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Jimbo’s AC uninstall procedure (REVISED, RE-TESTED)

Jimbo93
Level 12
(10-22 Added additional info regarding version of armoury crate and how it may affect registry information.)
(11-19 added more info How to determine what steps you should follow)
(12-31-21 added a reference to a modified clean boot procedure.)

Jimbo's uninstall procedure for a problem free re-installation.

Before going any further, please check if AsusCertService, asComSvc, AsusUpdateCheck, AsusFanControlService are working. Go to your windows Event Log, Application Log, these Services should start up and log an Event 0 "The operation completed successfully." See below the task manager image details view for what this should look like, one image is with Armoury Crate installed and the other is after running the uninstall tool showing the Asus services left after running the uninstall tool. But if AsusCertService is hanging or not working properly then you need to follow all the steps in this thread. The only alternative to these steps would be a fresh windows install, or reset of windows might work. If you decide to reinstall windows or reset it, make sure you install all drivers from the hardware manufacturers before installing Armoury Crate. But if AsusCertService starts up and logs success right after login and the others I mention work as well, you shouldn't need to follow all the steps, only uninstall with the uninstall tool, then start at Step 10 "Get your system ready to install Armoury Crate". Check the rest of this thread especially troubleshooting Microsoft Store and resetting it, Firewall reset etc. The Armoury Crate Uninstall Tool is available for download from the Asus support website, look up your Armoury Crate supported device and go to download utilities page, show all downloads.

If you tried uninstalling and reinstalling Armoury Crate and it has not solved your problem, you can try what I call the clean boot uninstall method at post #30 in this thread or you can proceed to the next paragraph which requires much more work. The clean boot procedure is relatively easy might solve your problem as only microsoft software plus a few required asus services will be running and this might eliminate conflicts with misbehaving software. If the clean boot steps do not completely resolve your issues continue with the next paragraph. link to post 30 https://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?126019-Jimbo%92s-uninstall-procedure-for-a-problem-free-re...

If you have are having problems installing Armoury Crate and nothing has worked, you may need to do this. If you have already tried the uninstall tool and reinstalling and still no success, then follow this procedure to uninstall/remove the ATK software that there is no uninstaller for. I can't guarantee it will do the same for you, but it should be safe to try if you are willing. I do recommend you have a backup before proceeding. This is intended to resolve conflicts when your motherboard is not identified. Before you try this you should follow Asus recommended procedure.

A Recommended tool that I use below: Autoruns for Windows - Windows Sysinternals | Microsoft Docs https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/autoruns

1. (Optional): Disable startup apps from settings apps startup. Using System Configuration utility, disable non hardware related 3rd party services. Hide Microsoft services then sort by Manufacturer and if it is not from your hardware mfg, mb, gpu, other installed hardware, then disable. Leave
ASUS services enabled. Reboot.

2. Uninstall all Asus utility software especially AI Suite 3. Do not uninstall Asus drivers.

3. Download Armoury_Crate_Uninstall_Tool.zip from Asus. Right-click on the zip file, select properties, Unblock the file (select the checkbox to unblock). Unzip it. Run the Armoury Crate Uninstall Tool.exe and continue to reboot and run it until it succeeds/finishes. If after repeated attempts it still does not succeed, try the clean boot procedure I posted about later in this thread, it is post #30, stop before you reinstall ac and return here to step 4.

4. Now its time for the special manual cleaning steps. Using Autoruns (running as administrator) go to Everything tab and filter on asus, and right click on each Task Scheduler task and each service that was left over by Armoury Crate or AI Suite 3 and select delete, but wait, you do not need to remove the ArmouryLiveUpdate, and you do not need to remove AsusUpdateCheck, these are located in system32 directory and should cause you no problems. But the services that are located in c:\program files (x86)\ASUS\ need to be deleted. If you are not using AutoRuns you can delete the services the old fashioned way at an administrative command prompt with SC DELETE servicename. asComSvc, AsusCertService, AsusFanControlService. Use TASK SCHEDULER for tasks.

5. Reboot.

6. Open file explorer and navigate to c:\program files (x86)\ASUS\ and delete all the files and sub-folders there that were left. Also delete all files and subdirectories in c:\program files\ASUS\. Also delete all folders except SCD under C:\ProgramData\Asus (you need to show hidden items in file explorer).

7. Go back to Autoruns this time on the driver tab and right click-delete the following drivers: Asusgio2, Asusgio3.

8. REBOOT.

9. You took a backup of your system or registry right? Cause now its time to dive in to the registry. I used the following command in a normal powershell session to help determine registry entries to delete; reg.exe query HKLM /s /f ASUS. You might need to do some of this investigative work especially if your original version of armoury crate that was installed was much earlier than now. I was uninstalling version 4.2.5. Stick to the same part of the registry. I would stay away from hardware device/software device entries under enum branch.

