Hot Take ─ Armoury Crate

[alphamachine]

Okay, so.. real HOT TAKE here─I know─but this software is pure garbage. Not that unrefined garbage you get over at MSI or Gigabyte, but the real deal, dead-rat-in-a-Tupperware-container-full-of-old-Chinese-takeout-at-a-landfill, PURE GARBAGE!! Your software alone makes me truly regret ever buying an ASUS motherboard.

The software as of yesterday tried to update on its own, but gave an "update failed" error. Now it's fighting my fan controls from AI Suite, and every time I boot my system up, my lights go to full brightness and fans to 100%. I had everything working perfectly before you so kindly pushed your update, but only after having to do fresh install of Windows 10 to get your junk software to work properly in the first place, and now you just had to go and push this seemingly untested bloatware, screwing things up all over again.

I'm on the verge of selling this motherboard and going back to Gigabyte─not that their software is much better. But it is better..

All I want is the previous version of Armoury Crate so that it can run in the background and keep my lighting the way I want it, and so I never have to touch it or worry about it again. Let's just be clear─I don't want to use your software. I don't want all of your bloated junk running in the background on my system. It's ridiculous. Armoury Crate installs a dozen or more pieces of software, drivers and services just on the off chance that you might end up using it.

Explain it to me, but why do I need your microphone noise cancelation service running in the background with no option to remove or disable it? Or, more importantly, the only option to disable it being to edit Windows task scheduler and services.msc? Why do I need a service tasked in the scheduler to run in the background every day, when it's sole purpose is to be there for an ASUS mouse that I do not use, much less even own? Why? Whhyy? There's drivers and software running in the background for a dozen things that I don't even have installed in my system.

It's ridiculous, and there's got to be a better way to go about all of this. Something concise, purposeful and well-executed. Something slim that comes with the option of adding on modules, as needed. But NOT this monstrosity that has everything under the sun thrown in for good measure with no way for the end user─the MOST IMPORTANT PERSON IN THIS ENTIRE TRANSACTION─to only use what they need, and have the option to forego everything else. It's bloatware, ASUS. You're forcing people who spend hundreds, maybe even thousands of dollars with you to use what most people I know would define as Pure Garbage™.

And on top of all of this, trying to properly and fully uninstall Armoury Crate to where the massive amount of bloatware running in the background is fully and truly gone is like pulling weeds, or a game of whack-a-mole. The only way to get rid of this garbage once it has infected your system out is to reinstall Windows. And even then, when you think you've finally woken up from this never-ending nightmare, you can't boot into your fresh copy of Windows without Pure Garbage™ trying to automatically install from the motherboard. Ahhhhhhhhh!!! No!

I really feel for the programmers at ASUS. Those guys probably go through hell trying to keep up with your ridiculous product launch schedules, and likely never have time to properly engineer your software suites to work across the stupid amount of products you come out with every year for no other reason than to saturate the market in hopes that someone might buy your variant of the next new chipset or series.

I'm just... done.

[alphamachine]

Wait. No I'm not.. I still have to use this motherboard..

I reverted back to yesterday, before V4.1.6.0 was pushed to my system with System Restore. Everything seems to be in perfect working order again. To disable updates and make sure I'm not blindsided by this crap again (if I EVER want to update this software again, it'll be a manual uninstall/installation, because ASUS obviously can't be trusted to properly test their products before releasing them to the public)

These are changes that I made to my system as a 20 year computer technician and computer network specialist. These are changes that, so far (one day in), work for me, in my specific situation, with my specific hardware and software configuration. I'm merely sharing what has worked for me, but am by no means telling you to do the same. If you apply these settings to your system, you do so at your own risk.

Disclaimer aside, this won't fix your crap after Pure Garbage™ has already gone haywire in your system and started causing issues. It'll only work to keep a version that you already have working in that same working condition. Hopefully. Unless ASUS has some trick up their sleeve to re-enable all of this crap in the background. I guess we'll see!

─ Go to Search and type Task Scheduler
> Left panel: select Task Scheduler Library to expand the tree.
> Select ASUS ─ I've disabled a number of services and background tasks that aren't needed on my system:
• AcPowerNotification ─ this is for laptops and other mobile devices running Windows. I don't need this running on my desktop system.
• GpuFanHelper ─ this does nothing on my system, as my GPU is controlled by another crap piece of software called EVGA Precision X1.
• NoiseCancelingEngine.exe ─ runs in the background making changes to my microphone settings, with no clear way to turn it off
• P508PowerAgent_sdk ─ this is for ASUS' P508 gaming mouse! I use a Logitech mouse! WHY IS IT RUNNING ON MY SYSTEM?!
• ASUSUpdateTaskMachineCore ─ disabled for obvious reasons.
• ASUSUpdateTaskMachineUA ─ again.. disabled.

─ Now close the Task Schedular, and then press Windows Key+R
> Type services.msc into the Run box
> You're looking for three services here to both Stop and Disable:
• ASUS Update Service (asus)
• ASUS Update Service (asusm)
• ASUSUpdateCheck
> Right-click on each Service and select Properties
• Select Stop
• From the Startup Type drop-down, select Disabled

[BigJohnny]

Well I am done. Ive messed with this to no end and it just never works right and just when you think you have it then it goes fubar again within 24 hours. Ditched it and went all Corsair peripherals. The MOBO syncs with Ique so the only thing I cant synch is my PG35VQ monitor, so its set to static profile in the monitor set up. GPUs have Heatkiller waterblocks on them that also synch with Ique. Tossed ASUS core keyboard and spatha mouse in the trash where they belong. Friggin mouse wont go 24 hours without needing a recharge. Went to corsair K100 keyboard and Dark core pro RGB mouse and couldnt be happier. They work as they should and the battery in the mouse actually lasts for several days which still doesnt compete with my trusty Logitech MX master that will go for a month between charges.

