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AOD_CapStar362's avatar
AOD_CapStar362
Seasoned Ace
3 years ago

Re: EA ap Background Service keeps running while EA app is stopped

@ATFGunrsimple fix - WIN+R services.msc find the EA service whatever its name is, right click> PROPERTIES> set run status to manual > APPLY / OK.

That is how you take control of a service even if its a system file.

Ill even throw this out, if you knew just HOW MUCH data actually gets passed around as a Service without you even knowing.  Probably would not even use a PC or a Console,  your own phone whether its iOS or Android does the exact same thing.

Just being here on the forums - megabytes of data is transfered autonomously without you knowing, unless you are verbose logging with a protocol monitor or network monitor like wireshark, you must have massive amounts of space to waste on such logs.

Do you use automatic Updates for your games?  If yes,  stopping that service stops automatic updates.  along with a few other things, like being able to be invited to a game or joining a game before launching. 


34 Replies

  • ATFGunr's avatar
    ATFGunr
    Legend
    3 years ago
    @AOD_CapStar362 I’ve got it set to manual, and guess what? Multiple people, including me, will find it running again even without starting the EA desktop app. Can’t game with it off either, turning it off brings the EA App to a screeching halt. So currently it’s on when gaming, and I manually turn off the BS (good acronym lol) with Task Manager. After Sleep, I’ve found it on when waking. Good feedback though, thanks. Lots won’t know about accessing files using Services.
  • AOD_CapStar362's avatar
    AOD_CapStar362
    Seasoned Ace
    3 years ago
    @ATFGunr i have yet to be forced into EA App, but i will definitely look into it. though I will reserve deep dives on the intricacies of the service itself, as its probably a TOS Violation to disseminate the service code and post it publicly.

    Im not getting banned for this.

    but until im absolutely forced in to using the EA App, Origin will still be my launcher.
  • AOD_CapStar362's avatar
    AOD_CapStar362
    Seasoned Ace
    3 years ago
    @ATFGunr IIRC Also, Windows 10 and 11 brought about a new Service Start mode. Manual(trigger start), now this specific mode is used when a app, or a windows core element needs to start a service and then will if needed stop it.

    lets say you plug in a new keyboard?

    deviceinstallservice becomes "triggered" as the hardware layer of windows detects a new device has been installed. the service itself will run through the HAL, then Windows Kernel then finally looking for an appropriate driver for the device.

    Since the EA App is going to the Microsoft Store, i can almost GUARANTEE YOU, the service is being triggered as Windows Store triggers up the app itself looking for any available update.

    So, yes, EA would need to restructure the app to turn off automatic app updates, which should already exist in the settings for both the App and Windows Store.

    setting a service to manual usually solves this, however, in particular to Windows Store apps, there are numerous routes that can trigger a service, and very complex to stop in some cases.

    So my next piece of advice is look for automatic update settings on the app itself and stop those.
  • AOD_CapStar362's avatar
    AOD_CapStar362
    Seasoned Ace
    3 years ago
    @EA_Leeuw could we inquire to getting this run up the chain of command, the option if not already present to disable any and all automatic app updates?

    Personally it does not bother me, for the others who are possibly not as avid or comfortable with this, its definitely a valid question, especially as @ATFGunr mentioned, those on limited and/or metered data connections.
  • ATFGunr's avatar
    ATFGunr
    Legend
    3 years ago
    @AOD_CapStar362 Excellent advice, I’ll look into it. I think I have auto updates turned off for everything I can find. Since I’m not sure I’ll have to double check! Thanks.
  • HannibalSpectre's avatar
    HannibalSpectre
    3 years ago
    @AOD_CapStar362 This post is pointless. Nice scare tactics. The point is, the service should be on manual by default and only run in the background when the app is running.
  • EA_Leeuw's avatar
    EA_Leeuw
    Icon for Community Manager rankCommunity Manager
    3 years ago

    Hi all,

    Yes, it looks like a change was implemented in the EA app that now completely kills the BackgroundService process around a minute after the EA app has been closed.

  • Spook1234567890's avatar
    Spook1234567890
    New Rookie
    3 years ago

    I just tested this and the service does NOT close. In fact it is using a certain amount of my bandwidth as I write. The EA app was closed 90 minutes ago.