Keys to delete in the registry for version 4.2.5:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\ASUS
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\AppID\{57854199-4fbc-4438-87c1-a0e9fa206a33}
LocalService REG_SZ AsusCertService
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\AppID\{BEBCB884-9C21-4117-B30B-CED03A72B50F}
LocalService REG_SZ AsusFanControlService
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\AsusFanControlService.FanControlManag.1
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\AsusFanControlService.FanControlManager
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\ASUSGCDriverInitialClient
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\ASUSGCDriverUpdateClient
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\AsusGCGridServiceSetup
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\AsusGpuTweak.GpuManager
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\AsusGpuTweak.GpuManager.1
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\atkexCom.axdata
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\atkexCom.axdata.1
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{0647D986-BD6B-48C9-B496-91E73A06F3BD}
(Default) REG_SZ AsusAuraAnimation.AuraAnimationVersion
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{1A9482E3-2C71-44DF-9012-A969577325B6}
(Default) REG_SZ AsusAuraAnimation.AudioAnalyzer
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{756E6C18-79CC-3842-9E47-7C80011D303A}
(Default) REG_SZ AsusAuraAnimation.AuraAnimation
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Interface\{4EBB095F-79F3-4D7A-B068-4151BEC1831C}
(Default) REG_SZ IAsusCertManager
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\TypeLib\{34AAD71E-0356-470C-94B7-593BE46311BB}\1.0\0\win32
(Default) REG_SZ C:\Program Files (x86)\ASUS\AXSP\4.02.08\atkexComSvc.exe
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\TypeLib\{490A72B6-EFC2-4742-A03A-4D5D3878AA5F}\1.0
(Default) REG_SZ AsusGpuTweakLib
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\TypeLib\{57854199-4FBC-4438-87C1-A0E9FA206A33}\1.0
(Default) REG_SZ AsusCertServiceLib
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\TypeLib\{DF5522FB-119C-428D-A62E-8BFE4A2FBC9B}\1.0
(Default) REG_SZ AsusFanControlService 1.0 Type Library
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\WOW6432Node\CLSID\{01863FDA-20F8-4B21-86E9-CF786BB65A11}
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\WOW6432Node\CLSID\{01863FDA-20F8-4B21-86E9-CF786BB65A11}\InprocServer32
(Default) REG_SZ C:\Program Files (x86)\ASUS\VGA COM\2.00.07\AsusGpuTweak.dll
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\WOW6432Node\CLSID\{14083C53-B8E7-48E4-9320-811F3478C4A4}
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\WOW6432Node\CLSID\{14083C53-B8E7-48E4-9320-811F3478C4A4}\LocalServer32
(Default) REG_SZ "C:\Program Files (x86)\ASUS\AsusFanControlService\2.01.07\AsusFanControlService.exe"
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\WOW6432Node\CLSID\{2627F8BE-4482-4081-BC62-8A12CA24BDF8}\LocalServer32
(Default) REG_SZ "C:\Program Files (x86)\ASUS\AXSP\4.02.08\atkexComSvc.exe"
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\WOW6432Node\CLSID\{419132B2-9160-4A00-B9AF-53A1AAC39979}\InprocServer32
(Default) REG_SZ C:\Program Files (x86)\ASUS\VGA COM\2.00.07\AsusGpuTweak.dll
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\WOW6432Node\CLSID\{5E1D4F83-A98E-479D-8885-722BF582D10F}\InprocServer32
(Default) REG_SZ C:\Program Files (x86)\ASUS\VGA COM\2.00.07\AsusGpuTweak.dll
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\WOW6432Node\CLSID\{A9B42DD5-AF51-4C7D-8A5D-8170D9D6459F}\InprocServer32
(Default) REG_SZ C:\Program Files (x86)\ASUS\VGA COM\2.00.07\AsusGpuTweak.dll
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\WOW6432Node\CLSID\{BC50CF2A-E12C-4F18-90CE-714CC8600CEE}\LocalServer32
(Default) REG_SZ "C:\Program Files (x86)\ASUS\AXSP\4.02.08\atkexComSvc.exe"
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\WOW6432Node\CLSID\{C4B81F84-F6AD-48EB-B7FA-018E29F7789E}\InprocServer32
(Default) REG_SZ C:\Program Files (x86)\ASUS\VGA COM\2.00.07\AsusGpuTweak.dll
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\WOW6432Node\CLSID\{E9D3416A-9634-452B-8566-365F085102D2}\InprocServer32
(Default) REG_SZ C:\Program Files (x86)\ASUS\VGA COM\2.00.07\AsusGpuTweak.dll
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\WOW6432Node\CLSID\{ECE726C5-024B-4141-84CD-58B1C3DBB91B}\InprocServer32
(Default) REG_SZ C:\Program Files (x86)\ASUS\VGA COM\2.00.07\AsusGpuTweak.dll
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\WOW6432Node\CLSID\{ED16E2E2-25ED-4297-9575-839FF0AF86D6}\InprocServer32
(Default) REG_SZ C:\Program Files (x86)\ASUS\VGA COM\2.00.07\AsusGpuTweak.dll
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\WOW6432Node\CLSID\{facea3dd-fc30-43dc-98ba-ac9b32edaf44}
(Default) REG_SZ AsusCertManager class
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\WOW6432Node\Interface\{4EBB095F-79F3-4D7A-B068-4151BEC1831C}
(Default) REG_SZ IAsusCertManager
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Shared Tools\MSConfig\services\asus
asus REG_DWORD 0x2
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Shared Tools\MSConfig\services\AsusFanControlService
AsusFanControlService REG_DWORD 0x2
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Shared Tools\MSConfig\services\asusm
asusm REG_DWORD 0x3
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Shared Tools\MSConfig\services\AsusROGLSLService
AsusROGLSLService REG_DWORD 0x2

