System Idle Processes running at 40%

[Fallso]

It's been a while sinced I used it for FFXI..but I think I used to use:

Video Size: Half Size

FPS: (varied between 10-20, didn't always need high FPS)

Video bit rate: High

Everything else I kept default.

[Tekki]

hmm i was trying in full screen mode. Once dynamis is over ill mess around with half. Whats ur CPU/Mem Usage when u record?

[Fallso]

Can't remember, as I said this is all off the top of my head since I haven't used my laptop for gaming for several months now.

[Tekki]

Well unless someone knows a way of recording w/o taking up double the CPU/Mem usage, i think this is the best Im going to get =/

Its recordable, and if I really need to, I can dumb down my graphic to make it better I think.

[Snowknight26]

Tried fraps?

[The Stig]

The system idle process process is suppose to be quite random. The priority of it is low as anything else that needs CPU power it will lower itself dramatically. If you think about it, it IS the "system idle process", i.e. processes that happen in the background but matter very little, but it's kinda what keeps your PC going. When it is HIGH, it simply means your PC isn't working very hard, and so as a result, it utilises those spare CPU power to use in other misc. stuff.

If you check the performance tab for the CPU Usage History and leave your PC idle, you'll see that the idle processes take up to 99% or even 100% of your CPU (depending on your setup, some stuff like Antivirus may be consistently running). I'm finding it hard to put it into words but you should find that the System Idle Processes CPU usage is determined by this equation: 100 - (current CPU usage from all other processes) = Idle Process Usage.

It is absolutely nothing to worry about, it's just the way the processors handle things. I read somewhere (I'll find source and repost if I come across it) that they absolutely cannot be idle at all, so the System Idle Process is there to "balance" out things. If the CPU usage on that DID matter, you'll be at constant 100% CPU usage.

I've got FFXI running at the moment and Firefox. Both add up to ~30% CPU, Idle Process is sitting at ~70% CPU.

EDIT: Tekki, just re-read also about your recording problems, I think the reason your memory/CPU double is because you're recording from full screen. That's like ... high-def recording (assuming your resolution is in the 1000+ range). What you need to do is to window it up to something sensible, i.e. 640x480 then record from there. In my opinion if you're indeed trying in that 1900x1200 range, that's a stupidly high amount for any CPU to cope with.

I think I remember you telling me you own a Dell XPS m1710 a while back, so if you're indeed full screen on that, 1900x1200 (I think that's the max res) is .... extreme.

[Snowknight26]

Actually, you got that all wrong.

System Idle Pesources indicates how little your computer is doing. If your System Idle Process is at 99%, 1% or less of your CPU is being used. Think of it as the remainder. Say program 1 takes up 25% and program 2 takes up 15%. 60% of your CPU isn't being utilized, thus showing 60% under System Idle Process.

[Shuemue]

Actually, you got that all wrong.

System Idle Pesources indicates how little your computer is doing. If your System Idle Process is at 99%, 1% or less of your CPU is being used. Think of it as the remainder. Say program 1 takes up 25% and program 2 takes up 15%. 60% of your CPU isn't being utilized, thus showing 60% under System Idle Process.

Um... that's exactly what TheStig said.

[Snowknight26]

Not at all actually, might want to reread that.

Its not a process, its just an indicator of what your computer isn't doing.

[Shuemue]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/System_Idle_Process

Have to disagree with you.

[Snowknight26]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/System_Idle_Process

Have to disagree with you.

http://blogs.msdn.com/fvicaria/archive/ ... 65143.aspx

Have to disagree with you.

[Shuemue]

So because some random guy with an MSDN blog agrees with you, you're right?

And let's be clear, if you bother to go and read stig's post again, we all agree that the system idle process is representing unused CPU cycles. All you're doing is arguing semantics on whether we should define SIP as a genuine or fake process. Let's face it, it doesn't matter. It absolutely shows as a process in Task Manager, any fool can see that. So really, it's just a debate on a definition.

Read the wiki page, or this link; http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/archives/000873.html

On modern processors, where a HLT (halt) instruction saves significant amounts of power and heat, the idle task almost always consists of a loop which repeatedly executes HLT instructions.

Sounds like a process to me, simply generated and owned by the OS, not an application.