Process ntoskrnl.exe shows high CPU consumption when not in use.
Process ntoskrnl.exe shows high CPU consumption when not in use.
This process consumes around 13% of your CPU when idle. I've searched online but found no solutions. It seems to increase usage after opening Task Manager, occasionally uses my dedicated GPU lightly (GPU 1 - Copy), and drops to almost zero during demanding games. In Process Explorer it shows dxgmms2.sys!VidMmInterface. Disabling the Nvidia GPU removes it. What should I do next?
The genuine ntoskrnl.exe should not be running and should remain inactive after logging in. This suggests a potential malware pretending to be the operating system kernel. For instance, when you press power, this program launches first and handles the boot process for Windows 10. Look for the precise directory where it starts from. Usually, you can right-click the active process in Task Manager and select "Open File Location." Check that the link points to a real .exe file, not a shortcut or .lnk.
Also, after finding the file, visit virustotal.com and simply drag the executable onto their platform. This tool is really useful since it lets you check suspicious files using many antivirus programs without any cost. The maximum file size allowed for scanning is limited. Please share a screenshot of the results page if you’d like feedback.
The process works normally, but neither the GeForce Experience nor the GeForce Control Panel start automatically as they did before. After a clean GPU driver install, the issue only appears when opening the GeForce Experience window. What could be causing this?