What is the "wininit.exe" process on Windows 8? Is the "wininit.exe" process a virus? Can I terminate the "wininit.exe" process?

"wininit.exe - Windows Start-Up Application" process runs right after the Windows 8 operating system started to launch all service processes and startup programs.

On the Processes tab of "Task Manager", "wininit.exe" process may be listed as:

Image Name   PID  User Name   Memory  Description

wininit.exe  492  SYSTEM      108 K   Windows Start-Up Application

Additional information about "wininit.exe" process:

Command line:
   \Windows\System32\wininit.exe
   
Started by: Boot program

Files used:
   C:\Windows\System32

Registry keys:

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Lsa
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Nls\Language Groups
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Nls\Locale
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Nls\Locale\Alternate Sorts
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Nls\Sorting\Versions
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Session Manager
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\services\WinSock2\Parameters\NameSpace_Catalog5
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\services\WinSock2\Parameters\Protocol_Catalog9
HKU\.DEFAULT\Control Panel\International
HKU\.DEFAULT\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion

"wininit.exe" process is not a virus. You should not terminate "wininit.exe" process.

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