PHP and Apache service priority in Windows 2000

[Lithium]

I've started using GD to create a photo gallery with on the fly thumbnail generation.

Everything works well except that GD seems to be pretty resource intensive. When generating 100 thumbnails the server takes quite a CPU hit. This is bad because the server is used for other things as well (playing games for instance). Apache, having a "normal" priority level, has no qualms about making other processes crawl. It's just a P3-500.

I've alleviated the problem by creating a caching system, but still, the only real solution for me would be to give Apache Low or Idle process priority.

HOW in the world can i do this? Apache runs as a Windows 2000 service, and W2K seems to have absolutely no provisions for adjusting the priority of services. It's quite sad really.

If important, i'm using:
W2k Pro SP3
Apache 1.3.27
PHP 4.3.1

I'm gonna snap and put linux back on if this is unfixable

Thanks much for ANY input...

[WiZARD]

If you load more service in youre maschine... you cannot run Apache.....

[Lithium]

If you load more service in youre maschine... you cannot run Apache.....

I'm sorry I don't understand what you mean.

[WiZARD]

you may start apache like that:
start /high apache.exe

[Lithium]

Yes but the problem is that I'm running it as a service, not from a command prompt.

[WiZARD]

Try change that priority in service or
not start like service in ServiceManager
start in autostart...
by the way if you starting apache in command line you start apache like service process....