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

"Apoint.exe" process represents "Alps Pointing-device Driver" program.

"Apoint.exe" process is normally running under the parent process "Boot" as shown in the process tree below:

Boot
   Apoint

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

Image Name                 Memory   Description
--------------------   ----------   -----------
Apoint.exe                9,012 K   Alps Pointing-device Driver

Additional information about "Apoint.exe" process:

Command line:
   "C:\Program Files\DellTPad\Apoint.exe" 

Programe file information:
   Name: Apoint.exe
   Location: C:\Program Files\DellTPad\Apoint.exe
   Description: Alps Pointing-device Driver
   Version: 8.0.101.147
   Size: 678296 bytes
   Last modified: 7/9/2012 10:36:14 PM
   Company Name: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
   
Some data files used:
C:\Windows\System32
C:\Windows\WinSxS\amd64_microsoft.windows.common-controls_6595b64144ccf1df_6.0.9200.16579_none_418ab7ef718b27ef
C:\Windows\WinSxS\amd64_microsoft.windows.common-controls_6595b64144ccf1df_6.0.9200.16579_none_418ab7ef718b27ef

Some registry keys used:
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\SESSION MANAGER
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Nls\Sorting\Versions
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Nls\Sorting\Ids
HKLM\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WindowsRuntime\CLSID
HKCR\ActivatableClasses\CLSID
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
HKLM\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\{B4BFCC3A-DB2C-424C-B029-7FE99A87C641}\PropertyBag
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Alps\Apoint\Gesture
HKLM\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS NT\CURRENTVERSION\AppCompatFlags
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion

Some DLL libraries used:
C:\Windows\SYSTEM32\ntdll.dll
C:\Windows\system32\KERNEL32.DLL
C:\Windows\system32\KERNELBASE.dll
C:\Windows\system32\ADVAPI32.dll
C:\Windows\system32\USER32.dll
C:\Windows\system32\GDI32.dll
C:\Windows\SYSTEM32\WINMM.dll
C:\Windows\system32\SHELL32.dll
C:\Windows\system32\PSAPI.DLL
C:\Windows\system32\SHLWAPI.dll

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

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