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Everytime I restart Windows 10 after it updated itself (without asking me first), it installs the Nahimic service (C:\WINDOWS\system32\NahimicService.exe) and the corresponding Nahimic companion (useless app). But I neither need the Nahimic service (because Realtek Audio already takes care of my audio) nor the Nahimic companion (which is just annoying) and I want them gone from my system.

  1. Is it possible to cleanly uninstall Nahimic service and Nahimic companion?

Most articles I found online just remove the Nahimic companion and ignore the Nahimic service altogether, and the articles about the Nahimic service don't tell me how to get rid of it (other than just disabling it in services.exe). But I like to properly uninstall the Nahimic service, because if I can disable it over long periods of time without noticing any problems, I don't need it installed in the first place. Neither the Nahimic companion nor the Nahimic service appear in my "Apps and Features" list or in my "Uninstall or change programs" list, so uninstalling them this way does not work, which leads me to my next question:

  1. Is there a proper uninstaller(s) for the Nahimic service and/or Nahimic companion or do I have to remove their files manually (and hope for the best)?

And last but not least, since these annoyances return to my system with every single update:

  1. Is it possible to deny Windows Update the installation/activation of Nahimic service/companion?

EDIT 1: @Andrew Morton brought my attention to the MSI article on installing Realtek Audio. After checking some things on my system, it turned out that I'm not using Intel HD Audio (as I said in the previous version of this question), but Realtek Audio which Nahimic seems to be related to. However, I know for a fact that I didn't have Nahimic installed when I first set up my system (there is a Realtek audio driver and no Nahimic software on my system after restoring to the point just after the installation of Windows). And when I run the Windows update from there I get Nahimic back.

And to answer @Andrew Morton's question about whether this article still applies: No, it uninstalls Nahimic via "Apps and Features" where Nahimic doesn't show up for me. I can delete the A-Volute.Nahimic folder (step B), but I don't know whether this is problematic when doing so without first doing step A (which I can't do).

EDIT 2: Here is the process list @Ramhound asked for. It is a dump from Process Explorer with some entries removed (applications like Steam, Discord, etc.). Nahimic doesn't appear in this list, because I terminated and disabled it.

