SMCGUI.EXE: What does it do and what happens when it is disabled?

Products

• Endpoint Protection

Issue/Introduction

What does the SMCGUI.EXE control and what happens when I disable it?

Cause

The SMCGUI.EXE controls the SEP system tray icon and its functions. On a Citrix machine or Terminal server the SMCGUI.EXE can be disabled if memory resources being used by this component of the Symantec Endpoint Protection client are determined to be excessive. SEP administrators may also choose to disable SMCGUI to hide the tray icon and its associated notifications.

Resolution

When disabling the SMCGUI, the following functionality is affected:

• Information will not be displayed in the Help and Support area; e.g. the pop-up "Threats were detected while you were logged off" will not be displayed, but all other real-time AutoProtect, scan, and PTP alerts will be displayed.
• The Symantec Endpoint Protection icon is not displayed on the system tray, but the GUI can still be opened through the Start menu.
• There will be no  "View Logs" choice on the main page of the client GUI, but you can still view AntiVirus/AntiSpyware & Proactive Threat Protection logs by choosing Status > Options > View Logs.
• You will be unable to view the Firewall or Symantec Network Access Control status or logs by using the client GUI, but all components of SEP continue to function in the background, and all communication with the Symantec Protection Center or SEP Manager works normally.