How to Fix Atieclxx.exe Process in Windows 10/11

Atieclxx.exe is one of those legitimate Windows processes that are often mistaken as a virus or malware. However, it is possible for a virus or malware to disguise itself as atieclxx.exe to infect your computer.

Some Windows users who experienced lags when streaming videos or playing games have reported seeing the atieclxx.exe process in the Task Manager but couldn’t get rid of it.

Before you try to delete atieclxx.exe, it is important to understand first what this process is, what it does, how to determine if it’s a virus or not, and how to deal with a computer infected with atieclxx.exe.

What Is Atieclxx.exe?

Atieclxx.exe is a genuine file component of AMD External Events by Advanced Micro Devices (AMD). ATI was bought by AMD in 2006, hence their products often support each other.

Atieclxx.exe is an executable file needed to run the ATI External Event Utility Client Module, a tool that handles the ATI Hotkey feature. Atieclxx.exe is used by one or more processes, but it is not an essential Windows system file. It is also known to take up resources, so you might notice your computer becoming sluggish whenever the process is running.

Even though atieclxx.exe is a Microsoft-signed file, it is not a Windows system file and it is not visible. It is usually located in the C:\Windows\System32 or C:\Program Files folder. It has an overall security rating of 17 percent, so it is not much of a threat.

Is Atieclxx.exe a Virus or Not?

To determine whether Atieclxx.exe is a virus or not, you must first determine if you’re using any ATI hardware such as graphics card or motherboard. If you are, then it is definitely part of the hardware driver. Uninstalling atieclxx.exe will affect the performance of your ATI hardware or will cause it not to work at all.

But if you have no ATI hardware on your computer and you notice an atieclxx.exe process running, then your device might have an atieclxx.exe infection.

You should also take note of the location of the atieclxx.exe file. If it is within the two folders mentioned above, then it’s a legitimate file. But if it is found in some other subfolders, it’s probably malicious and you need to get rid of it.

How to Fix an Atieclxx.exe Infection

Dealing with Atieclxx.exe depends on what type of process it is. If it is a legitimate Windows process but you want to stop it anyway because it’s causing problems for your computer, just disable AMD External Events Utility to get rid of it.

To do this:

1. Click Start and type in services.msc in the search box.
2. Click on Service Manager in the search results.
3. In Service Manager, find AMD External Events Utility, right-click on it, and choose Properties.
4. Click Stop to terminate the process, then choose Disabled under the Startup Type. This will prevent the process from launching during startup.
5. Click Apply, then OK.
6. Reboot your computer and check via Task Manager whether atieclxx.exe is still running.

If you still see atieclxx.exe even after you’ve restarted, it is highly possible that it is a virus. Here are some ways to completely get rid of atieclxx.exe infection on your computer:

Method 1: Run a Virus Scan.

The first step in getting rid of an atieclxx.exe infection is scanning your computer using your antivirus software. If your antivirus program was not able to detect the virus, try another one until you find one that works. Delete the virus completely from your system, along with all the files that were infected.

Method 2: Clean Up Your Computer.

To make sure that all the infected files have been completely deleted, clean up your device with an app such as Outbyte PC Repair. This tool deletes all junk files on your computer, including the files in the Recycle Bin, temporary and corrupted files, and other trash you might not even be aware of.

Method 3: Run System File Checker.

Some viruses such as atieclxx.exe disguise themselves as Windows system files and damage your system. The System File Checker or SFC tool scans your Windows system for corrupted files and attempts to restore them.

To run the SFC utility, follow the steps below:

1. Press the Windows + Q keys together.
2. Type in cmd to search for Command Prompt.
3. Press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to run Command Prompt as an administrator.
4. Type in sfc /scannow, then hit Enter.
5. Wait for the process to complete.

Method 4: Check Your Startup Programs.

Some programs and services, such as atieclxx.exe, are designed to launch at startup. If you notice that Windows takes a long time to load, check what programs and services load at startup and disable some of them.

To run msconfig, follow the instructions below:

1. Press Windows + Q.
2. Type in cmd in the search box to search for Command Prompt.
3. Press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to run Command Prompt as an administrator.
4. Type in msconfig and press Enter.
5. Choose which services and programs you don’t need at startup and disable them.

However, be careful when disabling services at startup because some of them are crucial for Windows to run efficiently.

Method 5: Run the DISM Tool.

Windows 8 and Windows 10/11 systems are equipped with a built-in tool designed to repair Windows components, called the Deployment Image Servicing and Management or DISM utility. This will save you from installing third-party repair tools or even reinstalling Windows just to repair Windows files that have been damaged by viruses such as atieclxx.exe.

Follow the steps below to use the DISM tool:

1. Press the Windows key + Q.
2. Enter cmd in the search box to look for Command Prompt.
3. Hit Ctrl + Shift + Enter to run the app as an administrator.
4. Type in the following command: DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth.
5. Press Enter and wait for the process to finish.

Summary

The crucial part of dealing with atieclxx.exe is figuring out whether it is a legitimate Windows file or a virus. A lot of viruses imitate genuine Windows system files to infiltrate your computer, so you need to be able to differentiate between the two. Once you know what type of process it is, you can use the appropriate methods listed above to get rid of it.