How to permanently uninstall Tobii Eye Tracking?

I have not been able to find a solution to this issue, so this may require a thread.

I'm trying to permanently remove the Tobii Eye Tracking software from a Windows 10 Alienware 15 R3. It is possible to uninstall Tobii, but Alienware Update eventually auto-reinstalls the software, which can cause issues such as the Alienware FX not lighting up properly or Windows starting into a black screen rather than a login prompt.

My reason for wanting to remove it: I know what the software can do; but I never use the software, I have no desire to use the software, and even when I've disabled all software functions it is still there in the background eating system resources. It may not be eating a lot of resources, but it is dead weight nonetheless.

Attempted troubleshooting:
1) Someone in the forums provided an apparent solution ( http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/official-alienware-15-r3-owners-lounge.797458/page-74 ): "You need to perma remove the device and disable windows update from adding that driver." But how specifically to do that? I Googled how to do that, which led to more dead ends, some of them below.
2) Change the "Device Installation Settings" from "automatically" to "no". This had no effect. Tobii still reinstalls.
3) Go to "Windows Update" >> "Update History" and uninstall the driver from there. This does not work. The driver does not appear in this list. It is likely that Alienware Update is reinstalling Tobii, not Windows Update.
4) Use Microsoft's "Show or hide updates" troubleshooter package to stop the driver from being installed. This does not work. The driver does not appear in the populated list.
5) Go to "Device Manager" and uninstall Tobii from there. Does not work. Tobii does not appear in the list. Even if it did, it would probably reinstall anyways.
6) Right click the "Alienware Update" program's windows 10 system tray icon and uncheck "Enable Auto Check". This might work, but could also mean that no other drivers will be updated automatically.

At the moment I have disabled Alienware Update as per step 6. Tobii tends to reinstall randomly after a few restarts or a few days, so I do not yet know if this is permanent. If anyone knows permanent options which can target specifically this program, then that would be great.

 

Uninstall Alienware update and tobii. I wouldn't have Alienware auto updating software and drivers anyway.

 

Eh just do a clean windows 10 install. Its best to start fresh in my opinion.

 

Update: Tobii reinstalled automatically, so unchecking "Enable Auto Check" did not work.

That makes sense. I was kind of attached to the idea that I wouldn't need to update drivers manually anymore, but this Tobii bloatware issue may have gotten me back on board. I'll uninstall Alienware Update and see how that goes.

I do clean installs frequently. Tobii manages to survive, I think because essential Alienware software such as Alienware FX comes in a package attached to Tobii. Have you been able to use Alienware FX and other Alienware system software without Tobii installing?

 

I have the command center installed to use macros and the lightning. I don't see the tobii software anywhere on my system.

 

You could leave Tobii installed but just disable the service?

 

Use winaero tweaker to disable driver updates from WU

 

I have the physical cable unplugged, as well as tobii being completely off of the system.

 

So any difference in battery life after physically unplugging the Tobii?
Do you think AW Feedback thread to be created for next AW Line-up?

 

Nice. It looks like keeping just Command Center and no other Alienware software works.

I already explained that that options eats system resources unnecessarily. One could make the argument that it's such a small amount of resources that it doesn't matter, but accepting needless programs is a bad habit in my opinion.

That's a cool program. But as stated, Windows Update is not the culprit here, Alienware Update is. It doesn't even look like Winaero can selectively disable the download of a single driver for Windows Update, it just performs blanket tasks such as stopping all Windows Update activity or getting Windows Update to ask for permission before updates. At any rate, I do not see anything about Winaero Tweaker being able to manage Alienware Update.

Cool! I'm just covering the optics with electrical tape . Next time I upgrade parts I may have to try removing the hardware too.

Thanks for the help in here! Looks like the solution was simply to to uninstall Alienware Update. I've restarted a number of times and neither Alienware Update nor Tobii has returned.

 

Eh.... a hammer and a paint scraper worked pretty well for me. I didn't like that unsightly hump anyways.
" So long, Tobii ! " . . .

 

I have Alienware update (not sure why though) and uninstalled Tobii suite when I got the laptop. The laptop still uses the camera for sign in but that's the only thing. Tobii aware would use up 3~4W of battery power and was very sketchy to work with. This way it doesn't use system resources but I can still login with the camera. Btw, I do have the black screen but only when connected to a 2nd screen. The 2nd screen does show the lock screen so it's probably more of a Windows issue since without the 2nd screen the lock screen shows up fine.

 

I genuinely don't see the point of the tobii software or system in the Aw15r3 the blinky red light does my head in. Plus it's always adjusting things that I really don't need adjusted x

 

you can turn off the features you don't like. I like the power and led lighting features.

turned off all trackpad and mouse features, some windows features.