WISPTIS.EXE: Identifying, Explaining, Removing

WISPTIS stands for "Windows Ink Services Platform Tablet Input Subsystem". This references an outdated MS-internal name from the team that developed it. This definition from (defunct) TabletPCDeveloper.com:

Wisptis.exe (\Windows\System32) This executable runs as a system service that provides pen-data collection for other components of the SDK.

WISPTIS.EXE is spawned as a service to communicate directly with an input device. On a tablet, it interacts with the digitizer; on a laptop / desktop it interacts with the mouse.

The .EXE ends up on your system when you install Journal Viewer (via Windows Update) and Microsoft Office 2003. I’ve seen it spawned when running Adobe Acrobat Reader, both as an add-in to Internet Explorer and natively when opening a .PDF. Hence, it can get spawned a lot. It also has the bad taste to not go away when AR or the IE session is closed.

The program doesn’t cause any damage, but it doesn’t do any good on a non-tablet PC, either. I’ve observed it grabbing 13-20MB of system RAM, but only a few cycles (might be higher in drawing programs). Removing it requires:

• Stopping the service if it’s running (ensure AR is closed and stop the process in Task Mangler).
• Modifying the registry (.REG file contents below)
• Deleting the executable (C:\Windows\System32\WISPTIS.EXE).

As it can come back through various patches, you may have to remove it again.

The registry keys to remove are below (in WinReg .REG format). I’ve tested this on multiple WinXPSP2 systems. It’s a good idea to set a system restore point or to back up these keys to a .REG file before removing them. Once you’re comfortable you’ve not done any system damage, copy and paste the commands below to a .REG file. Note the "-" sign in front of the HKEY is syntax to remove the specified key:

