CPU utilization

[Coolday]

Hi

See attachment I found that there are two areas in the CPU utilization chart dark and light , what is the difference ?

 

[Princess Luna]

CPU usage is generally represented as a simple percentage of CPU time spent on non-idle tasks. But this is a bit of a simplification. In any modern operating system, the CPU is actually spending time in two very distinct modes:

 

1. Kernel Mode

   In Kernel mode, the executing code has complete and unrestricted access to the underlying hardware. It can execute any CPU instruction and reference any memory address. Kernel mode is generally reserved for the lowest-level, most trusted functions of the operating system. Crashes in kernel mode are catastrophic; they will halt the entire PC.

    

2. User Mode

   In User mode, the executing code has no ability to directly access hardware or reference memory. Code running in user mode must delegate to system APIs to access hardware or memory. Due to the protection afforded by this sort of isolation, crashes in user mode are always recoverable. Most of the code running on your computer will execute in user mode.

 

Source.

[Electronics Wizardy]

kernel vs user cpu usage.

 

you can show and hide that with rightclick, the show kernel times.