Process                                    User Name                      Path
Registry                                   NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM
System Idle Process                        NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM
System                                     NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM
 Interrupts
 smss.exe                                  NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\smss.exe
 Memory Compression                        NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM
csrss.exe                                  NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\csrss.exe
wininit.exe                                NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\wininit.exe
 services.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\services.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
   dllhost.exe                             NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\dllhost.exe
   WmiPrvSE.exe                            NT-AUTHORITY\Netzwerkdienst    C:\Windows\SysWOW64\wbem\WmiPrvSE.exe
   StartMenuExperienceHost.exe             MYCOMPUTER\MyUser              C:\Windows\SystemApps\Microsoft.Windows.StartMenuExperienceHost_cw5n1h2txyewy\StartMenuExperienceHost.exe
   RuntimeBroker.exe                       MYCOMPUTER\MyUser              C:\Windows\System32\RuntimeBroker.exe
   SearchApp.exe                           MYCOMPUTER\MyUser              C:\Windows\SystemApps\Microsoft.Windows.Search_cw5n1h2txyewy\SearchApp.exe
   RuntimeBroker.exe                       MYCOMPUTER\MyUser              C:\Windows\System32\RuntimeBroker.exe
   SettingSyncHost.exe                     MYCOMPUTER\MyUser              C:\Windows\System32\SettingSyncHost.exe
   LockApp.exe                             MYCOMPUTER\MyUser              C:\Windows\SystemApps\Microsoft.LockApp_cw5n1h2txyewy\LockApp.exe
   RuntimeBroker.exe                       MYCOMPUTER\MyUser              C:\Windows\System32\RuntimeBroker.exe
   RuntimeBroker.exe                       MYCOMPUTER\MyUser              C:\Windows\System32\RuntimeBroker.exe
   IGCC.exe                                MYCOMPUTER\MyUser              C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\AppUp.IntelGraphicsExperience_1.100.3282.0_x64__8j3eq9eme6ctt\IGCC.exe
   TextInputHost.exe                       MYCOMPUTER\MyUser              C:\Windows\SystemApps\MicrosoftWindows.Client.CBS_cw5n1h2txyewy\InputApp\TextInputHost.exe
   ShellExperienceHost.exe                 MYCOMPUTER\MyUser              C:\Windows\SystemApps\ShellExperienceHost_cw5n1h2txyewy\ShellExperienceHost.exe
   RuntimeBroker.exe                       MYCOMPUTER\MyUser              C:\Windows\System32\RuntimeBroker.exe
   dllhost.exe                             MYCOMPUTER\MyUser              C:\Windows\System32\dllhost.exe
   CompPkgSrv.exe                          MYCOMPUTER\MyUser              C:\Windows\System32\CompPkgSrv.exe
   ApplicationFrameHost.exe                MYCOMPUTER\MyUser              C:\Windows\System32\ApplicationFrameHost.exe
   DataExchangeHost.exe                    MYCOMPUTER\MyUser              C:\Windows\System32\DataExchangeHost.exe
   dllhost.exe                             MYCOMPUTER\MyUser              C:\Windows\System32\dllhost.exe
   dllhost.exe                             MYCOMPUTER\MyUser              C:\Windows\System32\dllhost.exe
   MoUsoCoreWorker.exe                     NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\mousocoreworker.exe
   RuntimeBroker.exe                       MYCOMPUTER\MyUser              C:\Windows\System32\RuntimeBroker.exe
   WmiPrvSE.exe                            NT-AUTHORITY\Netzwerkdienst    C:\Windows\System32\wbem\WmiPrvSE.exe
   smartscreen.exe                         MYCOMPUTER\MyUser              C:\Windows\System32\smartscreen.exe
   WmiPrvSE.exe                            NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\wbem\WmiPrvSE.exe
   WmiPrvSE.exe                            NT-AUTHORITY\Netzwerkdienst    C:\Windows\System32\wbem\WmiPrvSE.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\Netzwerkdienst    C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\Lokaler Dienst    C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
   taskhostw.exe                           MYCOMPUTER\MyUser              C:\Windows\System32\taskhostw.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\Lokaler Dienst    C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  IntelCpHDCPSvc.exe                       NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\iigd_dch.inf_amd64_a086f01cc7be643a\IntelCpHDCPSvc.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
   sihost.exe                              MYCOMPUTER\MyUser              C:\Windows\System32\sihost.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\Lokaler Dienst    C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  IntelCpHeciSvc.exe                       NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\iigd_dch.inf_amd64_a086f01cc7be643a\IntelCpHeciSvc.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\Lokaler Dienst    C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  SynTPEnhService.exe                      NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\SynTPEnhService.exe
   SynTPEnh.exe                            MYCOMPUTER\MyUser              C:\Windows\System32\SynTPEnh.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\Lokaler Dienst    C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\Netzwerkdienst    C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\Lokaler Dienst    C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  NVDisplay.Container.exe                  NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\nvmii.inf_amd64_037d8ea2ead1015e\Display.NvContainer\NVDisplay.Container.exe
   NVDisplay.Container.exe                 NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\nvmii.inf_amd64_037d8ea2ead1015e\Display.NvContainer\NVDisplay.Container.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\Lokaler Dienst    C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\Lokaler Dienst    C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  igfxCUIService.exe                       NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\cui_dch.inf_amd64_b8e01d9e8716d2a7\igfxCUIService.exe
   igfxEM.exe                              MYCOMPUTER\MyUser              C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\cui_dch.inf_amd64_b8e01d9e8716d2a7\igfxEM.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\Lokaler Dienst    C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\Lokaler Dienst    C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\Netzwerkdienst    C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\Lokaler Dienst    C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
   audiodg.exe                             NT-AUTHORITY\Lokaler Dienst    C:\Windows\System32\audiodg.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\Lokaler Dienst    C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\Lokaler Dienst    C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
   wlanext.exe                             NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\wlanext.exe
