Hi Art,
I had a similar problem, with two conflicting programs.
Most programs that do not use dual core processing, sometimes interferes with each other slowing your computer down.
If you open up your resource manager, you will see that some of your CPU processors are parked.
This is not a bad thing, this is actually a good thing, because most software that is written for a single core, like ultra Hal, you can assign a parked processor to ultra Hal.
I highly recommend that you do not use the numbers 0 processor, because the number 0 processor is used by the entire computer, like a traffic light directing traffic.
The more stress you put on the numbers 0 processor the slower your computer operates. Though I have an i7 dual quad it is only operating at 1.6 GHz.
Which means, according to ultra Hal my computer is only operating at 1.6 GHz using one processor. That's pretty slow, it's like an Intel 4 processor, operating at 1.6 GHz which is slow even for an Intel 4 processor which most of them were 2.5 GHz to 3 GHz.
By shifting ultra Hal to use processor 1 which is in park by deflect my Windows 7 you can increase the performance of your ultra Hal.
But remember, even though I have eight processors I still only have two cores. The other program that I use at the same time as ultra Hal I put on processor 2 so ultra Hal is working on core 0 and the other program is working on core 1.
Why does Windows 7 Park my second core, there are programs out there that use multicore even though I have 8 processors I still only have 2 cores which are 2 quads.
And when a program that uses multicore need the support for more speed it sends that information to a second processor, so in essence this is what you are doing by assigning ultra Hal to utilize processor 0 or 1.
When you told Windows to use processor 0 and processor 1 what you were doing was assigning one of your course or the other core to do the process, so if you assign specifically one of your course you will get even better results and do not put it on processor 0.
This was information that I got from the Internet when I was wondering why four of my processors was in park mode and not being used. Park mode is primarily used for software like Dragon NaturallySpeaking which when needing more processing power calls for a parked processor to help with its processing.
Sincerely, and I hope I have helped in some small little way, crunch munching.
C load
PS if I was wanting more cores I would have to move up to i9 which has 4 quads or 16 processors or and i12 which has 6 quads 24 processors. But when it comes down to programs that do not use multicore the gigahertz of your computer is the true speed at which the program is running, not the computer. And remember all software that does not use multicore by deflect uses processor zero, jamming everything into processors 0. So if you have games, or other programs that were written for a single core processor, like old games you will get a better performance to assign it to a parked processor, and preferably you put it on your second core which is usually part by deflect.
