The genuine wininit.exe file is a software component of Microsoft Windows Operating System by Microsoft Corporation. Microsoft's genuine "wininit.exe" should reside in "C:\Windows\System32". It is a critical system process, an essential Windows file, not to be removed. If it terminates a bugcheck of the system is forced. If any resource it is using becomes updated the system must restart. It runs the Windows Initialization process. The initial Windows boot process, Session Manager (smss.exe), relaunches itself to create Session Zero and start "wininit.exe" and "csrss.exe"; that second "smss.exe" instance then ends. "Wininit.exe" launches three child processes, Services.exe, Lsass.exe, and Lsm.exe, and continues running. Microsoft documents that it listens for TCP on an ephemeral (dynamic) port, usually 49152, but not why; the Intel® Manageability Engine may be involved. Residing in "C:\Windows\System32" does not guarantee "wininit.exe" is genuine. The old but still existing Backdoor.Wollf.16 Trojan copies itself as "wininit.exe" to that location, where it acts as a server to allow remote command execution and other dangerous actions.
WinInit stands for Windows Initialization Process
The .exe extension on a filename indicates an executable file. Executable files may, in some cases, harm your computer. Therefore, please read below to decide for yourself whether the wininit.exe on your computer is a Trojan that you should remove, or whether it is a file belonging to the Windows operating system or to a trusted application.
Description: The original wininit.exe from Microsoft is an important part of Windows, but often causes problems. Wininit.exe is located in the C:\Windows\System32 folder.
Known file sizes on Windows 10/11/7 are 96,256 bytes (84% of all occurrences), 96,768 bytes and 14 more variants.
It is a Windows system file. The program has no visible window. The wininit.exe file is a trustworthy file from Microsoft.
Wininit.exe is able to record keyboard and mouse inputs and manipulate other programs.
Therefore the technical security rating is 3% dangerous; however you should also read the user reviews.
Uninstalling this variant:
If problems with Microsoft Windows come up, you might want to uninstall it software via Windows Control Panel/Add or Remove Programs (Windows XP) or Programs and Features (Windows 10/8/7) or turn to the software developer, Microsoft, for advice.
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 e.g. Win32:Malware-gen (detected by Avast), and Trojan.Gen.2 or WS.Reputation.1 (detected by Symantec).
To ensure that no rogue wininit.exe is running on your PC, click here to run a Free Virus Scan.
How to recognize suspicious variants?
If wininit.exe is located in the C:\Windows folder, the security rating is 66% dangerous. The file size is 3,301,910 bytes (46% of all occurrences), 3,299,862 bytes and 4 more variants.
Wininit.exe is not a Windows core file. It is a file with no information about its developer. The file is located in the Windows folder, but it is not a Windows core file. The program has no visible window.
Wininit.exe is able to monitor applications and record keyboard and mouse inputs.
If wininit.exe is located in a subfolder of C:\Windows, the security rating is 86% dangerous. The file size is 3,559,424 bytes (24% of all occurrences), 3,453,952 bytes and 9 more variants.
The file is an unknown file in the Windows folder. The program has no visible window. It is not a Windows core file. The wininit.exe file is a file with no information about its developer. The program uses ports to connect to or from a LAN or the Internet.
If wininit.exe is located in a subfolder of the user's profile folder, the security rating is 86% dangerous. The file size is 264,192 bytes (14% of all occurrences), 233,472 bytes and 5 more variants.
If wininit.exe is located in a subfolder of "C:\Program Files", the security rating is 83% dangerous. The file size is 152,064 bytes (25% of all occurrences), 222,720 bytes, 84,992 bytes or 270,848 bytes.
