Task Manager CPU idle time

Is mad.

I started Task Manager a few hours ago in order to kill something. Then forgot it was running.

The CPU time for the System Idle Process is now 162:47:58, and clocking up time at between 3 and 4 seconds per second.

I assume this is therefore the sum of the 2-core 4-thread usage per second. But even that doesn't make sense, as I switched the machine on after 9am. so at most 8.25 hours x (at most) 8 = 66 hours.

So where does the 162 hours idle time come from? NT Kernel & System is showing 2:23.32.
_{Edit - corrected the Subject.}

Edited by RobertoS (Mon 01-Jun-15 18:38:12)

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

Thanks for that, but it basically doesn't explain what I posted. (By the way I've just corrected the "CPE" in the Subject to "CPU".

The CPU percentage use is working as expected, and as that article explains. However I'm talking about the cumulative CPU time for the Idle Process line in Task Manager.

Even at 100% idle x 2 processors x 4 threads you can't get to the number of hours reported.

The CPU slows down.

So?

So more idle time is available.

LOL.
I don't think we can blame Einstein for such a dramatic discrepancy. Plus, don't forget there are a large number of processes clocking up active time as well.

Which reminds me .... I'll post later in t'Park 'bart 'im.

Edited by RobertoS (Mon 01-Jun-15 20:24:56)

I've always noticed on my 2-core CPU that Total CPU Time is about = 2 x Clock time, most of which is the System Idle Process.

Where do you find the Threading count?

Description of the Intel i7-5500U on the Intel website.

But the arithmetic still doesn't work, as I showed in the OP, even allowing for the "Idle threads" usage as per BatBoy's link - which is what my guess did in a crude way.

As far as I can see, even at 8 threads, in 8.25 hours of absolutely nothing but "Idle", which is impossible, it can't get to over 162 hours of CPU.