Results 1 to 15 of 15

Thread: What is System Idle Process?

  1. #1
    Gold Member Marcos's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    England
    Posts
    4,119
    Thanks
    54
    Thanked
    26 times in 17 posts

    What is System Idle Process?

    as title, i don't get why i should have a process that tells me how much CPU i'm not using , especially when i have a % reading right underneath it in task manager

  2. #2
    0iD
    0iD is offline
    M*I*A 0iD's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    Happy Llama Land
    Posts
    13,247
    Thanks
    1,435
    Thanked
    1,209 times in 757 posts
    • 0iD's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Leave my mother out of it!
      • CPU:
      • If I knew what it meant?
      • Memory:
      • Wah?
      • Storage:
      • Cupboards and drawers
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Slate & chalk
      • PSU:
      • meh
      • Case:
      • Suit or Brief?
      • Operating System:
      • Brain
      • Monitor(s):
      • I was 1 at skool
      • Internet:
      • 28k Dialup
    That's the wonder of Windoze
    [
    Quote Originally Posted by Blitzen
    When I say go, both walk in the opposite direction for 10 paces, draw handbags, then bitch-slap each other!

  3. #3
    Gold Member Marcos's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    England
    Posts
    4,119
    Thanks
    54
    Thanked
    26 times in 17 posts
    Can i end it? safely

  4. #4
    Comfortably Numb directhex's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    /dev/urandom
    Posts
    17,074
    Thanks
    228
    Thanked
    1,027 times in 678 posts
    • directhex's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Asus ROG Strix B550-I Gaming
      • CPU:
      • Ryzen 5900x
      • Memory:
      • 64GB G.Skill Trident Z RGB
      • Storage:
      • 2TB Seagate Firecuda 520
      • Graphics card(s):
      • EVGA GeForce RTX 3080 XC3 Ultra
      • PSU:
      • EVGA SuperNOVA 850W G3
      • Case:
      • NZXT H210i
      • Operating System:
      • Ubuntu 20.04, Windows 10
      • Monitor(s):
      • LG 34GN850
      • Internet:
      • FIOS
    Quote Originally Posted by Marcos
    Can i end it? safely
    no.

    it's simply part of how the windows nt process scheduler works.

  5. #5
    Gold Member Marcos's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    England
    Posts
    4,119
    Thanks
    54
    Thanked
    26 times in 17 posts
    Howcome it only appears sometimes?

  6. #6
    Nox
    Nox is offline
    Vorsprung durch Technik
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Hampshire
    Posts
    2,023
    Thanks
    2
    Thanked
    2 times in 2 posts
    • Nox's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Yes
      • CPU:
      • Yes
      • Memory:
      • Yes
      • Storage:
      • Yes
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Yes
      • PSU:
      • Yes
      • Case:
      • Yes
      • Monitor(s):
      • Yes
      • Internet:
      • Yes
    Quote Originally Posted by Marcos
    Howcome it only appears sometimes?
    Its always there.

    Nox

  7. #7
    Prize winning member. rajagra's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Posts
    1,023
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked
    0 times in 0 posts
    It runs low power CPU instructions, saving energy and helping the CPU run cooler.
    DFI LanParty UT NF4 SLI-D; AMD64 3500+ Winchester ;
    2x XFX 6600GT ; Corsair XMS3200XLPRO TWINX 1GB;
    Dell 2405FPW TFT.

  8. #8
    I shall never tire... BEANFro Elite's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Surrey
    Posts
    1,596
    Thanks
    122
    Thanked
    31 times in 19 posts
    • BEANFro Elite's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Asus MAXIMUS IV EXTREME Rev.3.0
      • CPU:
      • Intel Core i7 2600K Sandy Bridge
      • Memory:
      • Corsair Memory Vengeance 8GB DDR3
      • Storage:
      • 240Gb RevoDrive 3 X2, 1x 1TB Maxter DiamondMax 11
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Sapphire ATi HD5970 3GB
      • PSU:
      • Coolermaster Silent Pro Gold 1000W Modular
      • Case:
      • Coolermater Cosmos Pure Black
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell 2209WA
      • Internet:
      • TalkTalk
    I thought it was the computer equivilant of fidgeting, i.e. if it had nothing to do it would try to shut itself down...its just giving itself the illusion of having a job to do...

