Those users who use Realtek HD audio drivers may notice a process called rthdcpl.exe in the Task Manager, and RTHSCPL in startup. But few people know why it is needed at all in the system and for what functions it is responsible. This article will tell you not only what kind of process is rthdcpl.exe, but also explains how to remove the virus hiding under it. Read the article to the end to find out all the nuances.
What is rthdcpl.exe
First we find out why this process is installed in the system. And it is necessary only for one thing - for the implementation of flexible sound settings. It is installed together with audio drivers from Realtek. It is an executable file of the Realtek HD Audio Control Panel application, the icon of which you can see on the taskbar or in the system tray. The program starts automatically, as it is in the list of startups. It is not systemic, therefore, it affects the operation of the OS indirectly.
File specifications
We already know that rthdcpl.exe is the process responsible for starting and running Realtek HD. Let's talk about the characteristics of the file. They are as follows:
- Size is about 13,189,670 bytes.
- Hazard rating - 11% (very low).
- The location in the system is C: \ Windows \.
This data will be enough to understand whether the rthdcpl.exe file is real, or whether a virus is hidden under its name. But we will talk about malicious programs a little later, now we will touch on the question of whether this process can be turned off.
How to disable the process
Many users, to improve the performance of their operating system and get rid of freezes, disable the execution of some processes in the system. Let's see if rthdcpl.exe can be completed and how to do it.
You can disable the process - it will not cause any critical errors. Drawing the conclusion from the above, after that, you just close the Realtek HD application, and you can not configure the sound. If you still decide to disable it, then you need to do the following:
- Press Win + R.
- In the window that opens, enter msconfig.
- Click OK.
- Go to "Startup".
- Uncheck the RTHSCPL file.
- Apply the changes.
After that, it will not start automatically when the system starts.
How to remove a virus
We found that rthdcpl.exe is a process under the name of which a virus can hide. Now it will be told how to detect and remove it.
Firstly, you need to look for it in the task manager. In theory, you will have two rthdcpl.exe processes. Find them and open the location one by one by clicking RMB and selecting "Open file storage location". The file that will be in the Windows folder is genuine, the other is a virus. Just delete it.
Conclusion
So we found out that rthdcpl.exe is a process that allows you to configure the sound settings in the system. Also now you know how to disable it and how to remove the virus.