diff --git a/kernel/core/Kernel.c b/kernel/core/Kernel.c
index 7d91b4a..fad77c3 100644
--- a/kernel/core/Kernel.c
+++ b/kernel/core/Kernel.c
@@ -584,7 +584,7 @@ static InitResultT PXS2(void) {
 
     // Initialize IDE driver
     PrintKernel("Info: Initializing IDE driver...\n");
-    int ide_result = IdeInit();
+    const int ide_result = IdeInit();
     if (ide_result == IDE_OK) {
         PrintKernelSuccess("System: IDE driver initialized\n");
 
@@ -690,6 +690,5 @@ void KernelMainHigherHalf(void) {
 
     while (1) { // redundant but added for worst case scenario, should not reach here
         Yield();
-        __asm__ volatile("hlt");
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/kernel/process/Process.c b/kernel/process/Process.c
index 6ab41e6..314ff90 100644
--- a/kernel/process/Process.c
+++ b/kernel/process/Process.c
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ static uint64_t CalculateSecureChecksum(const SecurityToken* token, uint32_t pid
 }
 
 static inline int FindFreeSlotFast(void) {
-    if (UNLIKELY(active_process_bitmap == ~1ULL)) { // All slots except 0 taken
+   if (UNLIKELY(active_process_bitmap == ~1ULL)) { // All slots except 0 taken
         return -1;
     }
     
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ static void AddToTerminationQueueAtomic(uint32_t slot) {
     }
 
     termination_queue[tail] = slot;
-    __sync_synchronize(); // Memory barrier
+    __atomic_thread_fence(__ATOMIC_SEQ_CST);
     term_queue_tail = new_tail;
     AtomicInc(&term_queue_count);
 }
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ void TerminateProcess(uint32_t pid, TerminationReason reason, uint32_t exit_code
     }
 
     proc->state = PROC_ZOMBIE;           // Set state FIRST
-    __sync_synchronize();                 // Full memory barrier
+    __atomic_thread_fence(__ATOMIC_SEQ_CST);
     AddToTerminationQueueAtomic(slot);   // Then add to queue
     SpinLock(&pid_lock);
     int idx = proc->pid / 64;