What is HPDriver.exe?

Sometimes, and quite unexpectedly, your computer might slow down or crash due to certain processes. One such process is called HPDriver.exe. It is not associated with any particular software package that you may be familiar with, and it generally causes issues on your PC.

Is HPDriver.exe a Legitimate File?

HPDriver.exe is a cryptominer that will use your computer’s computing resources to mine the digital currency Monero. Computers that are infected by the malware experience a slow performance, overheating, and unresponsiveness. HPDriver.exe can be found in in the %Temp% folder.

Because the file uses most, if not all, the computing power available on your PC without letting up, it might shorten the lifespan of your computer or damage physical components, such as hard drives and the cooling fan due to the resulting overheating.

You might be asking yourself how was HPDriver.exe installed on my computer? There is no simple answer to this question, but it is likely that you were a victim of a phishing campaign or that you visited an uinsecure site as those are the two most common ways that hackers use to spread the malware around.

Signs That Your Computer is Infected by the HPDriver.exe Cryptominer

How do you tell if your computer is infected by the HPDriver.exe Cryptominer? The only way to tell if your computer is infected by the HPDrive.exe is to be on the lookout for certain symptoms, such as:

• The existence of a process called HPDriver.exe with the name HP Print Driver on your computer. You can find this process under the Processes tab in the Task Manager This process will show at the top of the Processes tab because it takes almost 100% of the computing resources.
• A general slowness of your computer that is characterized by failure of programs to launch quickly, a slow Windows startup, and games running slower.

How to Remove HPDriver.exe

You can remove the HPDriver.exe process through a number of ways, but one of the most reliable methods is by using a robust anti-malware solution, such as Outbyte Antivirus. The antivirus will scan your PC, isolate and get rid of the offending program. It will also keep vigilance so that the next time the HPDriver.exe malware attempts to infiltrate your computer, it won’t get anywhere.

You might also want to consider purchasing a PC repair tool as that way, it will be easier to monitor the performance of your computer. The PC repair tool will also get rid of any junk files, and in the process, get rid of the hiding places used by malware.

If using an anti-malware to get rid of the cryptominer is not a workable solution for you, there are still other ways to get the program off your computer for good. Here are a few of these:

Using the Task Manager to Delete the HPDriver.exe Process

The Windows Task Manager is a handy tool that shows all the processes that are currently running on your computer. You can use it to quit any processes or to locate a file that needs to be removed. The following are the steps to take:

1. On the Windows search box, type ‘task manager’. Alternatively, press the Ctrl, Alt and Delete keys.
2. On the Task Manager app, go to the Processes tab and look for a process called HP Print Driver.
3. Right-click on this process to open the file location. Right-click again, this time choose End task.
4. Go to the file location and delete the folder behind the process.

System Restore

System Restore is a Windows process that reverts any changes to your computer’s settings, apps and system files past a certain restore point. It is a very handy recovery tool because it allows you to get your computer working again without the need to take drastic actions such as resetting it.

Here is how to use System Restore on a Windows 10/11 computer:

1. On the windows search box, type “create a restore point”. Click on the first result of the search. It should get you to the System Properties app.
2. On the System Properties app, go to the System Protection tab and click System Restore.
3. Choose a restore point from the list of restore points available on your computer.
4. Follow the on-screen directions to complete the process.

For the System Restore process to be an effective remedy against the malware that you want to remove, you must choose a restore point that was created before the infection took hold.

Start Your Computer in Safe Mode

If you really can’t get things done on your computer because of an aggressive cryptominer such as HPDrive.exe, there is always the option of starting your PC in Safe Mode.

Safe Mode is a barebones version of the Windows OS in which only defaults apps and settings are available. Once in Safe Mode, you can either choose to use your computer that way, i.e. safe mode with networking, or remove problematic apps with the help of the Control Panel.

Here is how to get to your computer to Safe Mode:

1. Press the Windows Start button and go to Settings.
2. Select Update & Security > Recovery.
3. Under Advanced startup, select Restart now.
4. Your computer will restart under the Choose an Option Select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup settings > Restart.
5. Once your computer restarts, press the F4 key to boot your PC into safe mode. For Safe Mode with Networking, press the F5 key.

Hopefully, this article has answered your questions about HPDriver.exe. If you have any questions, suggestions or comments please feel free to use the comment section below.