What is nvcontainer.exe?
This process creates a container for Virtual Machines (VMs). Two different types of containers are created: an NVVDI and an NVDAC. The NVIDIA memory container grows as needed, while the NVDAC is large but fixed in size. Containers help to load balance across VMs within the same host computer. You can start the container process from the command line using container-create or from PowerShell using New-NvContainer.
Is nvcontainer.exe a virus or safe?
The nvcontainer.exe process is a critical aspect of the hypervisors for both physical and virtual machines.
However, this critical process can be a potential security risk if not executed properly as it enables virtual machine creation, known as Guest Operating Systems (GOS). As with any process, there are vulnerabilities in running this critical process, which, if exploited by an attacker, could cause the host to crash or expose the system to malware. Therefore, it is considered a potential threat to your system and data.
How did I get nvcontainer.exe?
Please refer to the ‘Activity Logs’ section for the most recent information on where you found the nvcontainer.exe file and how you installed it onto your system. If you installed via a third-party application, refer to that installer’s support site or owner’s manual, as they will have more details on this matter.
Where is it located?
The container is based in a subfolder of the following directories:
Directories Locations
C:\Windows\winsxs\amd64_microsoft-windows-software distribution (1) C:\windows\system32\NVCACHE.DAT
C:\Windows\SYSWOW64
(2) C:\…
(3) C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion \Winlogon Note: If you see the Warning message about nvcontainer.exe in the taskbar, then the process is running on your system but is not actively running on a VM or Containers. You can check this by issuing container-create and filtering against the running process.
How to remove & uninstall nvcontainer.exe?
The first steps in removing this critical process:
1. Close the VM you are using and then deactivate the virtual machine by issuing container-deactivate; this will stop the nvcontainer.exe process.
2. If you are using VMware, shut down any VMs running on that host, and if Hyper-V, use Stop-VM and then unregister the VM using Unregister-VMHost; this will also stop the nvcontainer.exe process(es).
3. Uninstall any third-party tools or software that installed nvcontainer.exe onto your system/virtual machine.
4. For Hyper-V, use Unregister-VMHost to deregister the VMs and remove the host (physical or virtual machine) from your environment.
5. Disable or delete any containers based on or below the host machine (VM or physical) by issuing container-delete from PowerShell as you may have NVDAC containers.
6. Use VMware to stop any VMs running on that physical machine using Power Off for non-HA VMs and Stop for HA systems; this will also stop the nvcontainer.exe process(es).
7. Uninstall VMware using Add/Remove Programs in Windows Control Panel.
8. For Hyper-V, you can also perform a shutdown and unregister the host using Unregister-VMHost.
How do you stop nvcontainer.exe processes?
You can stop the nvcontainer.exe process through the Task Manager or PowerShell by issuing a container stop from any mentioned locations.
When you stop nvcontainer.exe, it will execute a command for you to run a script that will remove it from your system. The script will automatically run whenever you restart the system and continue until you manually disable it. To stop this process, you will need to open a Command Prompt on the computer in which you want to stop it and run the script provided here.
How to check if nvcontainer.exe has high CPU usage?
Use the following process to check if nvcontainer.exe processes are running on your system:
1. Open Windows Task Manager from the desktop or Start menu and click the first tab called Performance; if you notice CPU usage above 50%, you should stop this process immediately.
2. If you are using VMware in HA mode, shut down each VM and try again and again until all VMs shut down successfully.
4. For VMware, use Power off for non-HA VMs and Stop for HA systems (if you use it).
5. For Hyper-V, unregister any hosts on your system via Unregister-VMHost.
6. If you think this process is malicious, please get in touch with us, and we will provide you with more information on where you found it and how to uninstall it in case a third-party application or program installs it.
7. After the above processes are completed, please restart the system/machine to run another test to confirm that this process is gone from your system; if the problem persists, please contact us again with further information about nvcontainer.exe problems.
How to check if nvcontainer.exe is causing high disk usage?
You can check the following process to check if nvcontainer.exe is causing high disk usage:
1. If you are using a local C: drive and have sufficient space on it, then start a backup of your system (within Windows); from within Windows, go to Disk Management, use the Spanned option to create a new volume using your C: drive (with enough space) if after the backup is completed, you notice that the used disk space has increased significantly in size and does not appear to be random, then stop this process.
2. After achieving that step, refer to the ‘System Analysis’ section for further information about the nvcontainer.exe process(es).
3. Then go to the Processes tab and search for nvcontainer.exe; if you notice that it is running with high usage, you will need to stop it now.
4. Restart the system/machine and open Task Manager / PowerShell to check if it is still running, and then remove it from Task Manager or run the script below.
5. After that, restart the system/machine again; now check the Processes tab to see if this process is still running; if not, you are good to go.
6. However, if you notice that the nvcontainer.exe process is still running, please contact us about this matter for further information, and our support team will respond as soon as possible with a fix.
How to check if nvcontainer.exe has high network usage?
Suppose you are using a wireless or wired connection and notice that there is high traffic being generated by your system, which is abnormally high compared to your previous everyday traffic. In that case, you might have a malware or virus infection on your computer, causing your system to send out information to receive instructions from its Command & Control (C&C) center. It will cause excessive bandwidth usage and drain your data plan very quickly. You must stop this process immediately.