Starting process in background in windows using : start /b and start /priority

This information that I am posting came as a surprise to me two years back. And sine one year I have seen its usage groeing in my day to day job at Software Divisions of MNCs. Jokes apart, various automations that I did used the following concept in some way or the other. Sometimes the bat scripts and some times the python scripts.


Actually in Unix/Linux shells and hence in beautiful Mac machines I owned at Adobe Systems, there was an option to start a process in the “background” by (i.e. in bash) typing “./&“, or you may try pressing Ctrl-Z and then “bg“. The process then prints its output to stdout as usual, but the bash runs in the foreground and receives console stdin. The task was easy.

But in Windows, mere calling the exe would not do this job that easily done. But something similar can be done by doing: start /b . This would run the process in the background, and its output is printed to your stdout, even though cmd continues running immediately and receives your stdin. Be warned that if you do “start ” without the “/b” switch, then the process runs in another window, which closes when it exits.


There is yet another switch for “start” is /priority, which I learnt only after joining Symantec Software. In this command the ‘priority’ is the name of a process priority string. For example “start /b /realtime pslist” can be used to get a pslist output that runs in realtime priority.

Intresting trick to Show your name after Time in Taskbar

To help young ones and also to the grown up prank players, I am again with a simple trick. This time it is something unusual. You can add your name (If you want even my name is good enuff!!) in place of AM and PM beside the time. This would be catchy in your group of friend/ colleagues. Just to add, my best friend *SO*loves to know about these small lil tricks. She is an avid computer/internet/social-networking user though (I think Mark Zuckerburg should hire both of us for using his virtual space FB.com to love, fight,discuss and romance!!)

You can start by going to Start -> Control Panel -> Regional and Language option -> Press Customize button -> Go to TIME tab -> Change AM symbol and PM symbol from AM and PM to your name -> Apply -> Ok.
Has it changed?
Have patience…Sometimes you need an additional setting too. Go to the Time in taskbar and Double Click it to open "Date and time property" .Look place where time changes in digital form i.e. 02:47:52 AM. Now you have to click the arrow to change the AM or PM. This will popup your name (that I believe is legitimately yours. Rolf!!!). Apply OK there.
Mission Accomplished!!!

Making your System available with a Domain like name in Network

The key lies in installing IIS over your machine. This makes you machine a server. While working for Adobe System I owned eight Systems ( Three of them were Mac machines. Beautiful!!!) One of the machine has to be made a dedicated system to host our Bulls Eye Coverage reports (On this some other time!!) So I chose the system name to be cportal. The task was to make this available when any connected system on LAN typed ‘cportal’ over their browser. (@My Friend Anil Berry: Hey! It was not a Red File Secret Code. It was just that I never had time and many times forgot to tell you about this. Sorry for being so late, but now having posted this, I guess your problem would go fixed!!!)

The steps are pretty much simple.
Give machine a name eg cportal. Make it available on your domain. Test by ping cportal from other computer. Accessing it on local area network
In network&internet homegroup
Change advanced sharing settings. Select domain tab arrow key
Turn on network discovery :ON
Turn On FILE and printer sharing :ONPublic Folder sharing : ON
Now from other computer just writing
http://cportal your IIS page opens up.

A brief note on Normalization Forms in Database

The First normal form (1NF) sets the basic rules for an organized database. These rules relate to firstly, Eliminate duplicative columns from the same database table. Secondly, To create separate tables for each group of related data and identify each row with a unique column or set of columns (the primary key). The Second normal form (2NF) further Handles the concept of removing duplicative data. Firstly, It must meet all the requirements of the first normal form. And then remove subsets of data that apply to multiple rows of a table and place them in separate tables. In addition we must create relationships between these new tables and their predecessors through the use of foreign keys. The Third normal form (3NF) goes one large step further. Firstly, it must meet all the requirements of the second normal form. And then, remove columns that are not dependent upon the primary key. And the fourth normal form (4NF) has one additional requirement other than meeting all the requirements of the third normal form. It is maintained that a relation is in 4NF if it has no multi-valued dependencies

Logical Partition of Hard Disk/Drive without any additional Softwares

It often comes that you wish to use one partition to install the operating system and critical apps and another for your data files, which will simplify backup tasks. Or, you may just want to have your personal files stored in a separate looking disk. For this you have to do a partioning. There are basically three modes to do that. Third is simple, you have to use some Third party Application to do that. A simple Google search will reveal hundreds of such tools easily downloadable. (Understand the risks involved). In addition, there are two simple ways to get your job done.

Partitioning while Installation of Windows:

At time of Windows Installation process, you may Format and create the partitions. This is the most used, relevant and usual way to go about.

Partitioning when OS already Installed (particularly Windows):

To set up a new or existing drive in Windows Operating System, you have to use a trick. Go to Start, Settings, Control Panel, and click Administrative Tools, Computer Management, Storage, Disk Management. Your drive will appear. You will see new drives as unformatted space. Partition this space by right-clicking in the unformatted area and selecting New Partition. Then right-click in the partition and choose New Logical Drive.