If you have been using Chrome on your PC for a while, you might have known about the Chrome Cleanup Tool and Software Reporter Tool. If not, there is no need to worry as I’ll tell you what it is and what it does here. Sometimes, that tool starts creating a mess by consuming humongous amounts of Disk and CPU
If you are suffering from the same problem and need solutions for that, here is the right place to be. In this post, I will explain how to disable the Chrome Software Reporter Tool to get rid of the high disk or CPU usage problem. Additionally, you will find all the bits of needed information about this tool.
What is the Chrome Software Reporter Tool?
Google Chrome is the most used web browser worldwide. PC users prefer using it over any other browsers due to the excellent user interface and user experience provided. When you use Chrome on your PC, it comes with some additional utilities like the Cleanup Tool, Casting Tool, etc. The Software Reporter Tool (SRT) is a part of Chrome’s Cleanup Tool that is also known as the Software Removal Tool. Chrome provides it to get information about the software installed on your computer that have a chance of messing with the Chrome browser’s processing.
This tool reports crashes, modified startups, new tab pages, unexpected advertisements, and many other ill-happenings to Google. Then, Chrome then removes the software causing the nuisances based on the reports. It makes sure that nothing disturbs you while browsing the web through Chrome. Basically, it is an executable file, so you can find it as software_reporter_tool.exe in the File Explorer under the SwReporter folder.
If you have a habit of going through the Task Manager, you will find this tool running when you are using Chrome. It scans the computer and decides whether it should notify you to remove the unwanted programs as they are affecting your browsing. Just reading till now, you may conclude that it is a useful tool and not our foe. However, that is not the case all the time.
Is Software Reporter Tool Needed?
The Software Reporter Tool works synchronized with the Chrome Cleanup Tool. It detects and reports the harmful programs installed on your PC. To decide whether this tool is needed or not, we should first look at the benefits that come with it. The major advantages of this tool are that it is able to report and remove unwanted harmful programs, remove malware, and unwanted extensions installed without your knowledge. So, if you are a fan of safer browsing, you will need this tool on your PC.
However, this tool is not essentially needed on your PC as it doesn’t take part in any of the vital processes. Your computer would run perfectly fine without this. To report harmful programs and malware, the antivirus program that you have installed is better than this tool. So, you may conclude that this tool is needed depending upon your choice.
What is High Disk/CPU Usage Problem Caused by it?
Sometimes the Software Reporter Tool may turn into your foe, instead of being your friend. It starts consuming massive amounts of disk or CPU, or both. This leads to your computer slowing down, hanging, or even freezing. This is a common issue reported by a lot of Chrome users on the web. The high disk usage issue may happen due to a number of factors. The most common one is obviously, the malfunctioning of the tool. Other reasons could be the antivirus messing with it or some third-party programs triggering the problem.
You can know about this issue by going to the Processes tab in the Task Manager. You will find that the SwReporter tool.exe is using more than 85% of Disk or CPU that is abnormally high for an additional utility.
Disable Software Reporter Tool to Fix High Disk/CPU Usage caused by it
The best method to fix the high disk or CPU usage caused by this tool is to disable it. Disabling it will prevent the tool from running and consuming high values of disk and CPU. However, this will also prevent Chrome from warning you about harmful software installed on your computer. But, you won’t be putting yourself at risk by doing this if you have a good antivirus installed that is always monitoring your PC
There are 3 simple ways to disable the SwReporter tool. You can use either of them and stop it from slowing down your PC.
1. Delete Software_reporter_tool.exe
The simplest way to stop the tool from running on your PC is by deleting its executable file. However, this method will be temporary as the exe file will appear again when you update the browser. Then, you will have to delete it again. Follow these steps to know how to delete the exe file.
- Step-1: Open File Explorer and navigate to the following path: %localappdata%\google\chrome\User Data\SwReporter\24.137.203\
- Step-2: Right-click on the exe file and choose Delete.
- Step-3: Confirm your choice.
That’s it.
2. Remove or Deny its Permissions
If you want to get rid of the tool permanently, you can remove the read and write permissions of the tool. Doing this will prevent it from running and causing the high disk usage issue. Follow these simple steps to know what you need to do.
- Step-1: Open File Explorer and navigate to the following path: %localappdata%\google\chrome\User Data\SwReporter\24.137.203\
- Step-2: Right-click on the exe file and choose Properties.
- Step-3: Switch to the Security tab in the Properties window and click on Edit.
- Step-4: Now remove all groups and users from the list.
That’s it. You can also deny the permissions if you are not able to remove them.
3. Delete its Contents
Another way to disable this tool is by deleting its contents. So, it won’t find the needed processes and will fail. Follow these steps to know what you need to do.
- Step-1: Go to Notepad and click on Open from the file menu.
- Step-2: Now go to the following path: %localappdata%\google\chrome\User Data\SwReporter\24.137.203\
- Step-3: Next, select All Files in the box present beside File Name box.
- Step-4: Next, select software_reporter_tool.exe from the list and click on Open.
- Step-5: Now press the Ctrl + A key to select all the contents in the Notepad and press Delete on the keyboard.
- Step-6: Finally, save the blank file.
That’s it. In this way, you can delete all the contents of the SwReporter tool so it won’t be able to run anymore.
Final Words
Now you know what the Software Reporter Tool from Chrome is and what it does. You can also fix the high disk usage caused by it by simply disabling it using any of the methods mentioned above. If you know about any more solutions regarding the problem or have some useful experiences with this tool, let me know in the comments section.
That’s all for this post. If you need help regarding anything mentioned in this post, feel free to use the comment box. I’ll be glad to help you more.
