Set program affinity without opening the task manager in Windows 8.1

windows-8.1 cpu affinity

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You can create a batch file with

start /affinity 1 PATH_TO_EXE.exe

Just call this batch file in your shotcut. This will run it with only CPU 0. Change the affinity mask (this is the hex value) for more cores.

CPU3 CPU2 CPU1 CPU0  Bin  Hex
---- ---- ---- ----  ---  ---
OFF  OFF  OFF  ON  = 0001 = 1
OFF  OFF  ON   OFF = 0010 = 2
OFF  OFF  ON   ON  = 0011 = 3
OFF  ON   OFF  OFF = 0100 = 4
OFF  ON   OFF  ON  = 0101 = 5 
OFF  ON   ON   OFF = 0110 = 6
OFF  ON   ON   ON  = 0111 = 7
ON   OFF  OFF  OFF = 1000 = 8
ON   OFF  OFF  ON  = 1001 = 9
ON   OFF  ON   OFF = 1010 = A 
ON   OFF  ON   ON  = 1011 = B
ON   ON   OFF  OFF = 1100 = C
ON   ON   OFF  ON  = 1101 = D
ON   ON   ON   OFF = 1110 = E 
ON   ON   ON   ON  = 1111 = F

(Thanks to @Mokubai for pointing this out)

Alternatively, create a shortcut to

C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe /c start /affinity 1 PATH_TO_EXE.exe

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Mokubai

I am a community elected moderator on Super User. First, please put down the chocolate-covered banana and step away from the European currency systems. You may consider how to ask a question. You might also want to use the right tools for the job, rather than pounding a nail with an old shoe or glass bottle. But above everything else, please, never use regex to parse HTML. Crawling abominations from the depths await those who venture down that path... Lastly, remember the golden rule of question migrations.

Updated on September 18, 2022

Comments

Mokubai almost 2 years

Is it possible to set program affinity without opening the task manager in Windows 8.1 using the program shortcut? (by using a command like -setaffinity)

Is this method (changing affinity) a good way of limiting a program's CPU usage?
- Mokubai over 7 years
  
  Related: superuser.com/questions/309617/…
- Mokubai over 7 years
  
  Also: superuser.com/…
Mokubai over 7 years

Given that the "start" command CPU affinity is a bit mask (superuser.com/a/309663/19943) simply increasing the value would be problematic and produce unexpected results in many cases.