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

"wmpnetwk.exe" process represents "Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service" program.

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

Boot
   wmpnetwk

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

Image Name                 Memory   Description
--------------------   ----------   -----------
wmpnetwk.exe              5,256 K   Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service

Additional information about "wmpnetwk.exe" process:

Command line:
   "C:\Program Files\Windows Media Player\wmpnetwk.exe"

Programe file information:
   Name: wmpnetwk.exe
   Location: C:\Program Files\Windows Media Player\wmpnetwk.exe
   Description: Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service
   Version: 12.0.9200.16384 (win8_rtm.120725-1247)
   Size: 1314816 bytes
   Last modified: 9/20/2012 2:33:56 AM
   Company Name: Microsoft Corporation
   
Some data files used:
C:\Windows\System32
C:\Program Files\Windows Media Player\en-US\wmpnetwk.exe.mui
C:\Users\fyi\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Libraries
C:\Users\Public\Libraries
C:\Users\lili\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Libraries

Some registry keys used:
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\SESSION MANAGER
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Nls\Sorting\Versions
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Nls\Sorting\Ids
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\PREFERENCES\HME
HKCU\Control Panel\International
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
HKLM\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WindowsRuntime\CLSID
HKCR\ActivatableClasses\CLSID

Some DLL libraries used:
C:\Windows\SYSTEM32\ntdll.dll
C:\Windows\system32\KERNEL32.DLL
C:\Windows\system32\KERNELBASE.dll
C:\Windows\system32\ADVAPI32.dll
C:\Windows\system32\msvcrt.dll
C:\Windows\system32\USER32.dll
C:\Windows\system32\OLEAUT32.dll
C:\Windows\system32\ole32.dll
C:\Windows\SYSTEM32\WSOCK32.dll
C:\Windows\system32\SHELL32.dll

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

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