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How to remove an wininit error


The free file information forum can help you determine if wininit.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.

Click to Run a Free Scan for wininit.exe related errors.


Wininit.exe file information

The process known as Windows Start-Up Application or Windows-Startanwendung belongs to software Microsoft Windows Operating System or Betriebssystem Microsoft Windows by Microsoft (www.microsoft.com).

Description: wininit.exe is located in the folder C:\Windows\System32. Known file sizes on Windows 7/XP are 96,256 bytes (51% of all occurrences), 96,768 bytes and 7 more variants. http://www.file.net/process/wininit.exe.html 
Wininit.exe is a Windows system file. The program has no visible window. Wininit.exe is a trustworthy file from Microsoft. wininit.exe is able to record inputs and manipulate other programs. Therefore the technical security rating is 4% dangerous, however also read the users reviews.

Recommended: Identify wininit.exe related errors .

Viruses with the same file name

Is wininit.exe a virus? No, it is not. The true wininit.exe file is a safe Microsoft Windows system process, called "Windows Start-Up Application". 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 PE_PATCHED.SMC (detected by TrendMicro), and Virus:Win32/Bamital.C (detected by Microsoft).
To ensure that no rogue wininit.exe is running on your PC, click here to run a Free Malware Scan.

How to recognize suspicious variants? If wininit.exe is located in the folder C:\Windows, the security rating is 77% dangerous. The file size is 394,752 bytes (50% of all occurrences) or 39,582 bytes. Wininit.exe is an unknown file in the Windows folder. The program has no visible window. The program starts upon Windows startup (see Registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run, HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServices, C:\Windows\win.ini). The file is not a Windows core file.

External information from Paul Collins:
There are different files with the same name:

  • "Bymer.Scanner" definitely not required. Added by the BYMER WORM!
  • "wininit" definitely not required. Added by the WOLLF.16 TROJAN!

Important: Some malware camouflages itself as wininit.exe, particularly when located in the c:\windows or c:\windows\system32 folder. Therefore, you should check the wininit.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

very little-seems to initiate various sys startup progs
  Dangerously  
I think its a polite application,it always asks my security every time it wants to listen.I didnt want to loseinit so I took ownership and renamed it wininit.whynotdoc.exe.some programs listen without permission that annoys me more.
  mic  
Seems harmless but scan it and be cautious, bugs would like to manipulate it iam sure.
  Joe  
solo que es de riesgo elevado
  ALFREDO APONTE PEREZ  
Worm, known as Worm.Win32.Bymer.a
  Alex   (further information)
Not a worm. Read further - it exploited Win95 back in Y2K. Irrelevant in Windows 7
  Camsters  
The proper form of this program is essential for windows to function, most windows system files and services run through it. Shutting down wininit.exe will crash windows.
  Bob  
Rating chart


Summary: Average user rating of wininit.exe: based on 11 votes with 7 reviews.
8 users think wininit.exe is essential for Windows or an installed application. 2 users think it's probably harmless. 1 user think wininit.exe is dangerous and recommend removing it. 2 users doesn't grade wininit.exe ("not sure about it").


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Wininit 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.


Other processes


wininit.exe [all]