==SNIP==
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AppID\{7F429620-16D1-471E-A81A-114992148034}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AppID\wisptis.EXE]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{04A1E553-FE36-4FDE-865E-344194E69424}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{13DE4A42-8D21-4C8E-BF9C-8F69CB068FCA}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{242025BB-8546-48B6-B9B0-F4406C54ACFC}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{3336B8BF-45AF-429F-85CB-8C435FBF21E4}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{3EE60F5C-9BAD-4CD8-8E21-AD2D001D06EB}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{43B07326-AAE0-4B62-A83D-5FD768B7353C}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AppID\{7F429620-16D1-471E-A81A-114992148034}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AppID\wisptis.EXE]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{04A1E553-FE36-4FDE-865E-344194E69424}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{13DE4A42-8D21-4C8E-BF9C-8F69CB068FCA}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{242025BB-8546-48B6-B9B0-F4406C54ACFC}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{3336B8BF-45AF-429F-85CB-8C435FBF21E4}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{3EE60F5C-9BAD-4CD8-8E21-AD2D001D06EB}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{43B07326-AAE0-4B62-A83D-5FD768B7353C}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{43FB1553-AD74-4EE8-88E4-3E6DAAC915DB}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{524B13ED-2E57-40B8-B801-5FA35122EB5C}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{632A2D3D-86AF-411A-8654-7511B51B3D5F}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{65D00646-CDE3-4A88-9163-6769F0F1A97D}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{6E4FCB12-510A-4D40-9304-1DA10AE9147C}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{786CDB70-1628-44A0-853C-5D340A499137}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{836FA1B6-1190-4005-B434-7ED921BE2026}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{8770D941-A63A-4671-A375-2855A18EBA73}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{8854F6A0-4683-4AE7-9191-752FE64612C3}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{937C1A34-151D-4610-9CA6-A8CC9BDB5D83}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{9C1CC6E4-D7EB-4EEB-9091-15A7C8791ED9}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{9DE85094-F71F-44F1-8471-15A2FA76FCF3}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{9FD4E808-F6E6-4E65-98D3-AA39054C1255}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{A5558507-9B96-46BA-94ED-982E684A9A6B}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{A5B020FD-E04B-4E67-B65A-E7DEED25B2CF}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{AAC46A37-9229-4FC0-8CCE-4497569BF4D1}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{C52FF1FD-EB6C-42CF-9140-83DEFECA7E29}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{D8BF32A2-05A5-44C3-B3AA-5E80AC7D2576}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{DE815B00-9460-4F6E-9471-892ED2275EA5}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{E3D5D93C-1663-4A78-A1A7-22375DFEBAEE}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{E5CA59F5-57C4-4DD8-9BD6-1DEEEDD27AF4}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{E9A6AB1B-0C9C-44AC-966E-560C2771D1E8}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{EFB4A0CB-A01F-451C-B6B7-56F02F77D76F}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{F0291081-E87C-4E07-97DA-A0A03761E586}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{43FB1553-AD74-4EE8-88E4-3E6DAAC915DB}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{524B13ED-2E57-40B8-B801-5FA35122EB5C}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{632A2D3D-86AF-411A-8654-7511B51B3D5F}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{65D00646-CDE3-4A88-9163-6769F0F1A97D}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{6E4FCB12-510A-4D40-9304-1DA10AE9147C}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{786CDB70-1628-44A0-853C-5D340A499137}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{836FA1B6-1190-4005-B434-7ED921BE2026}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{8770D941-A63A-4671-A375-2855A18EBA73}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{8854F6A0-4683-4AE7-9191-752FE64612C3}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{937C1A34-151D-4610-9CA6-A8CC9BDB5D83}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{9C1CC6E4-D7EB-4EEB-9091-15A7C8791ED9}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{9DE85094-F71F-44F1-8471-15A2FA76FCF3}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{9FD4E808-F6E6-4E65-98D3-AA39054C1255}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{A5558507-9B96-46BA-94ED-982E684A9A6B}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{A5B020FD-E04B-4E67-B65A-E7DEED25B2CF}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{AAC46A37-9229-4FC0-8CCE-4497569BF4D1}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{C52FF1FD-EB6C-42CF-9140-83DEFECA7E29}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{D8BF32A2-05A5-44C3-B3AA-5E80AC7D2576}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{DE815B00-9460-4F6E-9471-892ED2275EA5}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{E3D5D93C-1663-4A78-A1A7-22375DFEBAEE}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{E5CA59F5-57C4-4DD8-9BD6-1DEEEDD27AF4}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{E9A6AB1B-0C9C-44AC-966E-560C2771D1E8}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{EFB4A0CB-A01F-451C-B6B7-56F02F77D76F}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{F0291081-E87C-4E07-97DA-A0A03761E586}]
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\UserData\S-1-5-18\Components\1125549C421D34E4DBF1036F62580BE1]
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\UserData\S-1-5-18\Components\652A08B235C6DFF4C8CD41B52DE68CA4]
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\UserData\S-1-5-18\Components\9B4B5940D4625D64C85532B8CDE3BF4D]
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\UserData\S-1-5-18\Components\D656DA4A9E277A34D90D5E6FFA34E827]
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\UserData\S-1-5-18\Products\7040110900063D11C8EF10054038389C\Features\WISPFiles]
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\UserData\S-1-5-18\Products\7040110900063D11C8EF10054038389C\Features\WISPHidden]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TpcCom]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TpcCom.ClassicW]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TpcCom.ClassicW.1]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TpcCom.DrawAttrs]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TpcCom.DrawAttrs.1]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TpcCom.DrawAttrsXP]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TpcCom.DrawAttrsXP.1]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TpcCom.GenericRecognizer]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TpcCom.GenericRecognizer.1]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TpcCom.InkObject]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TpcCom.InkObject.1]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TpcCom.InkObjectXP]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TpcCom.InkObjectXP.1]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TpcCom.InkSettings.1]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TpcCom.Lattice.1]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TpcCom.RecoManager]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TpcCom.RecoManager.1]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TpcCom.TabletManager]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TpcCom.TabletManager.1]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TpcCom.UserDictionary]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TpcCom.UserDictionary.1]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TypeLib\{194508A0-B8D1-473E-A9B6-851AAF726A6D}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TypeLib\{56D04F5D-964F-4DBF-8D23-B97989E53418}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TypeLib\{773F1B9A-35B9-4E95-83A0-A210F2DE3B37}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TypeLib\{7D868ACD-1A5D-4A47-A247-F39741353012}]
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\UserData\S-1-5-18\Components\1125549C421D34E4DBF1036F62580BE1]
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\UserData\S-1-5-18\Components\652A08B235C6DFF4C8CD41B52DE68CA4]
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\UserData\S-1-5-18\Components\9B4B5940D4625D64C85532B8CDE3BF4D]
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\UserData\S-1-5-18\Components\D656DA4A9E277A34D90D5E6FFA34E827]
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\UserData\S-1-5-18\Products\7040110900063D11C8EF10054038389C\Features\WISPFiles]
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\UserData\S-1-5-18\Products\7040110900063D11C8EF10054038389C\Features\WISPHidden]
==SNIP==

As always, no warranties, expressed or implied: use at your own risk.