Video rendering - Server hardware limits?

[IMADVDNUT]

Okay this is more computer related than rendering related but I need to ask. I have recieved a 4 processor 2 ghz ram server from a friend. (Yeah he's the best) anyway I wanted to make this my "family server" as it has more than enough to be our file server, domain server, and run all of my standard apps with very little CPU taxing. (I am looking at only 1 of the 3 cpus currently in use and still a good 1.5 ghs ram not used.

The problem is this I want to use this server to render my DVD's and to convert my file types. As you all kinow this ends up taking up alot of CPU use and ram use. I want to be able to do this but NOT to tax the other things running on the system. Is there any way within any of these apps where you can specifiy the amount of ram used by an app and specifcy specific CPU's. I was htinking I could allocate 2 cpu's and 1 gig ram to rendering and that would still leave 1 cpu for unaccounted items and 512 for anything I need to pull up. If there isn't a way to specify it within the apps is there a 3rd party app that allows you to do this?

[IMADVDNUT]

Anyone with any thoughts on how to limit these prgrams for utilizing the entire CPU and ram of a computer? I really don't want to have to resort to 1 dedicated PC just for rendering like I have been doing. I don't mind if it increases the time taken to convert I just want to do everything on one server.

[Shocker Milwaukee]

Can't you change the priority in the processes tab of Task Manager?

[IMADVDNUT]

I have done that the problem is even at the lowest priority the rendering programs still gobble up all the rest of the memory Yes I can switch to other programs but I would like to just split it out as even switching programs when rendering takes quite awhile. Its almost as thought even though you have it at a low priority it will still take everything available on the OS. Also the thing is I notice thats only for CPU and my RAM usage still gets maxxed as well.

I was hoping there may be a third party program manager that would do a better job allocating cpu and ram use.

[junkmalle]

Check System Properties -> Advanced -> Performance Settings -> Advanced -> Memory Usage. Make sure it's set to Programs not System Cache.