How to fully remove Killer app bloatware from a Dell/Alienware?

[peppergomez]

Apparently this Killer app is bloatware that comes with Dell Alienware laptops. It's been interfering with my ability to run Capture One photo editor software even after I followed C1 tech support advice on adjusting settings in Killer, so I uninstalled the Killer app from within Windows. That didn't seem to work though because I'm still having problems using Capture One (its being blocked froj signing me in) and when I ran task manager I still see several instances of the Killer application running.I did a search on my machine for Killer aoo and nothing comes up. I want to remove this stupid software once and for all so it doesn't block legitimate programs from running.

Would total uninstall RCC cleaner accomplish this or can I do it without needing those? If so advice on how to don it within Windows would be great.


Thanks

 

[dbwillis]

find the Killer NIC in device manager, right click, remove and if theres a checkmark to remove driver/software, check that.
Check in Task manager / startup and see if anything is listed regarding Killer.. if there is, highlight and choose disable on the bottom.
Search the registry for what your seeing in task manager and remove those

 

[GotNoRice]

The very first thing I would have done after taking that laptop out of the box is a fresh install of Windows. A lot of the bloatware that comes installed on pre-built PCs these days is pretty terrible.

 

[peppergomez]

Thanks guys indeed it is.

that killer app showed up after I did a full reinstall of windows 11 I would've hoped that would have removed bloodware


Dbwillis Since I have already uninstalled the app do you think I'm gonna be able to see any trace of it anywhere other than if I do a registry check? I had assumed that removing it from the windows app manager would have removed all of it but obviously not.

 

[pendragon1]

The very first thing I would have done after taking that laptop out of the box is a fresh install of Windows. A lot of the bloatware that comes installed on pre-built PCs these days is pretty terrible.

this is the way

but you can also uninstall the app, uninstall the driver via device manager and then manually add it back if you want it and the killer app crap should be gone. ive had to so it a couple times at work, i didnt worry about the registry.

 

[scottypippin]

I can also agree, a fresh install (where you blow away all partitions, becaus dell likes to have a bunch of recovery partitions) is best. possibly, the driver/software came from one of these partitions unless you already did that?

If that wasn't the case, might be that the driver has additional "helper" software that was fetched by windows updates (I'm not 100% sure that could happen, but sometimes I wonder....). it is worth checking to make sure there is nothing left in your User > AppData > Local folder that belongs to the software. lots of software has been sticking its fingers in there lately. its easier to hunt down by going to task manager > details tab and then right click > go to file location if it is truly software.

 

[peppergomez]

Follow up question here I located the program files folder were all the killer apps and installed in. Would it be sufficient to delete this entire folder or should I be doing it through the registry or usig CCCleaner or something similar?

I'm assuming that killer is not a necessary app for windows I just don't understand how it got reinstalled when I did a full windows 11 wipe.

 

[MrGuvernment]

I can also agree, a fresh install (where you blow away all partitions, becaus dell likes to have a bunch of recovery partitions) is best. possibly, the driver/software came from one of these partitions unless you already did that?

If that wasn't the case, might be that the driver has additional "helper" software that was fetched by windows updates (I'm not 100% sure that could happen, but sometimes I wonder....). it is worth checking to make sure there is nothing left in your User > AppData > Local folder that belongs to the software. lots of software has been sticking its fingers in there lately. its easier to hunt down by going to task manager > details tab and then right click > go to file location if it is truly software.

No, it is MS and their updates, as MS has many 3rd party drivers and apps now, it pulls them down and auto installs this crap before you can stop it, does it with logitech stuff as well.

 

[peppergomez]

Reviving this old thread. I finally got around to trying to remove this Killer Network Service and cannot do so. It does not appear in the list of apps in Windows > Settings > Installed Apps, so I cannot uninstall it that way.
I launced Revo Uninstaller and it does not list Killer either in its list of apps in the Uninstaller tab or in the Windows Apps tab. So all the articles I read on this when googling how to uninstall it are incorrect b/c most of them tell users to remove it from the Windows > Installed Apps screen.

Doing a search in the Windows Installed Apps doesn't bring up anything, nor in Revo.

I am wanting to uninstall Killer b/c according to Capture One tech support, the app blocks Capture One from connecting to the internet to confirm my credentials when I launch the app. They're correct b/c when I manually stop the Killer apps from Windows taskbar, Capture One can connect and verify my credentials.

AFAIK Killer is bloatware that comes bundled in Dell/Alienware machines:

https://appuals.com/what-is-killer-network-service/


I have located the folder for it in Windows but don't want to just delete that entire folder in case I mess up anything in Windows and/or if that's not a clean way to uninstall the app. It's here:
C:\Windows\System32\drivers\RivetNetworks\Killer


Can anyone advise?

 

[That_Sound_Guy]

Does the program show in add/remove programs in the control panel menu? Sometimes things hide there and not in the apps list.

Can you disable the service in services.msc? I got an Alienware with the killer NIC in it and I am able to disable everything and function.