How to Lower System Idle

The system idle process is the only process listed on the Task Manager that is not linked to an actual executable file or service. System idle measures the usage of a processor while the computer is sitting idle. If you would like to lower the amount of processor usage at system idle, you can disable the executables via the Windows Task Manager.

Instructions

1. Right-click the task bar located at the bottom of your screen and click "Start Task Manager." Alternatively, you can press and hold the "Ctrl," "Alt" and "Delete" consecutively to launch the utility.

2. Click the "Processes" tab to display a list of running processes. Click the "Show processes from all users" button.

3. Click the "CPU" column to sort all the processes from highest CPU usage to lowest. You can now make determinations on what programs are currently utilizing a large amount of processor threads by looking at the number under the "CPU" column.

4. Right-click a process and click "End Process Tree." You must be careful here to only disable the executables that you are familiar with. Generally, most executables that are crucial to the functionality of the Windows operating system cannot be closed. The more processes you close, the less process utilization your system will have on idle.

References

• Microsoft TechNet: Regaining Control of a Computer that Has Stopped Responding
• Microsoft Windows: How to Use and Troubleshoot Issues with Windows Task Manager