****Check the above registry key for other asus services here that you uninstalled or deleted, might be a few, should be safe to delete.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\Setup.exe
Path REG_SZ C:\Program Files (x86)\ASUS\ArmouryDevice\dll\MouseSDK
(Default) REG_SZ C:\Program Files (x86)\ASUS\ArmouryDevice\dll\MouseSDK\Setup.exe
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\ASUS

10. OPTIONAL but recommended.
To get your system ready for the resinstall of AC:

dism /online /cleanup-image /scanhealth (or if you prefer you can use /restorehealth)
perform a reboot
sfc /scannow
reboot again

Reinstall ASUS recommended drivers for your motherboard and graphics adapter card. For motherboard drivers if you have a pretty new motherboard, then the drivers that shipped with your system on a dvd are the best place to start and the dvd has a utility to detect and install all your drivers. Alternatively, download the individual drivers from Asus Support page. If your system is over 2 years old, I recommend you see Mokichus driver threads, in there are instructions you need and the very latest drivers.

Retore firewall settings to default in Windows Security Settings, Firewall.
Cleanup Temporary files
Another step that could be thrown in but probably only if problems persist. Delete the contents of the Windows\prefetch folder. When I do this on rare occasions I do it from safe mode. Deleting the prefetch .pf files and other content in windows/prefetch can have minor undesirable effects, but sometimes I find it necessary. You can also force windows to run a full maintenance cycle which can be very helpful. Set the the computer not to sleep, go to security and maintenance, start maintenance.

11. Don't forget to re-enable stuff you temporarily disabled in step 1 and 2, but it can wait till after the re-installation of Armoury Crate. Re-install latest asus utility issued for your hardware.

12. One last suggestion. If you tried it and it sort of worked but still some functionality missing or broke, I think running the uninstall tool followed right after by a reinstall would pretty much resolve it.

13.Adding a tip that was posted by another member. And that is to check your Microsoft VC++ Libs. Might be a good idea to check for updates, or even to repair the installations. One procedure I saw and used is to remove them all followed by a dism /online /cleanup-image /startcomponentcleanup and then reinstall them. and Here is a link to an all in one installer for VC++ Libs from 2005 to 2015-2022 that I recently installed. Works fine so far and they are signed by MS. https://www.techpowerup.com/download/visual-c-redistributable-runtime-package-all-in-one/

Questions or results? Please let me know. Good Luck.
(test)
9,948 Views
58 REPLIES 58

andjayik
Level 10
if i got to do all this just to remove i will never install it in the first palce.

andjayik wrote:
if i got to do all this just to remove i will never install it in the first palce.


To run through it following the instructions? Less than an hour. Took more time to figure out and write it. To each his own or something like that.

Peyman1354
Level 8
i get the Error when i Use the Armour y Crate uninstall tool and fail to fully uninstall.any advise?

also adding this thread reference as sometimes you will end up with armory crate not seeing any devices at all after reinstall. The steps here fix that.

https://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?123217-Here-comes-a-very-usefuel-tip-for-armoury-crate-rei...

dottat wrote:
also adding this thread reference as sometimes you will end up with armory crate not seeing any devices at all after reinstall. The steps here fix that.

https://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?123217-Here-comes-a-very-usefuel-tip-for-armoury-crate-rei...


Thank you. I will incorporate that into my procedure.

Peyman1354 wrote:
i get the Error when i Use the Armour y Crate uninstall tool and fail to fully uninstall.any advise?


ok, there is something I included in the instructions, have you already tried what it said there?

I will not be able to reply till this evening.

Also I want to add some more registry instructions. Advise you wait for that. Be back later, cheers.Â*

Peyman1354
Level 8
none of this worked for me,my ac uninstaller always fail in the middle.tnx for ur time to post.

Peyman1354 wrote:
none of this worked for me,my ac uninstaller always fail in the middle.tnx for ur time to post.


Sorry to hear that. It seems like some manual steps will be necessary if you are to be able to uninstall it.

I still want to do a version 2 of this procedure with more certain info on the registry. So... I am going to uninstall a perfectly (for the most part) working installation of AC and AI Suite 3. Kind of like jumping out of a perfectly good airplane, lol. Then I will retrace all my steps in the registry, there are some other ones I think I need to add.

BigJohnny
Level 13
And this is why I don't run ASUS Software.......