Abstract: Embodiments of the invention enable the efficient use of shared resources by different processes, such as background and foreground processes sharing a mass storage device. Thus, disk intensive operations, such as file indexing, do not unduly interfere with higher priority processes. In one embodiment, a first process is permitted to access a computer resource for a first predetermined time period After the first predetermined time period has elapsed, the first process is inhibited from accessing the computer resource for a second predetermined time period. After the second predetermined time period has elapsed, a determination is made as to whether the computer resource is idle, wherein if the computer resource is not idle, the embodiment waits for a third predetermined time period and again determining if the computer resource is idle, and wherein if the computer resource is idle, the embodiment allows the first process to access the computer resource again.