  9. #9
    Prize winning member. rajagra's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Posts
    1,023
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked
    0 times in 0 posts
    A trip down memory lane, when Win9x users could run software cooling apps like Rain or Waterfall... Link.
    Win2K, XP, etc just run HLT commands from the system idle process. Doesn't work as well as those utilities did, but it's good enough.
    DFI LanParty UT NF4 SLI-D; AMD64 3500+ Winchester ;
    2x XFX 6600GT ; Corsair XMS3200XLPRO TWINX 1GB;
    Dell 2405FPW TFT.

  10. #10
    Shunned from CS:S Trippledence's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Exeter Uni/Truro Cornwall
    Posts
    1,848
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked
    1 time in 1 post
    Inst it so the prosesser doesnt stop when theres no demanding prosesses going on?

  11. #11
    Comfortably Numb directhex's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    /dev/urandom
    Posts
    17,074
    Thanks
    228
    Thanked
    1,027 times in 678 posts
    • directhex's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Asus ROG Strix B550-I Gaming
      • CPU:
      • Ryzen 5900x
      • Memory:
      • 64GB G.Skill Trident Z RGB
      • Storage:
      • 2TB Seagate Firecuda 520
      • Graphics card(s):
      • EVGA GeForce RTX 3080 XC3 Ultra
      • PSU:
      • EVGA SuperNOVA 850W G3
      • Case:
      • NZXT H210i
      • Operating System:
      • Ubuntu 20.04, Windows 10
      • Monitor(s):
      • LG 34GN850
      • Internet:
      • FIOS
    Quote Originally Posted by Trippledence
    Inst it so the prosesser doesnt stop when theres no demanding prosesses going on?
    exactly the opposite.

    not doing anything, and doing nothing, are two very different things.

    the system idle process tells the processor to do nothing - it rests, uses less electricity, generates less heat.

    the alternative is it just sits there not doing anything, at full pelt

  12. #12
    Nox
    Nox is offline
    Vorsprung durch Technik
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Hampshire
    Posts
    2,023
    Thanks
    2
    Thanked
    2 times in 2 posts
    • Nox's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Yes
      • CPU:
      • Yes
      • Memory:
      • Yes
      • Storage:
      • Yes
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Yes
      • PSU:
      • Yes
      • Case:
      • Yes
      • Monitor(s):
      • Yes
      • Internet:
      • Yes
    the higher the number is the less work you are doing well, thats what the management would say.

    Nox

  13. #13
    Gold Member Marcos's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    England
    Posts
    4,119
    Thanks
    54
    Thanked
    26 times in 17 posts
    Quote Originally Posted by directhex
    exactly the opposite.

    not doing anything, and doing nothing, are two very different things.

    the system idle process tells the processor to do nothing - it rests, uses less electricity, generates less heat.

    the alternative is it just sits there not doing anything, at full pelt
    haha, interesting

  14. #14
    Shunned from CS:S Trippledence's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Exeter Uni/Truro Cornwall
    Posts
    1,848
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked
    1 time in 1 post
    Ar-ha!

    (stores in memory)

  15. #15
    Comfortably Numb directhex's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    /dev/urandom
    Posts
    17,074
    Thanks
    228
    Thanked
    1,027 times in 678 posts
    • directhex's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Asus ROG Strix B550-I Gaming
      • CPU:
      • Ryzen 5900x
      • Memory:
      • 64GB G.Skill Trident Z RGB
      • Storage:
      • 2TB Seagate Firecuda 520
      • Graphics card(s):
      • EVGA GeForce RTX 3080 XC3 Ultra
      • PSU:
      • EVGA SuperNOVA 850W G3
      • Case:
      • NZXT H210i
      • Operating System:
      • Ubuntu 20.04, Windows 10
      • Monitor(s):
      • LG 34GN850
      • Internet:
      • FIOS
    when emulating windows in virtualpc, you need to install the virtualpc additions software in the client os - virtualpc can't correctly emulate the regular do-nothing commands, so part of what the additions package does is replace the client windows's sleep command with one which maps properly to the host os

    otherwise, an idle guest os uses 100% cpu power on the host

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. Mid-spec system - comments please
    By Taz in forum PC Hardware and Components
    Replies: 25
    Last Post: 23-12-2005, 01:05 AM
  2. Weird System Hang - Then Returns to Normal
    By Grey M@a in forum PC Hardware and Components
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 04-03-2005, 08:52 PM
  3. Abit NF7-S revision 2 information
    By Lee H in forum SCAN.care@HEXUS
    Replies: 22
    Last Post: 30-10-2004, 07:13 PM
  4. Keeping your system healthy and secure
    By Paul Adams in forum Software
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 12-10-2004, 09:35 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •