wmplayer process "resurrects" itself and hogs 50% CPU

[Whiternoise]

An interesting problem certainly.

I've had issues with WMP not exiting properly and having to kill the process by hand, but this takes it to a new low. I exit, and i started to notice that firefox stopped working - frozen. I discovered that it was because the media player process was running in the background and was taking up so much processing power that firefox was lagging.

I've tried ending the process, ending the process tree, disabling the WMP network service, restarting. I don't want to reinstall because i don't think it would do much good. I don't think it's a codec issue either, that usually just keeps the process running - but it doesn't make the process start up straight away again.

After a while sometimes i can just close it, but it's not a good workaround.

Any ideas?

 

[Nestea80]

After reading a lot of forum posts and tinkering with the problem ... I think I've found the solution. I *JUST* fixed the problem literally a few minutes ago ... so I'm eager to help others. Hopefully I didn't jump the gun and THINK I solved it when I didn't.

Most people got the problem solved by going into the Sync Center and turning off the sync to devices. So if this helps you, then yay.

I had no devices in there. So that didn't work for me.

For me, the problem was in Side Show. (I have the Logitech G15 keyboard). So under Control Panel->Windows Sideshow, I unchecked the boxes next to Windows Media Player.

 

[rcjhood]

Thank you for the fix! I created this account just to tell you that you're awesome.

 

[Nestea80]

Heh, no problem. If you noticed, that was my FIRST post. I also created that account JUST to let everyone know how I fixed it. Just in case some random person wanted to google up how to fix the problem. Because I remember being so glad to figure out what on earth was going on.

 

[The Carnage]

@ Nestea80, you are a god... For i am that random googleing person, i also have a G15 and the wmp process never closing was staring to get on my nerves. I often make movies on sony vegas and alternate looking at clips in wmp and editing them and since i installed win7 the 2 programs have been clashing when wmp refuses to get go of the file when i close it, forcing me to end the process in task manager. Unticking the g15 slide show boxs worked like a charm, so thanx for posting.

 

[Tequilashot]

Same here, allso a random google searching dude.
Whiternoise your Epic, thanks for your input.

 

[Existme]

nestea80 & Whiternoise, thank you very much, Like others, I just created account to thank you!

 

[mblitch]

I've had to look up this issue at least twice now with new system installs, and it is still spot on. I have no idea why this has not been fixed. so many people I am sure have this problem yet have no idea how to fix it.

I am running Win7 x64 and use a Logitech g15 keyboard. I also found that wmplayer.exe kept coming on as an unkillable process and hogging resources.

As suggested, Windows Sideshow and the Logitech software was the issue. To solve this open the 'Logitech LCD manager' from your start menu. Go to Programs and then select the Windows Sideshow line (Monochrome of color, it doesn't matter). Then select 'configure' and then unselect the two options.
Alternative, the system URL to get here was 'Control Panel\Hardware and Sound\Windows SideShow', so you might copy and paste that in your system folder/directory (e.g. open any folder and just copy/paste in the path/URL bar).

I registered and did a write-up just to add a few more keywords in hopes others looking for a solution can find this as well.

 

[khowlada]

nestea you are the king!

I too am running Windows 7 x64 and use a Logitech g15 keyboard. I also found that wmplayer.exe kept coming on as an unkillable process and hogging resources.

logitech get your act together!!

 

[bu0489]

you are an absolute legend, same problem with the g15,

 

[Aztecia]

I created this account just to say thank you. This thead is almost 2 years old, but it has proven invaluable to me. The resurrecting wmplayer has been SO frustrating! I can't believe it all stems from my beautiful G15 keyboard

Thanks again, Whiternoise.

 

[darkonex]

Dude thanks so much, this fixed it for me finally! I had been looking for a solution to this issue for hell probably over a year now off and on and never found the solution till now. Thanks so much yo!

 

[Roffy]

Same problem here with the G15 , tkx mblitch.

 

[Cordau]

Had the same problem with the G13. Thanks a bunch.

 

[udoh]

You are a Legend.
This problem has bugged me for years.
Created an account just to say thanks

 

[Djerun]

I knew the reason was my g13 sideshow for nearly three month now but I didn't know about the option in the control panel... I was a little blind I think... (this is hard to find btw, as long as I didnt include "wmp sideshow" to the search it would jsut come up with unsolved long dead threads)

 

[soccer7man]

another googler created account to rep this as well. thanks!

 

[Citizen7]

Also googled this up. Wanted to say thanks! I'm using the Logitech G510, and had the same problem. I wondered why my computer had been running so poorly for the last four months. Thanks so much!

 

[BillyBoBBizWort]

Thanks so much OP, i was wondering why it was running so sloppy and why i couldnt end the WMP process,just kept popping back up...

Also a logitech G15 owner by the way.

Like others,just a googler looking for a answer to this and your solution worked,i made this account to say thanks.

Cheers

 

[Cyborg31]

This thread needs to be bumped again.

Using a G110 with the same issue and solved by turning it off in sideshow.

Why this hasn't been fixed no one knows.