If System Idle is the unused CPU, then why does terminating it make the computer faster??

Drako365

Reputable
Feb 20, 2014
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4,510
I've terminated the process with windows task manager before, and the results were immediate and stunningly fast. But now I'm told that it's the unused CPU, What? Please explain, because I don't get this.
 
Solution


You can't terminate the system idle process.

CPUs are discrete devices. They are either on and executing instructions, or off and not executing instructions.

When a CPU is powered on, but there are no tasks in the ready queue (all applications and services are waiting on something) the OS simply schedules the System Idle Process until it has something to do. The idle process is little more than a carefully timed no-op loop.


You can't terminate the system idle process.

CPUs are discrete devices. They are either on and executing instructions, or off and not executing instructions.

When a CPU is powered on, but there are no tasks in the ready queue (all applications and services are waiting on something) the OS simply schedules the System Idle Process until it has something to do. The idle process is little more than a carefully timed no-op loop.
 
Solution

DonQuixoteMC

Distinguished
Without benchmarks to prove it, I'm inclined to agree with HiTechObsessed. There's just no logical reason for the computer to be faster with System Idle Processes disabled and there is no way TO disable them.

Unless of course you got some sneaky Malware that called itself "SystemIdleProcesses.exe." :p
 

Drako365

Reputable
Feb 20, 2014
2
0
4,510
Long story, I'm what you'd call, confused. Apparently you cannot terminate the system idle process. I know I did it once and went from 2 fps in my game, to 20 fps. May have been male ware, may have been my imagination (I'm not that crazy?), but at any rate, I am the computer guru of the family, but as you all can see, that doesn't mean much, thanks anyways...
 


Yeah that's almost certainly just a case of some dirty malware giving itself the same process name hoping that no one would notice.