Disable ctmon.exe (CTF Loader)

Winver 22h2
22621.521

In previous versions I have been able to stop this loading, in this version I cannot stop the service or change the properties, any ideas?

Buceador said:

Winver 22h2
22621.521

In previous versions I have been able to stop this loading, in this version I cannot stop the service or change the properties, any ideas?

Click to expand...

Control panel -> Admin tools -> services -> Touch Keyboard and Handwriting panel services>Right Click>Properties>
Set this to disabled and stop the service.

Your post seems to indicate you may have already tried this, but that should work.

Hello @Buceador and welcome to ElevenForum.

Sir_George said:

Control panel -> Admin tools -> services -> Touch Keyboard and Handwriting panel services>Right Click>Properties>
Set this to disabled and stop the service.

Your post seems to indicate you may have already tried this, but that should work.

Click to expand...

As you guessed, I tried that!

Buceador said:

in this version I cannot stop the service

Click to expand...

Since version 22H2 it is mandatory, you will not be able to login without it, being unable to type PIN/password.

I've been using a program called "CtfmonRemover.exe" for years now. I think my version is dated 5-22-08.
I just ran it on my latest install of Win-11, and it ran just fine, with no ill side effects.
Doing a web search, I've found that it's still out there for download, for anyone who wants it.

Cheers Mates!
TM

TechnoMage2021 said:

I just ran it on my latest install of Win-11, and it ran just fine, with no ill side effects.

Click to expand...

Probably because it does not do anything, it is from 2008, so it places a dummy file in SysWOW64 instead of System32.
Ctfmon did not run as a service back then, it used to run as a task before 22H2, but it tend to fail, so it runs as service now.

TairikuOkami said:

Since version 22H2 it is mandatory, you will not be able to login without it, being unable to type PIN/password.

Click to expand...

Thank you for your reply. Are you 100% certain that it is needed to login?

TechnoMage2021 said:

I've been using a program called "CtfmonRemover.exe" for years now. I think my version is dated 5-22-08.
I just ran it on my latest install of Win-11, and it ran just fine, with no ill side effects.
Doing a web search, I've found that it's still out there for download, for anyone who wants it.

Cheers Mates!
TM

Click to expand...

Thank you for your reply. As mentioned below, it doesn't work

Buceador said:

Are you 100% certain that it is needed to login?

Click to expand...

I used to disable it since XP, but as said, I was unable to login, I had to restore system backup.
But MS tends to change requirements with each update, so you might give it a try eventually.

TechnoMage2021 said:

I've been using a program called "CtfmonRemover.exe" for years now. I think my version is dated 5-22-08.
I just ran it on my latest install of Win-11, and it ran just fine, with no ill side effects.
Doing a web search, I've found that it's still out there for download, for anyone who wants it.

Cheers Mates!
TM

Click to expand...

Thanks, This worked just fine for me, The process is no longer running.

What's all this Logon crap? Just more garbage.
I can turn my PC on, walk away and in a matter of seconds I hear Windows Mail tell me, "You've got Mail!"
Then I go back, sit down and read my mail. No Log In, no passwords, no fuss, no muss. K.I.S.S.!
I don't work for my computer....my computer works for me!

If MS made cars, you'd have to Log In before you could drive your car. Just more crap to make life more complicated.
Horrors if MS made refrigerators. You'd have to log in every time you go for a beer.

I hate passwords! Thank Goodness, Firefox remembers all the dozens of passwords that I must have to get into all the forums I work.

But for those who just love that stuff.....GO FOR IT!

It's almost 2024....just a few more hours to go.

I'm sitting here reading this old thread and laughing my a33 off.

Yes, The way that Ctfmon.exe is used in Windows 11, Pro, 22H2, is totally different than the way it worked back in earlier versions of Windows. Nowadays, it's a Service, that is locked and cannot be stopped, or disabled. Not by user control anyway.

In bringing up this topic again, I was in hopes that one of our Script Gurus would come up with a nice little Script to do the job of disposing of Ctfmon.exe, but alas, that's not happened, at least not yet.

However, not being one to accept failure lightly, I have devised my own method of disposing of Ctfmon.exe.
Not by Batch File or Script, but by the old Hammer and Chisel method.
I may have actually performed a step or two that was redundant, but....
I went into SAFE mode, took Ownership of the file, "C:\Windows\System32\Ctfmon.exe" and then renamed it to "Ctfmon.xxx". Thus ensuring that it could not load and run the next time the system was booted up.
Then I exited SAFE Mode and rebooted my PC in Normal mode. Then I just went in and deleted that now DEAD file.

I've read and heard that doing what I've done will mess up using my keyboard, or logging in.
Well, my keyboard is working just fine and I NEVER LOG IN. I have no use for that BS.!!!

Happy 2024 Everyone!
TechnoMage