How can I make WMP 12 use less system resources

This should not happen, WMP uses around 1% of CPU usage playing MP3s and 2-4% playing videos.

Trying re-installing it or check for broken codecs.

Kareem wroteThis should not happen, WMP uses around 1% of CPU usage playing MP3s and 2-4% playing videos.

Err yes, of course not on Intel Atoms. How can CPU usage be constant for the same software across different CPUs?

AvoK95 wroteMine's using 99% of the CPU if I play any type of music format or videos.
How can I check for broken codecs ?

Download k-lite codec pack; it has automatic detection and fix for broken codecs including other tools.

yasamoka wrote

Kareem wroteThis should not happen, WMP uses around 1% of CPU usage playing MP3s and 2-4% playing videos.

Err yes, of course not on Intel Atoms. How can CPU usage be constant for the same software across different CPUs?

CPU usage with an intel PXA270 used on WM2003 device when playing MP3 is 4%.

On my Dell Latitude using intel U9400 @ 800MHZ power saving mode WMP uses less than 2% of CPU usage when playing MP3 and 4-5% CPU usage when playing video.

I know CPU usage is not the same across different CPUs that's why I said it should be anywhere between 2% and 4%... Also, some video formats ie. mp4 consume more processing power than some other like FLV ( same resolution ).

WMP is very light, it's the decoder that could be abusing the resources.

Well, it seems that you have problems with your library; try this :

Go into Media Player -> menu -> File -> Manage libraries -> select each library (music, video, pictures, recorded tv [if you have]) and check the paths that it is managing and make sure it is not too close to the root of the C: drive ( it should be something like c:\users\Karim\Music and c:\users\Public\Music BUT NOT c:\users as they will cause the whole directory tree to be re-indexed over and over )

btw.. If you have multiple users who login to the computer, you may need to repeat the process for each user if all users have added managed folders which are actively changing on a regular basis.

Try this first which I believe will solve your issue; in case that does not, delete your library cache and rebuild it.

Cheers.

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-sound/windows-media-player-network-sharing-using-33-of/9abc9abb-4c39-4e90-ae75-2f1cb02d5843

In Windows Media Player turn off media sharing.

1. Open Media Player
2. Go to Library >> Media Sharing

3. This will open up Media Sharing Dialog, uncheck the both of these checkbox’s and click apply.

If the above procedure does not solve your problem and you still see wmpnetwk.exe running, then you should disable its corresponding service

1. Open Run Prompt ( Press Window+r ) and type Services.msc and press Enter
2. Locate Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service

3. Right click on it and Select Properties, now stop it if it is already running by clicking Stop button and then select the Startup Type as Disabled.
4. Press OK.

Thanks and Regards:
I. Suuresh Kumar- Microsoft Support.
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Do you have plugins installed that might be slowing down WMP ?

Does WMP use too much resources when windows is running is safe mode ?

Have you tried system file checker ? c:/sfc /scannow

Can you list the process tree for WMP ?

Can you delete the entire library ( you can backup ) and try to open WMP ?

I am almost sure that the Library is corrupted since it's using a lot of resources even when idle ( you can test by renaming the library folder under c:/user/blabla/music )


Do you have by any chance itunes installed ?

AvoK95 wroteSuddenly it got back to normal. I have NO idea how. I did nothing at all. Just downloaded a new song and played it and my CPU is 25 ~ 50% MAX with Chrome open along with MSN and uTorrent.

I have a hunch that WMP was updating my music library (Because I got tons of songs, about 98GB and added them recently) But I'm not sure just yet.

Anyway thanks for all the help guys especially Kareem :) BTW I HATE iTunes, most complicated and heaviest media player I have ever used.

Probably SFC fixed some broken files.

Btw iTunes was the reason I sold my iPhone. Can't bear it :)