Quick overview:
Turning off the Windows services: The Windows system startup consists of different stages, such as the initialization phase of the drivers or the loading of required system files. In the later stage so-called services are started, which are responsible for various areas such as automatic updates or networking. Some of these services (services in technical jargon) are necessary for the operation of the computer - others, on the other hand, lead a wallflower existence and are hardly used on most home PCs.
Which Windows services should I trust - and which should I deactivate? This Windows tweaks article will help you decide: Which one do I need? Where should I keep my hands off? Disabling them reduces background activity, saves system resources and frees up memory that can be used for other programs. I recommend creating a backup of the system before deactivating XP Services, as this process is very experimental and therefore somewhat dangerous. Bear in mind that every system can react differently - various factors such as the software or hardware or technologies used depend in part on the success of the following instructions. However, we prevent situations in which the changes can no longer be reversed - so trust the following table with peace of mind.
Tracking down services: start finding and deactivating
The makers of Windows XP have hidden the configuration of services a little. Call up the entire list by proceeding as follows:
1. Click on Start Control Panel and double-click on the Administrative Tools icon.
2. You will be taken to a new window - here you decide on services.
3. A double-click is all it takes to open a huge list. To deactivate a service of your choice according to the list below or to set it to manual autostart, just a few simple steps are required. Double-click on the desired entry and select the desired setting under startup type.
Windows services - important notes on deactivation
So that you can reset your services to the original values in the event of errors, I have listed the settings directly after a fresh installation in the fifth column Standard. We also recommend deactivating only 1-3 services at a time so that you can isolate possible errors. After a restart, test whether your system and applications are still working properly. You can create a backup of all services using the tips at the end of the article!
In the following table, you will first find the name of the service under Service - as it also appears in the Control Panel. The recommended setting reflects the safest setting that is nevertheless tailored to system tuning: you can do little wrong with this setting if you follow our warnings and instructions on how to proceed with the services. Many services that you probably do not need and start automatically have been set to Manual. If you do need them, Windows will start them later. The Tuner setting shows which services you can deactivate and which are required for Windows to start. Read the descriptions here in particular, as many important application areas (Internet, network, printers, etc.) will no longer work if Windows services are used blindly. Only use this list on standalone PCs that are used solely as gaming computers, for example, or if you know what you are doing with individual services. The default settings correspond to Microsoft's standard after a fresh installation and are your backup in case something goes wrong.
XP Services - what Windows Tweaks recommends
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Congratulations - Passed!
You have now changed many services and certainly gained your own experience with the list. Don't hesitate and email them to me at hilfe@windows-tweaks.info!
A little tip on the side: If you are planning a new installation, it is helpful if you take the optimized settings with you. This eliminates the need to reconfigure the services. You should also create a backup that you can insert by double-clicking before setting up the services:
1. Open the Windows registry by clicking Start/Run and typing regedit.
2. Navigate to the key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ CurrentControlSet\Services and click on File/Export. Now select the path and the file name and save this entire part of the registry. In future, you can double-click on this file to apply the settings immediately!
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