atieclxx.exe | Part of AMD External Events

The atieclxx.exe file is found on AMD-run computers is usually safe. It is used to improve graphics card performance and hence, normally, should not be removed.

However some malware writers take advantage of this by naming their virus, trojan or spyware ‘atieclxx.exe’. Care still needs to be taken to ensure the file is legitimate. We show you how…


What Is atieclxx.exe?

Atieclxx.exe is a legitimate executable file process that is part of AMD External Events and manages the ATI hotkey feature on your Windows Operating System. Let us break this down a little.

The ATI graphics cards driver, which is a piece of software that helps your graphics card hardware communicate with the operating system, installs an application called AMD External Events Service Module.

This module then installs the atieclexx.exe executable file, whose function it is to improve graphics card performance. The average file size of this executable file is 464.52 KB, but it can be up to 1MB.

Your computer can execute the file at startup which is why it’s common to see it lurking in your task manager. Executable files, such as atieclxx.exe, contain step by step instructions and will execute these instructions when run.


Is atieclxx.exe Safe?

If your computer is running a legitimate form of atieclxx.exe then it is safe.

Is atieclxx.Exe Safe?

People often confuse atieclxx.exe for a virus because they see it running in their task manager and sometimes it will refuse to terminate. 

It’s also worth noting that while atieclxx.exe isn’t a native Windows system file, it is Microsoft-signed and has a low threat security rating of 17%.


When Is It Not Safe?

However, there are situations where the atieclxx.exe file isn’t safe. Hackers will often disguise a virus as a benign executable file like ateclxx.exe so it can fly under the radar and execute malicious code.

Additionally, viruses on your system can replace, corrupt, and infect legitimate executable files which will cause performance issues. Atieclxx.exe viruses belong to the trojan category and can be highly destructive by deactivating your computer’s security systems and installing malware such as keyloggers, spyware, adware, and more.

There are a couple of ways you can determine whether yours is a virus.

Firstly, the legitimate form of the file will be located in the C:\Windows\System32 or the C:\Program Files folders.

Secondly, if you have no ATI hardware on your computer, then there’s no reason for the file to be running and it could mean your computer is infected.

Even legitimate executable files can have errors. Reported atieclxx.exe problems are flickering graphics in games, lag, and app crashes.


How to Disable or Remove The AMD External Events Utility

If you think you may have a legitimate version of the file but it’s still causing you problems, you may want to disable it. Just be aware that it may cause unexpected performance issues if your computer is using the file legitimately. You can disable AMD External Events utility by following these steps:

  1. Click Start, and in the search box type services.msc
  2. Click on Service Manager
  3. Locate AMD External Events Utility and right click to bring up a list of options. Choose Properties.
  4. Select Stop, and then choose Disabled which will be an option under Startup Type. atieclxx.exe will no longer launch during startup.
  5. Click Apply, and then Ok.

You should then restart your computer to check this has worked. If it hasn’t then there’s a strong possibility you have a virus.

If you want to delete the file altogether you can do so by typing atieclxx.exe into the search window and right click on the program and select Uninstall.

If this doesn’t work then you need to locate all instances of atieclxx.exe in task manager Processes pane, and select delete. If you think you have wrongly deleted the file, you can find the latest version of the file on AMD’s website and it is free to download.



Featured Posts