CPU Utilization on IBM x3755

[Won De Erick]

> The utilities you're using are correct (ps and top), but I don't know
> why you're using top -S since it's pretty apparent you don't know how to
> read the output.  :-)
> thanks for the lights.

I may not be well verse in interpreting the output, but I am using top -S to make other system processes (like pager, swapper) visible.
I just wondered why the command name should be idle : cpu0, etc. instead of giving a little bit more descriptive name (like what you said, kernel thread bla bla). With this, it would be more understandable. An ordinary user like me could mistakenly interpret it as an "actual" process. 



> You shouldn't be using -S if you're just interested in actual processes
> on the UNIX machine itself.

Then what should I use? I am interested in getting the detailed info to justify the %CPU idles and utilization.

thanks Jeremy!