AMD has confirmed a driver defect that causes its Radeon graphics stack to generate persistent SSD write activity, even when a PC is idle. The problem centers on atieclxx.exe, a component of AMD’s External Events Utility, which can write between 0.3 MB/s and 5 MB/s. At the upper end, the activity could total roughly 432 GB per day, or close to 13 TB over a month, according to user reports.
Background of the issue
Users of AMD Radeon hardware reported that the atieclxx.exe process repeatedly copies a 660 KB executable from the driver package into a Windows system profile. The copy operation occurs once per second, and each iteration triggers additional disk writes. Although the utility is intended to support AMD’s External Events feature, the unintended looping results in continuous background traffic to the SSD, potentially accelerating wear.
AMD acknowledged the behavior and indicated that a permanent solution will be included in the next Adrenalin driver release, version 26.11.1. The company’s spokesperson said the fix is under development, but no exact release date was provided.
Modder’s workaround
In the meantime, a Computer Base reader who goes by the handle “necanditool” has published an open‑source program called Radeon-atieclxx-SSD-Fix. The utility is designed to stop the repetitive file copy without disabling the External Events Utility itself. It does so by altering Windows file permissions so that the SYSTEM account cannot overwrite the target executable, effectively blocking the loop.
The tool also incorporates a detection routine that scans for the offending behavior and estimates the amount of unnecessary data written based on the observed copy rate. To maintain protection across reboots and driver updates, the program installs a scheduled task that reapplies the permission changes at startup. According to the developer, the workaround remains functional even after subsequent driver installations.
Cautions and outlook
While the community solution offers an immediate remedy, the article’s author notes that the fix has not been independently verified. Users are advised to apply the tool at their own risk and to back up important data before making system‑level permission changes.
AMD’s forthcoming driver update is expected to address the root cause, eliminating the need for third‑party interventions. Until that release lands, the open‑source fix provides a viable stop‑gap for users concerned about SSD longevity or excessive background activity.
Both the GitHub repository for the utility and the original report on Computer Base serve as primary references for those seeking to implement the workaround.
Mitchell Landsberg is a Senior Technology Correspondent at News Raise. He covers consumer electronics, artificial intelligence, software developments, and digital privacy trends.