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 disguises itself as wininit.exe, particularly when not located in the 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
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
In windows 7 64 bit with sp1, my wininit.exe is 126KB(129024bytes actual & not size on disk which varies) and has version info 6.1.7600.16385 and last mod date of 2009-JUL-13_21:39hours (much earlier than when the PC was installed, and located in c:\windows\system32 directory. HsMjsty
They are saying elsewhere that it belongs in c:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32 folder. Tracy Scanlon
this file can be and in this case is a part of a trojan, registry csrss virus look for duplicate processes running in the task manager and bdeunlocl Phx PC owner looking for virus removal
I know 18 months after installing Windows8 and then 8.1 it suddenly needed to bypass my firewall today. It did not succeed. Very virus like behavior. Yet another windows file doing bad stuff, Gates get outta my stuff dude and go save the world. DBob
Trashing the winnit.exe causes trouble on starting windows vicky jarlev
There is a legit wininit.exe on your computer, with windows. Malware may be disguised as it though. Find out where it's supposed to be, and if it's not there; it's malware. Joey Schizt
when you want to remove the virus named "wininit.exe,just set windows offline,search for the file, remember to show hidden files option be active,and find the file and remove it, but winint.exe must be in:windows\system32 ali
a hacker was logging the recorded imputs using this program and then having them uploaded to his pc as I used virtual keypad ,good reasons to have is umm spying on other uses of pc or to make life easy for hackers ray
on my machine I've found Wininit.exe to use 50% processor, roughly 3.6mb in size and lived in a folder called wmu2. quite hard to delete but managed. Wininit.exe should be found in \system32 only george
I know the correct location of the file. "C:\Windows32\wininit.exe" This file (singly, choice, selectively, individually) cannot be removed via "Control Panel". I recommend creating a rule to block outgoing internet traffic for this application. The application is dangerous in the hands of criminals due to their possibility of intelligence, spying. Jan Nowak_423
Guys don't mess with wininit run command is can cause blue screen because is a app auto collect error that can make u stuck in blue screen probaly belongs to powershell Gaminggame
blue screen of death ninel neagu
in windows powershell it gives bsod [blue screen of death] bubby
its safe but if you put the command 'wininit' in powershell you will encounter a bluescreen
First, if it's not in C:\Windows\System32 it's a virus. If not, then it is safe. The reason it crashes Windows when you powershell it, is probably some process killing Planetiles
Starts SCM And LSASS.
BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH Artur
When it's deleted Or started after startup it bsods Grzegrii
Show all user comments
Summary: Average user rating of wininit.exe:
based on 45 votes with 29 user comments.
29 users think wininit.exe is essential for Windows or an installed application.
4 users think it's probably harmless.
One user thinks it's neither essential nor dangerous.
4 users suspect danger.
7 users think wininit.exe is dangerous and recommend removing it.
8 users don't grade wininit.exe ("not sure about it").
Best practices for resolving wininit issues
A clean and tidy computer is the key requirement for avoiding problems with wininit. This means running a scan for malware, cleaning your hard drive using 1cleanmgr and 2sfc /scannow, 3uninstalling programs that you no longer need, checking for Autostart programs (using 4msconfig) and enabling Windows' 5Automatic Update. Always remember to perform periodic backups, or at least to set restore points.
Should you experience an actual problem, try to recall the last thing you did, or the last thing you installed before the problem appeared for the first time. Use the 6resmon command to identify the processes that are causing your problem. Even for serious problems, rather than reinstalling Windows, you are better off repairing of your installation or executing the 7DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth command. This allows you to repair the operating system without losing data.
To get your computer running as fast as it did on day one, you can 8reset your PC. Your personal files will remain intact, but any programs you installed will need to be reinstalled.
To help you analyze the wininit.exe process on your computer, the following programs have proven to be helpful: ASecurity Task Manager displays all running Windows tasks, including embedded hidden processes, such as keyboard and browser monitoring or Autostart entries. A unique security risk rating indicates the likelihood of the process being potential spyware, malware or a Trojan. A good Bantivirus software detects and removes sleeping spyware, adware, Trojans, keyloggers, malware and trackers from your hard drive.
Score
User Comments
Dangerously
mic
Joe
ALFREDO APONTE PEREZ
Alex (further information)
Camsters
Bob
HsMjsty
Lezlit
Tracy Scanlon
Phx PC owner looking for virus removal
DBob
vicky jarlev
Joey Schizt
ali
ray
george
(further information)
Rich.
Jan Nowak_423
Gaminggame
ninel neagu
bubby
Planetiles
Artur
Grzegrii
Summary: Average user rating of wininit.exe: based on 45 votes with 29 user comments. 29 users think wininit.exe is essential for Windows or an installed application. 4 users think it's probably harmless. One user thinks it's neither essential nor dangerous. 4 users suspect danger. 7 users think wininit.exe is dangerous and recommend removing it. 8 users don't grade wininit.exe ("not sure about it").