We have some questions about the legitimacy of DipAwayMode.exe. Because the procedure is a constant presence in Task Manager and seems to consume a decent amount of resources, some users are concerned that the procedure, actually, turns out to be malicious.
Even though there is a high probability that the procedure is legitimate, it won't hurt to investigate the executable for evidence of malicious behavior.
What is DipAwayMode.exe?
Genuine DipAwayMode.exe procedure is an important software component of AI Suite and ASUSTek Computer; both are utilities implemented by ASUS. So so, both tools have performance tuning capabilities. The DipAwayMode.exe procedure is present in all versions of AI Suite: Ai Suite I, AI Suite II and AI Suite III.
In the case of DipAwayMode.exe, the procedure is responsible for initiating an external watchdog procedure that remains open and listens for mouse movements and keystrokes when the system is idle.
Please note that the DipAwayMode.exe procedure is by no means an essential part of Windows and can be disabled or removed without any impact on the operating system.
Potential security threat?
Even though we have not been able to identify any cases in which DipAwayMode.exe turned out to be malicious, it is important to highlight to investigate if the executable is truly genuine, especially if you find that you constantly use a lot of resources.
To do this, open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) and locate the DipAwayMode.exe procedure in the Processes tab. Once i do, right click on it and choose Open file location.
If the revealed location is other than C: Program files (x86) N-ASUS N-AI Suite III (o AI Suite I o AI Suite II) N-IP4 N-DiPwayMode N, you are probably dealing with a malicious executable. For this case, We suggest infected users to scan their systems with a powerful malware remover.
If you don't have a security scanner ready, you can follow our huge post (here) on using Malwarebytes to scan and remove any malicious files from your system. Alternatively, you can use Microsoft Security Scanner to remove any infection from your PC.
Should I remove DipAwayMode.exe?
It is not advisable to manually remove the DipAwayMode.exe executable, since it is likely to break the AI Suite installed today.
A more elegant approach would be to disable DIP Away mode, a power saving feature of AI Suite that takes care of calling the DipAwayMode.exe procedure when the computer is idle for some time. To do this, open AI Suite, go to the settings menu and uncheck the box next to Away Mode to prevent the procedure from being called again.
If you discover that the procedure is using an excessive amount of resources but you have previously determined that it is not malicious, a reinstall might help. Here is a quick guide on how to reinstall the DipAwayMode.exe procedure along with its associated software:
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Press the Windows key + R to open a run window. Type »appwiz.cpl» and press Enter to open Programs and Features.
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In Programs and Features, scroll down the list of applications, right click on AI Suite and choose Uninstall. Later, Follow the onscreen instructions to remove AI Suite along with DipAwayMode.exe from your system.
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Once the old software has been removed, reboot your system.
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In the next start, visit this official Asus page (here), expand the list of utilities and download ASUS AI Suite III.
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Once the download is complete, open the installer and follow the onscreen instructions to complete the ASUS AI Suite installation 3.
