many are needed - some are not, so why run them ??
CAUTION2: turning off a service will turn it off for ALL users. However, you can set up different “Hardware Profiles”, and that can vary from user-to-user. That is why this guide allows you to create “Hardware Profiles” in WinXP. You can create a new Hardware Profile that has most services disabled for superfast Gaming or Video work. You need the tables in “services.pdf”.
CAUTION3 - be very very very Careful !!!
First off – one service most people do not need is “NetLogon” – it is only for LAN’s that have domains (i.e. Enterprise networks such as at work). You may get this error in the Event Viewer: “This computer is configured as a member of a workgroup, not as a member of a domain. The Netlogon service does not need to run in this configuration.”
Important details From his page . . .
Do NOT use "msconfig" to disable services, type "services.msc" in the Run box instead! (WHY?)
Before disabling ANY service, check out the Windows XP Services Information.
For an easy method of creating multiple Service Configurations, please check out the Windows XP Services Profile Guide.
For an even easier method of applying these tweaks, please visit the Windows XP Services Registry Patch Guide.
All of these services are "Standard" with Windows XP. If you discover something other than these listed here running, another program installed them. View a listing of the more common ones.
Still unsure? Put your setting to "manual" or the listing under "Safe". Manual allows Windows XP to start the service when it needs to (or when ever it feels like it), but not at boot up. Depending on your configuration, not all services will start when required while in "Manual" mode. If you find you need a service, place it in Automatic.
After adjusting your service settings, reboot your computer.
If you do not have some of these services listed, do not panic! If your computer manufacture "pre-installed" your XP, they choose not to have certain services installed for you. This is, in most cases, a fact with OEM versions of Windows XP Home.
Before E-Mailing me, see if your question has been addressed in the FAQ!
More items about how to speed up your system can be found on the Windows XP Super Tweaks Page!
If you find this page helpful and you wish to use this information (forums, web sites), please link directly back to this page and do not copy or redistribute it. The information is up to date and I do not want anyone posting old content.
Disabling all of the "unneeded services" frees up 12-70 MB of RAM, depending on system.
Question - Do you mean that out of 89 services, 36 are set to Automatic as DEFAULT, but, we MAY only need 8 running?!? Answer - YES.
Again - when you change a service, the changes are global and apply to all users !!! This is why you must use hardware profiles !!!
Items to think about:
Ensure that, if you own a USB keyboard, it will work with hardware profiles by creating one and rebooting to see if you can navigate the options menu.
Adjusting a service directly (in the General Tab) effects all hardware profiles and users. So use the LogOn Tab instead !!!
Adjusting a service using hardware profiles effects all user accounts.
Ensure that you look at the "Started" column to see which services are running in any particular profile.
With hardware profiles, there is no "Manual" option located in the "Log On Tab". Services that are set to "Manual" globally (General Tab) will remain that way unless changed globally or in the hardware profiles to "disable".
If the service is set to Automatic or Manual by default or recommended to place it into Automatic or Manual, leave it at "Enabled" in the hardware profiles "Log On Tab".
If you desire a service to be set to Automatic, from Manual or Disabled, place it that way globally (in the general tab) and then enable it via the profiles
NEVER DISABLE THE System Restore Service !!!
NEVER DISABLE Event Log and Plug and Play.
NEVER DISABLE RPC - you will not be able to boot !!!
You should disable “Net Logon”, otherwise the system will log an error each time you reboot, saying “This computer is configured as a member of a workgroup, not as a member of a domain. The Netlogon service does not need to run in this configuration.”
You should disable the “Portable Media Serial Number Service” – again it will result in numerous system error messages being logged, such as “The Portable Media Serial Number Service service failed to start due to the following error: The executable program that this service is configured to run in does not implement the service.”
Create the Hardware Profiles
Your current profile by default is “Profile 1”. Rename it to “My Usual Profile”
For example, you can rename Profile 1 to “My Usual Profile”, and then copy
and create two more, and you will then have the following three hardware
profiles:
My
Usual Profile
Default
Video-Gaming
Reboot, and Log in as the user of your choice, and select one of the profiles – for example, I logged in as user “Video” and selected the profile “Video-Gaming”
Go to the services dialog box: Start/Run/services.msc
One at a time, double click each service to bring up the Services Properties Dialog.
CAUTION: if you use the "General Tab" and Disable a service, it is "forever" Disabled for every hardware profile and every user. Therefore you want to use the "Log On" tab instead
Click the Log On tab.
Using the service table as a guide, for each service - Enable or Disable them in each profile by selecting the profile and choosing the proper button.
If a service is listed as "Automatic or Manual", leave the hardware profile as "Enable".
If a service is listed as "Disabled", change the hardware profile to "Disable".