How to remove zHotkey error

The free file information forum can help you find out if zHotkey.exe is a virus, trojan, spyware, adware which you can remove, or a file belonging to a Windows system or an application you can trust.

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zHotkey.exe file information

The process Multimedia Keyboard Driver or Chicony Multimedia Driver belongs to the software Chicony Multimedia Driver or Multimedia Keyboard Driver or zHotkey.exe by Chicony (www.chicony.com).

Description: File zHotkey.exe is located in the folder C:\Windows or sometimes in a subfolder of "C:\Documents and Settings". Known file sizes on Windows XP are 543232 bytes (60% of all occurrence), 550912 bytes, 496640 bytes, 547840 bytes, 515584 bytes.
zHotkey.exe is not a Windows core file. The program starts when Windows starts (see Registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run, HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run). The program is not visible. It is located in the Windows folder, but it is not a Windows core file. zHotkey.exe is able to record keyboard inputs. There is no description of the program. zHotkey.exe is able to record inputs. Therefore the technical security rating is 93% dangerous, however also read the users reviews.

Recommended: Identify zHotkey.exe related errors

External information from Paul Collins:

"CHotKey" can run at start up. Enables special keys on Chicony keyboards. Special combinations include Internet, E-mail, vol , vol-, mute, etc. Only required for extended features

Important: Some malware camouflage themselves as zHotkey.exe, particularly if they are located in c:\windows or c:\windows\system32 folder. Thus check the zHotkey.exe process on your pc whether it is pest. We recommend Security Task Manager for verifying your computer's security. It is one of the Top Download Picks of 2005 of The Washington Post and PC World.

Links: zHotkey.exe, zHotkey.exe

Score

User Comments

When I first saw this file, i thought it might be a key-logger, because I've had people run key-log software on my computer before, but from reading all of the other blogs, it just looks like whatever...
Jeff

All it affects is the hot key functions of the keyboard such as play/pause etc. I now have an advent keyboard and without Hotkey the hot buttons still work, but their on screen display disappears.
Joe

zHotkey.exe is a startup file that adds functionality (e.g., on-screen volume display, cut, copy, paste, etc.) to Chicony keyboards bundled with Gateway desktop computers. It is completely harmless.
Steve

After I restored Windows XP, my computer automatically rebooted and zhotkey appeared on the bottom of my screen next to the Start button. I thought that this was unusual, so I tried to remove it, quarentine it and open it. I was denied access to this file and could not do anything with it. When I deleted the prefetch, all of my games disappeared.
Donna

it seems pretty safe... scan it with this site,
Randy (further information)

Puter ran snails pace out of the box (attached a compaq keyboard instead of the keyboard that came with the puter). Noticed zhotkey was using 99% of resources. After coming here, I closed the application, connected the keyboard that came with the computer, restarted and the puter now works great.
David

used in newer Gateway keyboards for the extra keys like play, pause, stop, search, home, email, and computer volume

It's a process started by windows linked to multimedia keys on chicony keyboards. Stopping it doesn't render these keys uselss, it just disables the monitor overaly status info that comes up when these keys are pressed.
Emi

Emachines keyboard software totally harmless. Can cause slight conflicts with not running properly if using Zonealarm. Doesn't access the internet at all. Remove only if it doesn't start correctly.
Spacey

runs in background can copy key strokes, dangerous

has stopped one of my programs running all together and serves no real purpose, media keyboard and all buttons work fine without it, also dont know how i got it
jason

On a 3200 Athlon 64 eMachine, removed AOL and this message keeps coming up at the end of boot: 'zHotkey.exe has encountered a problem & needs to close......' I would like the functionallity to work but do not know how to clear the problem and get back to normal.

I do not like the sound of this and shall kill it.
Beaujour

it disables most of the bottom row of my keyboard for a while it affects z x c v m
paul

More comments can be found here:
(further information)

Summary: 20 users think zHotkey.exe is essential for Windows or an installed application. 2 users think it's probably harmless. 10 users think it's neither essential nor dangerous. 4 users suspect danger. 2 users think zHotkey.exe is dangerous and recommend to remove it.. 7 users doesn't grade zHotkey.exe ("not sure about it").

zHotkey scanner

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