Methods to Deal with Hkcmd.exe Errors

What is Hkcmd.exe?

Hkcmd stands for Hotkey Command module, which is part of the Intel onboard graphics. This module is installed as part of the graphics driver and is used to provide extra functionalities to the display options like screen rotation, resolution manipulation and connecting different display devices.

What are the Errors Generated by the Hkcmd.exe File?

There are some types of errors messages generated by hkcmd.exe they are –

  1. hkcmd module has encountered a problem and needs to close
  2. An unknown error occurred in Hot Key Command (HKCMD)
  3. HKCMD.exe has generated errors & will be closed by windows. An error report has been created
  4. cannot find c:\winnt\system\hkcmd.exe
  5. igfxtray.exe has generated errors & will be closed by windows. An error report has been created
  6. The HKCMD.EXE file is linked to missing export HCCUTILS.DLL:IsDisplayValid

These errors depend on the version of the Hotkey command installed with the graphics driver. These errors pop up when you click on any application or option related to display.

What are the Versions of Windows which can Generate Errors with the Hkcmd.exe File?

As Hotkey command is an integral part of the graphics driver almost all versions of Windows can generate this error which has the Intel driver installed.

How to Fix Errors Generated by Hkcmd.exe

To fix the errors generated by the hkcmd.exe file follow these methods –

  1. Disable the option from Control Panel
  2. Stop the program from loading during startup
  3. Update the existing driver

Disable the Option in Control Panel – This method helps in stopping the hotkey functionality of the graphics driver module and this does not affecting the driver to malfunction in any way. To achieve this follow these steps –

  1. Click on Start
  2. Select Control Panel and then choose Appearance and Personalization
  3. Click on Display and choose change Display Settings
  4. Click on Advanced Settings and Under Intel Extreme Graphics tab choose Options
  5. You can uncheck the check box which says enable

Now close all windows and restart the system and the errors should not pop up. If it still gives you errors follow the next method.

Stop the Program from Loading during Startup – You can stop the hkcmd.exe process from loading with other programs during startup and this will not create any kind of problems with the display properties. To disable this from loading during startup, follow these steps.

  1. Click on Start
  2. Click on Run and in the dialog box type msconfig and press OK
  3. Once the System Configuration window opens Click on the Startup Tab
  4. From the list of options uncheck the hkcmd.exe or igfxtray
  5. Now Click on OK, it will prompt to restart the system

After restart, the error should be fixed, if it does not fix the issue then follow the next method.

Update the Existing Driver – If the above steps do not help in solving the error you can download and install the latest drivers for the graphics card. This will update the existing hkcmd.exe module and fix the problem completely.