Talk:Ntoskrnl.exe

LoaderBlock on i386
Loaderblock is defined on x86/x64 architecture but not others. 68.95.129.139 (talk) —Preceding undated comment added 05:16, 23 July 2009 (UTC).

Kernel vs. Kernel image
Hi.

So far, every time I've seen the phrase "kernel image" anywhere, I disregarded "image" and read "kernel". But now, this article is making it look as if "kernel" and "kernel image" are different things.

So, what is this "image"? It certainly not a picture. Is it like "ISO image" or "servicing image"?

Best regards, Codename Lisa (talk) 23:20, 1 May 2014 (UTC)


 * What the article is referring to as "kernel image" is ntoskrnl.exe. The PE file that includes "krnl" in its name, and includes the OS kernel. PE files are often called "images" because they contain a copy of the code and initial data for the program.


 * The confusing point is that in Windows terminology, ntoskrnl.exe also contains what Windows calls the "executive". What windows calls its "kernel" is a very small part of ntoskrnl.exe. Both the exec and kernel run in kernel mode, i.e. PL 0. Jeh (talk) 07:50, 2 May 2014 (UTC)


 * Oh, yeah; I'd forgotten about the "PE image". It's been a long time since I used exe2bin to create a COM file!


 * But back to the point, you are saying that kernel's not entirely in ntoskrnl.exe? Where is it?


 * Best regards,
 * Codename Lisa (talk) 00:13, 3 May 2014 (UTC)


 * No, rather the opposite: I'm saying that the kernel is not the only thing in ntoskrnl.exe.
 * But it is also the case that ntoskrnl.exe is not the only OS component that runs in kernel mode. hal.dll, win32k.sys, and all of the "ordinary" device drivers run in kernel mode as well. Jeh (talk) 19:23, 3 May 2014 (UTC)

Kernel Versioning
Is there any reason not to include a chart that crosswalks ntoskrnl.exe version numbers with which version of Windows (| 6.3.* | Windows 8.1 |), (| 6.1.* | Windows Whichever|), etc.? 67.53.47.42 (talk) 02:28, 29 August 2015 (UTC)

Presence in Windows 98
Can someone explain why Ntoskrnl.exe is inside Windows 98? I understand why NTDLL.DLL is there, so that NT apps can execute, but the NT kernel is not used by Windows 98, so I'm not sure why it plays a role in booting the OS. Is it a dependency of NTKERN.vxd on 98/ME? 107.77.214.54 (talk) 10:53, 14 May 2018 (UTC)