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Version: 10.3

Process Control Service

The Process Control Service (openit_processcontrolservice) is a small background program that helps Open iT complete a suspend, resume, or terminate action when the normal method is blocked by Windows permissions.

Open iT may suspend, resume, or terminate an application when carrying out an optimization rule. The Disabler normally performs these actions. However, some applications run with elevated Windows permissions, so the Disabler may not be allowed to control them. The scheduler (core_processcontrolservice-win.oconf) runs the Process Control Service in the Windows system context, giving it the permissions needed to perform these actions on applications running in elevated mode.

Why was it introduced?​

  • To reduce failure, suspend, resume, and terminate actions caused by Windows permissions.
  • To make application optimization more reliable.
  • To handle the backup automatically without asking the user to run Open iT as an administrator.

How does it work?​

  1. Open iT starts the Process Control Service in the background.
  2. The Disabler first tries to perform the requested action in the normal way.
  3. If the normal attempt works, the service is not used.
  4. If the normal attempt is blocked, the Disabler asks the service to perform the suspend, resume, or terminate action.
  5. The service reports whether the action succeeded and Open iT records the result in its logs.

How it works with the other components​

Normally, the Disabler performs the requested suspend, resume, or terminate action directly. But if Windows permissions block the direct action, Disabler sends the same request to Process Control Service, which runs in the Windows system context and returns the result.

Process Control Service flow from Freeze Monitor to the target application

Process Control Service flow from Freeze Monitor to the target application

Important things to note​

  • It is a backup only; it does not replace the Disabler.
  • It works only on applications running on the same computer.
  • It does not start or restart applications.
  • Terminating an application may cause unsaved work to be lost, just like the existing termination action.
  • If both the normal action and the backup fail, Open iT records the error for troubleshooting.