  • TaoGuang's avatar
    TaoGuang
    3 years ago
    @EA_Leeuw This service will be started automatically everytime when I powered on my computer. Actually I won't care if it had no impact to my playing. But it DOES!
    I already figured out, if this service exists when I powered on, and then I start my EA App, the app will not display my game library correctly. But if I killed this service and restart my EA App, then everything goes back to OK.
  • bohemond1980's avatar
    bohemond1980
    Seasoned Traveler
    3 years ago

    so is this service being used to collect user data and  PII.

  • LostSultan's avatar
    LostSultan
    3 years ago

    the service does also run when the xbox app runs (in background), so if you have it all set on the EA App (disable all relevant settings as shared in this thread), and you close the xbox app, within one min. the ea service will close.


    The only thing that concerns me is that i cannot link eabackgroundservice to internal gpu (laptop) even though you set that up correctly on Windows & Nvidia Settings. Imagine draining your battery as it activates your (high end) gpu..

  • STG_Mordin's avatar
    STG_Mordin
    Rising Hotshot
    3 years ago
    @LostSultan The background service shouldn't even use the GPU in any way. Microsoft discourages developers from using any graphical APIs from Windows services. This EA background service links to the Qt GUI application framework which could be the reason why it might end up (unintentionally) activating the GPU.

    Since that service is launching the EA Desktop App you could try setting EA Desktop App to use built-in GPU, maybe that will help.
  • hulxter's avatar
    hulxter
    3 years ago

    This issue has not been fixed. The service does not stop after exiting the EA app. It continues to run in the background.

    I'm just commenting to keep this issue open since it has not been fixed.

  • TacticianGod's avatar
    TacticianGod
    3 years ago
    @hulxter I will add that the EA Background Service is even breaking the EA app.

    If you end the service, start the EA app later (which launch it back) and then close the EA app without ending the service, you won't be able to start the EA app again (it will open and instantly close) as long as you don't kill the service again prior to starting the EA app.

    This is often a case where a service is started with a specific key generated by the EA app, but that key changes when you close and open the app while the service fails to link/update its previous key, hence the EA app close due to some sort of error. (There are no system error registered from it in Windows Events.)

    If the EA app properly ended the service when you close it (with the option to NOT download/update games in the background), this wouldn't happen.
  • Dollymixtures's avatar
    Dollymixtures
    3 years ago

    I see EA still hasn't done anything about this. Quelle surprise. I accidentally opened the app earlier today and found this thing still running in the background minutes later after closing everything else down.

  • TaoGuang's avatar
    TaoGuang
    3 years ago

    I don't think there is any difficulty to resolve this problem by EA such a big Gaming company.

    It is just atitude problem to react correctly. I saw there was a community office who responsed to this thread but then ... no more repsonse.

  • Felicat82's avatar
    Felicat82
    3 years ago

    I think the issue here is less what it's doing, and more why can't we just make it stop.  I have it running in my background tasks right now.  Can't launch EA app.  Can't end the background service, either, it just won't stop running.  I have gone into task manager and right click>end task at least 10 times now and it persists.  I have never seen this with any other background process, and it frankly should not be allowed to happen.

  • datagrape's avatar
    datagrape
    3 years ago

    I think the main issue here is not what the service does more the fact that it's continuously running in the background even when the EA App is completely closed.

    It totally puts me off using the EA App.

  • EA_Leeuw's avatar
    EA_Leeuw
    Icon for Community Manager rankCommunity Manager
    2 years ago
    Hey @datagrape,

    It's explained in the above-linked thread how the Background Service is being used and why it sometimes runs.
  • Dollymixtures's avatar
    Dollymixtures
    2 years ago

    Which is a contradiction to what was said earlier, which was that the service stops running a minute after the app itself is closed. According to what you're now saying and speaking from experience, that clearly wasn't and still isn't true. When I shut the app down I want all the processes to stop with it. Nothing about the service is so important that it needs to be running in the background all the time. I can't even check if it's still running nor close it down from the icon tray. I have to chase it down in Task Manager.

    Either it closes itself down, which was stated earlier, or it doesn't, in which case we were mislead. I am so tired of businesses thinking my computer is theirs to do with as they please.

  • Pekmez-Pita's avatar
    Pekmez-Pita
    Seasoned Veteran
    2 years ago
    @EA_Leeuw It shouldn't be running at all once we close the app.

    What of that is so difficult to understand? I shouldn't have to force quit this through the task manager. Ridiculous!

    This needs to be fixed!

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