KSP running in background Windows

[DeadJohn]

When I alt-tab out of KSP the graphics keep running full bore even though they are not displayed. I'd like to configure things so the GPU wastes less power when KSP is in the background.

Is there a KSP, Windows 11, or AMD graphics driver setting that let's me do something like automatically lower the frame rate to 5 fps when KSP is not the foreground process? I can manually control the frame rate but it's a pain to manually redo that setting with every alt-tab.

I've already tried a few things that didn't seem to work. My system still puts a fair amount of load on the GPU if I press <esc> to pause before alt-tab, or if I load a simple KSP screen like the mission control contracts.

Any suggestions?

Edited August 16 by DeadJohn

[Gargamel]

I might be wrong here, but there might be something else going on.    For me KSP was never GPU intensive, but CPU.    
 

Does the GPU using more power really affect your system?   If it’s causing issues with the system cause it’s using too much electricity, you should be looking at getting a bigger power supply first and foremost.   

 

[DeadJohn]

6 minutes ago, Gargamel said:

I might be wrong here, but there might be something else going on.    For me KSP was never GPU intensive, but CPU.    
 

Does the GPU using more power really affect your system?   If it’s causing issues with the system cause it’s using too much electricity, you should be looking at getting a bigger power supply first and foremost.   

 

My concern isn't about in-game performance or wearing out the PC and power supply. I'm trying to avoid wasted power draw while the game is minimized in the background not actually being played.

Why don't I just shut down the game? Heavily modded KSP takes a long time to restart. If I'm playing KSP and need to do temporarily do something else on my PC for 30 minutes, I greatly prefer to leave KSP loaded.

My CPU is rated at 65W but might be higher because Intel shennanigans and the GPU is 230W. When KSP runs in the background, let's say while in the Space Center view with the <esc> pause dialog shown, it's using only 10% CPU (a trivial 6.5W) but 50% GPU (a much more significant 115W). That extra 115W means my PC is pulling more power and needlessly heating the room and requiring further power waste on air conditioning while KSP is in the background.

Nvidia drivers have options for customizing foreground and background fps. AMD drivers (6700XT) only seem to allow one fps setting which gets used for foreground and background at the same time.

[Gargamel]

19 minutes ago, DeadJohn said:

 

Why don't I just shut down the game? Heavily modded KSP takes a long time to restart. If I'm playing KSP and need to do temporarily do something else on my PC for 30 minutes, I greatly prefer to leave KSP loaded.

Oh trust me, I get it, I used to boot up KSP and then go make dinner, and come back to see it just finish loading.  

[Vanamonde]

I have moved your question to the techie sub and good luck with it.  

[DeadJohn]

I found a reasonable way to accomplish what I want. PsSuspend.exe is a Windows utility that can fully suspend a program. It's part of SysInternals Suite which is a free download on Microsoft Store or from another website.

After installing SysInternals I created 2 batch files to suspend and resume KSP as needed. Suspend: pssuspend "KSP_x64.exe" Resume: pssuspend -r "KSP_x64.exe" While suspended KSP uses 0% CPU and GPU. I've tested PsSuspend in orbit and from the VAB and it has not crashed KSP yet.

Windows Performance Manager (perfmon.exe) also allows tasks to be suspended by picking the program from a list.