I was cleaning out files on my laptop and saw this, but I don’t follow what it means. ELI5
In: 1
Most operating systems have two modes of functionment: kernel mode and user mode.
User mode allows you to do is everything you do directly: clicking on an icon, hiting a key,…
Kernel mode is when the computer takes over to execute whatever task you asked it to do.
Kernel mode exists because if users had to manipulate the CPU and registeries directly, catastrophes would ensue.
And in the same vein, kernel memory is memory your operating system uses of for important tasks (its basic functions, device drivers,…) and if you were to delete it, you’d break much things.
Kernel memory is just RAM that has been allocated for use by the operating system itself (Windows, MacOS, Linux, BSD, etc) rather than the applications (web browser, games, taskbar/start menu, etc). The operating system does need a bit of memory for itself, if only to keep track of all those apps it’s running, but also all the hardware on the system, their drivers, etc.
I’m curious what you actually found, because kernel memory is usually not possible to swap to disk, and wouldn’t be a “file” per se. Closest is a “crash dump”, where the contents of kernel memory are saved to disk if the operating system crashes so that Microsoft or another develop can figure out what went wrong, possibly fix it.
I really love chatgpt for explanations of things like this. Here’s what it had to say:
Kernel memory is like the brain of your computer’s operating system. Just as your brain manages and controls your body, the kernel memory manages and controls your computer.
Here’s a simple explanation:
1. **Computer’s Brain:** Imagine your computer as a person, and the operating system as their brain. The brain (kernel memory) handles all the important tasks, like telling the computer’s parts how to work together.
2. **Important Information:** The kernel memory holds all the crucial information needed for the computer to function correctly. This includes things like how to run programs, how to use hardware (like the keyboard or printer), and how to keep everything safe and secure.
3. **Protected Zone:** Kernel memory is super important, so it’s kept in a protected area of the computer’s memory. Regular programs and users can’t access it directly. This is like having a secret vault that only certain people (authorized processes) can enter.
4. **Speed and Security:** Keeping the kernel memory separate from regular memory (used by programs and files) helps the computer run efficiently and securely. It prevents programs from messing with the critical stuff and crashing the whole system.
In summary, kernel memory is the computer’s brain where it stores essential instructions and data to run properly. It’s kept separate and secure to ensure the computer works smoothly and safely.
In people we sometimes say that we have our “animal brain”, that just does the basic things like keep our heart beating, keep us breathing, tell us when we’re hungry or we’re in pain, lets us form and recall memories, make sounds, etc. All animals have this basic animal brain.
But because our brains are complex, humans also have our “rational brain” on top of the animal brain. The rational brain lets us make sense of what we’re seeing and hearing, and gives us the ability to solve problems, communicate using language, etc. Our rational brain needs to use our animal brain to make speech, to hear sounds, and to move around how we decide we want to move.
Computers also have an “animal brain”, and it’s called the kernel. The kernel is how the computer understands and follows instructions, manages its cooling, how to remember information, how it connects to other computers, how to use a display or a keyboard, keeps its battery charged, etc.
The computer’s “rational brain” is represented by the software that runs on top of the kernel. We say this software runs in “user space” rather than “kernel space”. This includes everything from the way your computer draws windows on your screen to the way that your web browser communicates with other web servers to deliver this web page to you. User space programs make a lot of use of the kernel to get its work done.
All software needs memory to run, so when you see something talking about “kernel memory”, it’s talking about the memory used by the kernel to do its basic “animal brain” work. Generally computers don’t use a lot of memory in kernel space since most of it is needed for user space.
The kernel is essentially the “brain” of your operating system. Within RAM (Random Access Memory), a specific chunk will be dedicated to your operating system to function. Your operating system is technically a program that oversees and manages your computer’s resources. Without an operating system, you are left with a BIOS (Basic Input Output System) which is very limited.
It is extremely important that the kernel is protected and sealed away from the rest of RAM. You do not want things modifying the kernel such as users or programs as that could cause crashes, etc.
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