What is the "WmiPrvSE.exe" process on Windows 8? Is the "WmiPrvSE.exe" process a virus? Can I terminate the "WmiPrvSE.exe" process? Why there are multiple "WmiPrvSE.exe" processes?

"WmiPrvSE.exe - WMI Provider Host" process provides a common interface and object model to access management information about operating system, devices, applications and services. If this service is stopped, most Windows-based applications will not function properly.

The reason for multiple "WmiPrvSE.exe" processes is that different applications that use WMI interface do not want to share a single "WmiPrvSE.exe" process to avoid crashing together. Different applications creates different "WmiPrvSE.exe" processes so they can run independently.

On the Processes tab of "Task Manager", multiple "WmiPrvSE.exe" processes may be listed under different user names:

Image Name   PID  User Name        Memory  Description

WmiPrvSE.exe 9708 SYSTEM           2,976 K WMI Provider Host
WmiPrvSE.exe 9080 SYSTEM           1,568 K WMI Provider Host
WmiPrvSE.exe 9040 LOCAL SERVICE    1,146 K WMI Provider Host
WmiPrvSE.exe 7776 LOCAL SERVICE    1,988 K WMI Provider Host
WmiPrvSE.exe 7036 SYSTEM           1,872 K WMI Provider Host
WmiPrvSE.exe 4116 LOCAL SERVICE    2,996 K WMI Provider Host
WmiPrvSE.exe 2712 NETWORK SERVICE  8,336 K WMI Provider Host
WmiPrvSE.exe 2704 SYSTEM           3,048 K WMI Provider Host
...

Additional information about "WmiPrvSE.exe" process:

Command line:
   C:\Windows\system32\wbem\wmiprvse.exe
   
Started by: svchost.exe

Files used:
   C:\Windows\System32
   
Registry keys: 
   HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\NDP\v4\Full
   HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Perflib
   HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Nls
   HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Session Manager
   HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\services
   HKU\.DEFAULT\Control Panel\International

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

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