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Level 8

The kernel: scheduling, interrupts & synchronization

Beneath the Executive: IRQL, ISRs, DPCs, and the scheduler that decides which thread actually runs next.

  1. 1Kernel mechanisms (IRQL, DPC, interrupts)
  2. 2Scheduling
L7 Configuration & the registryL9 Virtualization & the hypervisor
  1. User Mode

    L0Applications, the loader & the Win32 environment
  2. L1System support processes & services
  3. L2Security & authentication
  4. Kernel Mode — the Executive

    L3IPC & component boundaries
  5. L4The Executive: objects, processes & memory
  6. L5I/O, storage & the cache manager
  7. L6Networking
  8. L7Configuration & the registry
  9. Kernel Mode — the kernel

    L8The kernel: scheduling, interrupts & synchronization
  10. Virtualization

    L9Virtualization & the hypervisor
  11. Boot, HAL & hardware

    L10Boot, HAL & hardware