What is Trkwks.dll process and how to Disable it?

A genuine trkwks.dll file belongs to the Windows Operating System that is known as Distributed Link Tracking Client. This file is located under C:\Windows\System32\ and it should not be removed from the system.  The main function of trkwks.dll is to maintain a proper link between the NTFS files that resides in a Windows System.

The full form of TrkWkS file is Distributed Link Tracking on Workplace Systems Client.

What is the use of trkwks.dll?

Trkwks.dll work only with the NTFS drive that allows to track the files that are recently renamed or modified or moved within the system or to another computer. Therefore, the trkwks.dll file is an essential part of the Windows Operating System that can be found in Windows 10 to older versions.Trkwks.dll was first released in august,2006 with Windows Vista.

Quick overview:

File Size and Location

The size of trkwks.dll file is 109 KB and the location of the file is under  C:\Windows\System32\ directory.

This is how the file will look like in Windows 10 or 8 PC:

Is trkwks.dll a virus or Safe?

Some viruses get in your Windows PC as trkwks.dll and these viruses can be identified by checking if trkwks.dll file is located in the C:\Windows\System32 folder or not. If the file is not located in the C:\Windows\System32\ folder then it could be malware or trojan.

So, here are some simple steps to check if you’ve got viruses under trkwks.dll file:

1. Press crtl+shift+esc keys together.
2. The task manager dialogue box opens.
3. Now go to the details tab
4. Check if trkwks.dll file is consuming in CPU or RAM memory.
5. Now, right-click on the file and select “open file location”.
6. If the file location is not C:\Windows\System32 then it is malware.

Can I Disable trkwks.dll?

If you are not sharing the files on a remote PC or on a Local Area Network (LAN) then you can disable trkwks process.  However, in rare cases, this file consumes any system’s resources.

How to Disable trkwks.dll?

Since usually the trkwks process doesn’t much consumer CPU or RAM resources, therefore it is not required to disable the application. However, if you still want to disable the trkwks.dll file then follow the below steps:

1. Click on Start and then type “services.msc” in the search bar then press enter.
2. Find the entry in the “Services” window named Distributed Link Tracking Client.
3. Then double click on it.
4. Then put the “Startup type” to “Disabled”
5. Click on OK to save the changes.

What are the common errors?

The most common trkwks.dll errors that are seen are stated below:

• “Access Violation at address – trkwks.dll.”
• “Trkwks.dll could not be found.”
• “Cannot find C:\Windows\System32\trkwks.dll.”
• “Cannot register trkwks.dll.”
• “Cannot start Windows.”
• “A required component is missing: trkwks.dll.”
• “Please install Windows again. Failed to load trkwks.dll.”
• “The application has failed to start because trkwks.dll was not found.”
• “The file trkwks.dll is missing or corrupt.”
• “This application failed to start because trkwks.dll was not found. Re-installing the application may fix this problem.”

Reasons causing trkwks.dll errors :

1. trkwks.dll file can miss from your desktop because of unintentional deletion, or being uninstalled as a shared file of any other program i.e., shared with Windows.
2. This file corruption can also be caused due to a power outage while Windows is getting loaded on your desktop.
3. Another reason is if the system crashes while loading trkwks.dll file or bad divisions on the storage media which is generally your primary hard drive that can cause file corruption.
4. The most common reason still being a malware infection which as a result, deletes your trkwks.dll file from your system.

How to avoid these errors?

To avoid these errors in your system it is very essential to keep your anti-virus up-to-date with regular scanning. Additionally, it is advised to keep your Windows system up to date by downloading the latest windows patches. Another tip is to avoid downloading third-party software that may harm your system and remove essential files. Therefore always download software from reliable sites.

How to restore trkwls.dll file after it is missing or has corrupted?

To restore the corrupt or missing file, you will have to run the SFC command tool. You may watch this video if you don’t know don’t want to follow the below steps:

1. Press the Windows logo, type the command prompt, and click on Run as Administrator
2. Then a permission dialog box appears on the screen.
3. Then click “yes“.
4. Command prompt will open, now, type “sfc /scannow” in the black screen then press “enter“.
5. Then SFC will start scanning the system and repair if there is any damaged trkwks.dll file.
6. Once scanning finished then restart the system.

Other dll files:

gcapi.dll, IsDone.dll, msstdfmt.dll