System Idle Process high cpu usage

C

CRK

I know what Idle means. My machine calculates system idle process in with
the total cpu usage. There is a difference. When a machine is running right
the "System Idle Process" usage doesn't add to the CPU usage at the bottom of
the task manager window. But when it is acting up the "System Idle Process"
usage does add to the total and will hog all your resources and bog your
machine. I and others are trying to find a cure, not something stupid like
"break out a dictionary" as was suggested in another thread.
 
P

Pegasus [MVP]

CRK said:
I know what Idle means. My machine calculates system idle process in with
the total cpu usage. There is a difference. When a machine is running
right
the "System Idle Process" usage doesn't add to the CPU usage at the bottom
of
the task manager window. But when it is acting up the "System Idle
Process"
usage does add to the total and will hog all your resources and bog your
machine. I and others are trying to find a cure, not something stupid like
"break out a dictionary" as was suggested in another thread.

The "Idle" process is the equivalent to you twiddling your thumbs. When it
runs at 100% then the CPU has next to nothing to do. It does not "hog" any
resources or "bog down" your machine - it waits for something to dig its
teeth into. Stop worrying - the higher the percentage of the idle process,
the better.
 
I

Ian D

CRK said:
I know what Idle means. My machine calculates system idle process in with
the total cpu usage. There is a difference. When a machine is running
right
the "System Idle Process" usage doesn't add to the CPU usage at the bottom
of
the task manager window. But when it is acting up the "System Idle
Process"
usage does add to the total and will hog all your resources and bog your
machine. I and others are trying to find a cure, not something stupid like
"break out a dictionary" as was suggested in another thread.

System Idle Process is not a real process. It's just the result
of an arithmetic caclculation to make the total for all processes
equal to 100%. System Idle Process = 100% - all other active
processes listed in Task Manager's Processes tab. There are
other things going on that are not shown in Task Manager, such
as registry and disk activities, including some that may use DMA
and not require measurable CPU time.
 
D

Daave

CRK said:
I know what Idle means. My machine calculates system idle process in
with
the total cpu usage. There is a difference. When a machine is running
right the "System Idle Process" usage doesn't add to the CPU usage at
the bottom of the task manager window. But when it is acting up the
"System Idle Process" usage does add to the total and will hog all
your resources and bog your machine. I and others are trying to find
a cure, not something stupid like "break out a dictionary" as was
suggested in another thread.

As others have mentioned, "System Idle Process" is not a process, and I
know that you know this, too. Still, something isn't adding up here.

When I run Task Manager, this is what I get:

System Idle Process is generally around 97% or 98%. And on the bottom of
the window, between Processes and Commit Charge, it says CPU Usage:
(around) 2 %. What are your figures?

Also, you will have more success with a program called Process Explorer:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896653.aspx

Also, see "Process Explorer guide for newbies":

http://forum.sysinternals.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=10998

And "How to determine what services are running under a SVCHOST.EXE
process":

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/tutorial129.html
 
D

Daave

Daave said:
As others have mentioned, "System Idle Process" is not a process, and
I know that you know this, too. Still, something isn't adding up here.

When I run Task Manager, this is what I get:

System Idle Process is generally around 97% or 98%. And on the bottom
of the window, between Processes and Commit Charge, it says CPU Usage:
(around) 2 %. What are your figures?

Also, you will have more success with a program called Process
Explorer:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896653.aspx

Also, see "Process Explorer guide for newbies":

http://forum.sysinternals.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=10998

And "How to determine what services are running under a SVCHOST.EXE
process":

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/tutorial129.html

And if still no joy, there's always Process Monitor:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896645.aspx

BTW, did you ever rule out malware?
 

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