Is background operation really background?

[Thany]

I just noticed that when I put a large file operation (like, moving a few thousand files from one disk to another) in the background, the background operation still freezes when the main window does. For example, when I open a very large directory, or when calculating a directory's occupied space (you know, with spacebar).

So the question is, is a background process just something that *looks* like a background process, or is it really running in a separate background (low priority) thread, in the technical sense of the word? In the latter case, the background operation should continue even if the main window freezes for a while, shouldn't it?

BTW, maybe the freezing of the main window can be fixed too, with some kind of progress indication...

[Sheepdog]

It is real background Operation. When you copy/ move files in background and in foreground you count the space of an huge directory - both threads will access the harddisk - though it looks logical to me that both operation speed down.
Try to use a second instance ao TC an watch the increasing directory by reread source (F2; Ctrl R). and you'll probably will see the progress.

sheepdog

[Thany]

So it's just the interface locking up, while the actual operation continues?

I couldn't hear, because my harddisk is so silent

[Sheepdog]

I guess it is.
Sometimes I do 3 or 4 copy-threads in the background and always can watch them progress. Or even packing.

sheepdog

[Clo]

2Thany

I couldn't hear, because my harddisk is so silent

• You have a LED which indicates the HD activity on the PC-case
KR
Clo

[Thany]

You have a LED which indicates the HD activity on the PC-case

Not every PC has this. SCSI drives oftenly don't have a LED and besides, I have 4 harddisks and they all share the same LED

[Clo]

2Thany

• The PC-makers are stingy !
¤ IDE HD have (had?) an output for a separated LED, even a small one in the HD itself sometimes.
You can get this when you build your PCs by yourself

KR
Clo