it was an "old computer" when she booked the appointment, but it didn't occur to me that it would be a Windows 95 computer with no mouse! It belonged to her father who died in 2000. It actually ran great and sported a CD, 5 1/4 AND 3 1/2 floppies. Awesome!

 

[phaZed]

@mraikes - I used to have a case exactly like that. Even the drives, except no CD-ROM... those CD drives were really expensive in the 486 days.

 

[frase]

Shoot, I had one last week that caught me by surprise, so I took a picture of it. The lady said it was an "old computer" when she booked the appointment, but it didn't occur to me that it would be a Windows 95 computer with no mouse! It belonged to her father who died in 2000. It actually ran great and sported a CD, 5 1/4 AND 3 1/2 floppies. Awesome!

What no c: ?

 

[mraikes]

What no c: ?

Sure, it had a hard drive as well. But I didn't check the size.