Windows may seem like a user-friendly operating system, but there’s a lot of goings on that happen inside the system that users are not aware of. These processes work together to provide a smooth and hassle-free experience to the user.
One of the processes often encountered by Windows users is the LMS.exe process. When you look at the running background processes under Task Manager, you might be wondering what LMS.exe and whether it is a virus or a legitimate process. Keep in mind that not all unfamiliar processes are malicious. You need to do your research before killing any of these processes because they might be necessary for the proper functioning of the Windows system.
This guide will discuss what the LMS.exe process is, what it does, and how you can safely remove it when it is causing errors.
What is LMS.exe?
LMS.exe is a legitimate Windows non-system process that is often installed together with Intel software. It is a software component of the Local Manageability Service, a main service of Intel’s active management technology. This piece of software is usually preinstalled to Windows computers that are equipped with Intel graphics cards.
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The LMS.exe executable file is located in any of these folders:
- C:\Program Files (x86)
- C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\LMS
- C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\AMT
All computers running Windows 10/11, 8, 7, and XP, have LMS.exe somewhere in the system. The LMS.exe file contains a machine code that executes the software Intel(R) Active Management Technology Local Manageability Service on your computer. Because of this, the executable file is loaded into the main memory (RAM) and runs in the background as a Local Manageability Service process.
LMS.exe is not a critical system file required for the system to operate. Windows won’t crash or freeze if the LMS.exe is not running, however, it is a necessary component for some of the apps, particularly those using the Intel graphics card. You can uninstall or remove the LMS.exe, but you need to follow a specific method to make sure that no other components are affected.
Is LMS.exe a Virus?
LMS.exe is a legitimate Windows file, but it is a common fact that most viruses and malware like to camouflage themselves as Windows processes to avoid detection.
When you see LMS.exe on your computer, you should also have Microsoft .NET Framework (2.0 or 3.5) installed on your device because these components are installed together. If the Microsoft .NET Framework is missing, then you might have a malware disguising as LMS.exe on your computer.
Another way to determine whether your LMS.exe process is malware or not is by looking at the file location. We’ve listed above the usual folders where you’ll find the LMS.exe executable file. When you right-click on the process in Task Manager, the folder that opens should either of the three legitimate locations. If the folder that opens is not on the list above, then you might be dealing with a malware infection here.
What Does LMS.exe Do?
Windows will work fine without the LMS.exe file, but Active Management Technology (AMT) capability will not. This process is tasked with listening for messages sent out by software applications that rely on dedicated IANA-registered port numbers, and then routes them to the AMT-ME using a separate processor on the motherboard. An AMT-supported computer is equipped with out-of-band (OOB) communication ability via the TCP/IP stack which is separate from the Windows software stack that supports remote diagnosis, repair, or isolation of the PC even when turned off.
If you’re experiencing an error with this file or the program associated with it, you need to uninstall the program first below safely deleting the LMS.exe file. We’ve listed down below the steps on how to properly uninstall the components of LMS.exe to make sure they don’t make a comeback.
If you are no longer using the Intel(R) Active Management Technology Local Manageability Service on your computer, you can choose to permanently remove this software and the LMS.exe file from your PC. To do this, launch the Run utility by pressing the Windows + R keys at the same time. Type in appwiz.cpl in the dialog box, then hit Enter. Look for the Intel(R) Active Management Technology Local Manageability Service from the list of installed programs. Click on it and choose Uninstall.
Once you have uninstalled the service, delete all the files associated with it by using a PC cleaner software. You can do this manually, but it will take a lot of time and you might miss some files.
However, if you suspect the LMS.exe is malicious, that’s a different story. You can use your anti-malware software to scan your computer and remove the detected malware using the app. If the malware manages to evade your antivirus scanning, you can use our malware removal guide below (insert malware removal guide) to completely get rid of it from your computer.
Summary
In most cases, LMS.exe is a legitimate file that is associated with the Intel Active Management Technology Local Manageability Service. This file used to be called UNS.exe in older versions of Intel. It is not a core Windows system file so there are no serious consequences if you delete it. Make sure you uninstall the Active Management Technology service first to avoid any issue.
However, just like any other Windows process, it is possible that the LMS.exe file has been infected by malware or it is actually malware that disguises as a Windows process. If this happens, you need to delete the malware immediately from your computer.