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

"msdtc.exe" process represents "Microsoft Distributed Transaction Coordinator Service" program, created by the "Distributed Transaction Coordinator" service.

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

Boot
   msdtc

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

Image Name                 Memory   Description
--------------------   ----------   -----------
msdtc.exe                 7,404 K   Microsoft Distributed Transaction Coordinator Service

Additional information about "msdtc.exe" process:

Command line:
   C:\Windows\System32\msdtc.exe

Programe file information:
   Name: msdtc.exe
   Location: C:\Windows\System32\msdtc.exe
   Description: Microsoft Distributed Transaction Coordinator Service
   Version: 2001.12.10130.16384 (win8_rtm.120725-1247)
   Size: 144384 bytes
   Last modified: 7/25/2012 11:08:34 PM
   Company Name: Microsoft Corporation
   
Some data files used:
C:\Windows\System32
C:\Windows\System32\en-US\msdtc.exe.mui
C:\Windows\System32\MsDtc\MSDTC.LOG
C:\Windows\System32\en-US\msdtcVSp1res.dll.mui

Some registry keys used:
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\SESSION MANAGER
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Nls\Sorting\Versions
HKLM\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\MSDTC\Tracing
HKLM\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS NT\CURRENTVERSION\Tracing\MSDTC\Changed

Some DLL libraries used:
C:\Windows\SYSTEM32\ntdll.dll
C:\Windows\system32\KERNEL32.DLL
C:\Windows\system32\KERNELBASE.dll
C:\Windows\SYSTEM32\combase.dll
C:\Windows\system32\msvcrt.dll
C:\Windows\System32\MSDTCTM.dll
C:\Windows\system32\RPCRT4.dll
C:\Windows\system32\OLEAUT32.dll
C:\Windows\SYSTEM32\sechost.dll
C:\Windows\system32\ole32.dll

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

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