How to remove an dwm error

The free file information forum can help you determine if dwm.exe is a virus, trojan, spyware, or adware that you can remove, or a file belonging to a Windows system or an application you can trust.

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Dwm.exe file information

The process known as Desktop Window Manager or Microsoft Desktop Window Manager or Administrador de ventanas del escritorio or Desktopfenster-Manager belongs to software Microsoft Windows Operating System or GSoft or Sistema operativo Microsoft Windows or Betriebssystem Microsoft Windows by Microsoft (www.microsoft.com).

Description: dwm.exe is located in the folder C:\Windows\System32. Known file sizes on Windows 7/XP are 83,456 bytes (38% of all occurrences), 81,920 bytes and 11 more variants.
Dwm.exe is a Windows core system file. The program has no visible window. File dwm.exe is a trustworthy file from Microsoft. It can change the behavior of other programs or manipulate other programs. Therefore the technical security rating is 22% dangerous, however also read the users reviews.

Recommended: Identify dwm.exe related errors

Viruses with the same file name

Is dwm.exe a virus? No, it is not. The true dwm.exe file is a safe Microsoft Windows system process, called "Desktop Window Manager". However, writers of malware programs, such as viruses, worms, and trojans deliberately give their processes the same file name to escape detection. Viruses with the same file name are for example BKDR_CYCBOT.SME3 or Mal_Banker11 (detected by TrendMicro), and Trojan-Downloader.Win32.Agent.fjqt or HEUR:Backdoor.Win32.Generic (detected by Kaspersky).
To ensure that no rogue dwm.exe is running on your PC, click here to run a Free Malware Scan.

How to recognize suspicious variants? If dwm.exe is located in a subfolder of "C:\Documents and Settings", the security rating is 69% dangerous. The file size is 172,032 bytes (4% of all occurrences), 179,200 bytes and 75 more variants. The process has no file description. The program has no visible window. Dwm.exe is not a Windows system file. The application listens for or sends data on open ports to a LAN or the Internet. dwm.exe is able to monitor applications.

If dwm.exe is located in a subfolder of "C:\Program Files", the security rating is 58% dangerous. The file size is 137,216 bytes (13% of all occurrences), 177,152 bytes and 23 more variants. There is no description of the program. The program has no visible window. It is not a Windows system file. dwm.exe is able to monitor applications.

If dwm.exe is located in a subfolder of C:\Windows, the security rating is 68% dangerous. The file size is 142,336 bytes (27% of all occurrences), 36,352 bytes and 5 more variants.

If dwm.exe is located in the Windows Temp folder, the security rating is 64% dangerous. The file size is 226,816 bytes (50% of all occurrences) or 111,616 bytes.

If dwm.exe is located in a subfolder of C:\, the security rating is 64% dangerous. The file size is 2,263,552 bytes.

Important: Some malware camouflages itself as dwm.exe, particularly when located in the c:\windows or c:\windows\system32 folder. Therefore, you should check the dwm.exe process on your PC to see if it is a threat. We recommend Security Task Manager for verifying your computer's security. This was one of the Top Download Picks of The Washington Post and PC World.

Score

User Comments

My dwm file is under the Windows folder but its size (120,320) corresponds to a variant size listed for files under the Documents and Settings folder.
Bruce

if a customer has a slow laptop try disabling this, it has just turned a barely functional laptop into one functioning satisfactorily

Desktop Window Manager. Runs the Aero theme on Windows 7/Vista.
Yahya

83 MB on Win7. No Harm to OS.
Rolf

Desktop Window Manager. Runs the Aero theme on Windows 7/Vista.

Microsoft File // Running the Aero Desktop themes on Windows 7 without clogging up much of the CPU usage, if duplicates are running OR it is not found in /system32 then it is considered a virus.
balon

Original dwm.exe is as said above desktop windows manager. But, same name is used by trojan/downloader Deewomz,. In my case this spyware is stealth downloaded in IE (the best is I am using FF, but have installed IE) some vietnamese page, nguyen or something. Most AV (kasp, MBAM,Super AS) will NOT detect it, but WSE wil detect it if it is spyware. In my case, file was in x:/windows/Desktop Manager/dwm.exe. Right now I am scaning full scan with WSE, then I will know is it removed or not. My OS is Win 7. I've noticed when running Ccleaner that my IE int temp folder is always about 20MB and I am not using IE at all. After that in CCleaner I could look how folder is bigger and bigger after every Analyze untill reach about 20MB. My main AV Kaspersky 2012 did not detect it at all.
Brajka (further information)

Some times, when all visual effects is activated, computer can hog memory. Only one of the "Visual Effects" is the main cause of this. In Norwegian, this is "Aktiver skrivebordssammensetning". In English it could be something like "Activate Desktop mixing" but I don't really know English name for this.
Morten Brendefur

More comments can be found here:
(further information)

Summary: Average user rating of dwm.exe: based on 254 votes with 9 reviews.

164 users think dwm.exe is essential for Windows or an installed application. 15 users think it's probably harmless. 30 users think it's neither essential nor dangerous. 7 users suspect danger. 38 users think dwm.exe is dangerous and recommend removing it. 11 users doesn't grade dwm.exe ("not sure about it").

Dwm scanner

Security Task Manager shows all running Windows tasks including embedded hidden functions (e.g. keyboard or browser monitoring, autostart entry). A unique security risk rating indicates the likelihood of the process being potential spyware, malware, keylogger or a Trojan.

MalwareBytes detects and removes sleeping spyware, adware, trojans, keyloggers, malware and tracking threats from your hard disk. Ideal supplement to Security Task Manager.

SpeedUpMyPC scans, cleans, repairs and optimizes your computer.

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