ASUS hardware as far as MOBOs go are awesome although it generally takes a few BIOS updates after release to get the bugs out. Monitors are great too as long as you dont play from the cheap seats. the rest.......pffffft!!!!

Dont use Armory Crate and dang sure dont use AI Suite. Corsair takes care of the lighting and aqua computer takes care of fans and pumps.

Look though the forum, most of the gripes are about armory crate and AI Suite.

[alphamachine]

BigJohnny wrote:
Well I am done. Ive messed with this to no end and it just never works right and just when you think you have it then it goes fubar again within 24 hours. Ditched it and went all Corsair peripherals. The MOBO syncs with Ique so the only thing I cant synch is my PG35VQ monitor, so its set to static profile in the monitor set up. GPUs have Heatkiller waterblocks on them that also synch with Ique. Tossed ASUS core keyboard and spatha mouse in the trash where they belong. Friggin mouse wont go 24 hours without needing a recharge. Went to corsair K100 keyboard and Dark core pro RGB mouse and couldnt be happier. They work as they should and the battery in the mouse actually lasts for several days which still doesnt compete with my trusty Logitech MX master that will go for a month between charges.

ASUS hardware as far as MOBOs go are awesome although it generally takes a few BIOS updates after release to get the bugs out. Monitors are great too as long as you dont play from the cheap seats. the rest.......pffffft!!!!

Dont use Armory Crate and dang sure dont use AI Suite. Corsair takes care of the lighting and aqua computer takes care of fans and pumps.

Look though the forum, most of the gripes are about armory crate and AI Suite.

I've actually never had issues with AI Suite, but now that ASUS is incorporating some semblance of "fan control" into Armoury Crate, I'm at a loss as to what they're thinking. I think I'm just going to reinstall Windows 10 again, and go with something like OpenRGB and/or JackNet to control my lights, and just never put Armoury Crate on my system again.

[andjayik]

I just don't understand why people keep using this crap if it doesn't work and causes problems. I tried it once and never again. I just want something easy to operate my rgb and have it stay on the colours i want!! Is it that hard to do?

[alphamachine]

andjayik wrote:
I just don't understand why people keep using this crap if it doesn't work and causes problems. I tried it once and never again. I just want something easy to operate my rgb and have it stay on the colours i want!! Is it that hard to do?

Exactly. I didn't know I had any other choice to control my RGB lights until I realized Corsair iCUE (actually well made software that updates without corrupting itself) will control all of the lights in my system with no issues, including those on my motherboard and case, so I don't really even need this Armoury Crate nightmare software anymore. I'm just scared to try uninstalling it, because it hooks itself so deeply into Windows 10, that you really need to reinstall fresh to fully get rid of it.

If a software suite installs so much bloat and entangles itself within your OS so completely as to need a separate utility specifically for removing all of the garbage, because the built-in Windows uninstall feature won't work, then there's SOMETHING WRONG WITH THAT. Good lord. And this other guy up here has the nerve to defend this crap. ^

The worst thing ASUS can do is discontinue updates for Aura Sync. The option for users to continue using that small piece of software, I believe, is paramount to anyone who knows better being willing to purchase an ASUS motherboard ever again. I know I never will, solely because of Armoury Crate.

[andjayik]

That't the only thing that kinda works for me is iCUE and aura sync together with a plug in for my corsair keyboard, mouse and some of the rgb fans, even though the front fans never keep the original colour i select!!

[Zion_One-Eyed]

this is your thought, for me armoury crate has always worked perfectly, you can't use armoury without all rog, it works badly if you don't have all rog, it has always been like this

[alphamachine]

Zion_One-Eyed wrote:
this is your thought, for me armoury crate has always worked perfectly, you can't use armoury without all rog, it works badly if you don't have all rog, it has always been like this

Do you realize how ridiculous you sound? "You can't use Armoury without all ROG" That's the most ridiculous sh*t I've ever heard in my life. First, you tell me "This is your thought" like Armoury Crate isn't a piece of sh*t, and then you proceed to agree that IT IS, indeed, a piece of sh*t if you aren't using "ALL ROG COMPONENTS"

O m g.. I'm in the Twilight Zone. This can't be real.

Tell me then, what software does one use to control their lights when they have (like most normal people who buy an ASUS product) only an ASUS motherboard in their system? Because Aura Sync has been discontinued by this company in favor of FORCING their customers to go with this unreliable, buggy mess of a software suite. So in that case, then no, it is not just "my thought" as to why this software is a worthless POS.

[Zion_One-Eyed]

alphamachine wrote:
Do you realize how ridiculous you sound? "You can't use Armoury without all ROG" That's the most ridiculous sh*t I've ever heard in my life. First, you tell me "This is your thought" like Armoury Crate isn't a piece of sh*t, and then you proceed to agree that IT IS, indeed, a piece of sh*t if you aren't using "ALL ROG COMPONENTS"

O m g.. I'm in the Twilight Zone. This can't be real.

Tell me then, what software does one use to control their lights when they have (like most normal people who buy an ASUS product) only an ASUS motherboard in their system? Because Aura Sync has been discontinued by this company in favor of FORCING their customers to go with this unreliable, buggy mess of a software suite. So in that case, then no, it is not just "my thought" as to why this software is a worthless POS.

you buy a thing of one brand, a thing of the other and you expect it to work without problems?
then uninstall and stop complaining..