    conhost.exe                            NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\conhost.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  spoolsv.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\spoolsv.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\Lokaler Dienst    C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\Netzwerkdienst    C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\Netzwerkdienst    C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\Lokaler Dienst    C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\Netzwerkdienst    C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  OneApp.IGCC.WinService.exe               NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\igcc_dch.inf_amd64_54b736e5be5b50b2\OneApp.IGCC.WinService.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\Lokaler Dienst    C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\Lokaler Dienst    C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  PnkBstrA.exe                             NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\SysWOW64\PnkBstrA.exe
  RtkAudUService64.exe                     NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\realtekservice.inf_amd64_d87c47469b47c3f9\RtkAudUService64.exe
   avpui.exe                               MYCOMPUTER\MyUser              [Access Denied]
  OfficeClickToRun.exe                     NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\ClickToRun\OfficeClickToRun.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\Lokaler Dienst    C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  KillerNetworkService.exe                 NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\drivers\RivetNetworks\Killer\KillerNetworkService.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\Lokaler Dienst    C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  xTendUtilityService.exe                  NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\drivers\RivetNetworks\Killer\xTendUtilityService.exe
   xTendUtility.exe                        NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\drivers\RivetNetworks\Killer\xTendUtility.exe
    conhost.exe                            NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\conhost.exe
  jhi_service.exe                          NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\dal.inf_amd64_ffc75848a6342fdf\jhi_service.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\Lokaler Dienst    C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  KAPSService.exe                          NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\drivers\RivetNetworks\Killer\KAPSService.exe
   KAPS.exe                                NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\drivers\RivetNetworks\Killer\KAPS.exe
    conhost.exe                            NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\conhost.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
   dasHost.exe                             NT-AUTHORITY\Lokaler Dienst    C:\Windows\System32\dasHost.exe
   dasHost.exe                             NT-AUTHORITY\Netzwerkdienst    C:\Windows\System32\dasHost.exe
  PresentationFontCache.exe                NT-AUTHORITY\Lokaler Dienst    C:\Windows\Microsoft.Net\Framework64\v3.0\WPF\PresentationFontCache.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
   ctfmon.exe                              MYCOMPUTER\MyUser              C:\Windows\System32\ctfmon.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\Lokaler Dienst    C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\Lokaler Dienst    C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  SearchIndexer.exe                        NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\SearchIndexer.exe
   SearchProtocolHost.exe                  NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\SearchProtocolHost.exe
   SearchFilterHost.exe                    NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\SearchFilterHost.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  SecurityHealthService.exe                NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\SecurityHealthService.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\Lokaler Dienst    C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\Lokaler Dienst    C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  IAStorDataMgrSvc.exe                     NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Program Files\Intel\Intel(R) Rapid Storage Technology\IAStorDataMgrSvc.exe
  SgrmBroker.exe                           NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\SgrmBroker.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\Lokaler Dienst    C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\Lokaler Dienst    C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              MYCOMPUTER\MyUser              C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              MYCOMPUTER\MyUser              C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              MYCOMPUTER\MyUser              C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              MYCOMPUTER\MyUser              C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              MYCOMPUTER\MyUser              C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              MYCOMPUTER\MyUser              C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              MYCOMPUTER\MyUser              C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\Lokaler Dienst    C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              MYCOMPUTER\MyUser              C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\Lokaler Dienst    C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\Lokaler Dienst    C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
  svchost.exe                              NT-AUTHORITY\Lokaler Dienst    C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
 lsass.exe                                 NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            [Access denied]
 fontdrvhost.exe                           Font Driver Host\UMFD-0        C:\Windows\System32\fontdrvhost.exe
csrss.exe                                  NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\csrss.exe
winlogon.exe                               NT-AUTHORITY\SYSTEM            C:\Windows\System32\winlogon.exe
 fontdrvhost.exe                           Font Driver Host\UMFD-2        C:\Windows\System32\fontdrvhost.exe
 dwm.exe                                   Window Manager\DWM-2           C:\Windows\System32\dwm.exe
explorer.exe                               MYCOMPUTER\MyUser              C:\Windows\explorer.exe
 SecurityHealthSystray.exe                 MYCOMPUTER\MyUser              C:\Windows\System32\SecurityHealthSystray.exe
 RtkAudUService64.exe                      MYCOMPUTER\MyUser              C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\realtekservice.inf_amd64_d87c47469b47c3f9\RtkAudUService64.exe
 rundll32.exe                              MYCOMPUTER\MyUser              C:\Windows\System32\rundll32.exe
SynTPHelper.exe                            MYCOMPUTER\MyUser              C:\Windows\System32\SynTPHelper.exe
IAStorIcon.exe                             MYCOMPUTER\MyUser              C:\Program Files\Intel\Intel(R) Rapid Storage Technology\IAStorIcon.exe
Cubi73
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1 Answers1

-1

If you are now using product from MSI, ASUS or ASRock... you will see there is an app call Nahimic which was pre-installed on your machine. It will be Sonic Stuido 3 if you are an ASUS user. Basically, these apps are from the same company and you cannot remove it from your machine completely. It will reinstall every Windows update or driver update because it's a sysytem app.

It isn't a malware or virus, just an app to help you boost the audio when you play game or watch movies. n because it's a system app so remove it can cause some trouble with your sound quality. I'm now using it and it really add some effects and boost my audio performance

AlexHunter27
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