Windows Vista Service Tweak Guide

[usasma]

64 services running on a stock install of Vista RTM (32 bit version) by counting those that are listed as "Started" in services.msc

After installing some Logitech mouse software and Firefox, a glance at the Task Manager shows 37 processes running (13 svchost.exe's) - but clicking on the Services tab shows many more than that (approximately 63 with a PID (presumed to be started) and a whole boat load more without PID's). Presumably the excess are running under the svchost.exe instances.

[usasma]

Here's the list of services that I had on my Vista RTM install when it first started - along with my choices about what should and should not me modified. A lot of this is based on previous experiences and may not apply in your situation. Finally, some of it is just a SWAG (scientific wild-a**ed guess) - so take it with a grain of salt.

My thoughts are that, when it doubt, you should set a service to Manual rather than Disabling it - this way you can go back and see if it's being called on as time progresses. If it isn't needed in a week or two, then chances are that you won't need it - so it should be safe to Disable then.

Regardless, take the time to export a list of the services as they sit on your system and save them to a text file - it's a good resource for resetting them if needs be. PM me for the Excel version of this if you'd like (it includes the comments from earlier in this thread).

Here's what I've gotten:

Application Experience - Disable if you don't use Aero or themes

Application Information - Manual - needed to install legacy software as an admin

Application Layer Gateway Service - Manual

Application Management - Manual

Background Intelligent Transfer Service - Auto

Base Filtering Engine - ? Manual

Block Level Backup Engine Service - Manual

Certificate Propagation - Manual

CNG Key Isolation - Manual

COM+ Event System - Auto

COM+ System Application - Manual

Computer Browser - Auto

Cryptographic Services - Auto

DCOM Server Process Launcher - Auto

Desktop Window Manager Session Manager - Disable if you don't use Aero or themes

DFS Replication - Manual

DHCP Client - Auto

Diagnostic Policy Service - ? Manual

Diagnostic Service Host - Manual

Diagnostic System Host - ? Manual

Distributed Link Tracking Client - Auto

Distributed Transaction Coordinator - Manual

DNS Client - Auto

Extensible Authentication Protocol - Manual

Fax - Disable if you don't fax

Function Discovery Provider Host - Manual

Function Discovery Resource Publication - Auto

Group Policy Client - Disable if you don't use Group Policy

Health Key and Certificate Management - Manual

Human Interface Device Access - Manual

IKE and AuthIP IPsec Keying Modules - ? Manual

Interactive Services Detection - ? Manual

Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) - Disabled by default on my system

IP Helper - ? Manual

IPsec Policy Agent - ? Manual

KtmRm for Distributed Transaction Coordinator - ? Disable

Link-Layer Topology Discovery Mapper - ? Manual

Microsoft .NET Framework NGEN v2.0.50727_X86 - Manual

Microsoft iSCSI Initiator Service - Manual

Microsoft Software Shadow Copy Provider - Disable if you don't use Volume Shadow Copy - otherwise Manual

Multimedia Class Scheduler - Disable, Manual if you need priority assigned to multimedia tasks

Net.Tcp Port Sharing Service - Disabled by default on my system

Netlogon - Manual

Network Access Protection Agent - Manual

Network Connections - Manual

Network List Service - ? Manual

Network Location Awareness - ? Manual

Network Store Interface Service - Auto

Offline Files - ? Manual

Parental Controls - Disable unless you need the Parental Controls

Peer Name Resolution Protocol - Manual

Peer Networking Grouping - Manual

Peer Networking Identity Manager - Manual

Performance Logs & Alerts - Manual

Plug and Play - Auto

PnP-X IP Bus Enumerator - Manual

PNRP Machine Name Publication Service - Manual

Portable Device Enumerator Service - ? Manual

Print Spooler - Disable if you don't have a printer

Problem Reports and Solutions Control Panel Support - Manual

Program Compatibility Assistant Service - ? Manual

Protected Storage - Disable if you're not worried about the security of your sensitive information

Quality Windows Audio Video Experience - Manual

ReadyBoost - Disable unless using ReadyBoost (gotta try this one!)

Remote Access Auto Connection Manager - ? Manual

Remote Access Connection Manager - Disable if you don't use dial-up connections and/or VPN-networks.

Remote Procedure Call (RPC) - Auto

Remote Procedure Call (RPC) Locator - Manual

Remote Registry - Manual

Routing and Remote Access - Disabled by default on my system

Secondary Logon - Disable

Security Accounts Manager - Auto

Security Center - ? Manual

Server - ? Manual

Shell Hardware Detection - Disable to remove autoplay functionality on removable media.

SL UI Notification Service - Disable. You can manually run this if it's needed for activation or other software licensing issues.

Smart Card - Manual

Smart Card Removal Policy - Manual

SNMP Trap - Manual

Software Licensing - Disable if you don't use licensed content - but be careful as it will cause some programs to run with decreased functionality. Otherwise, set it to manual

SSDP Discovery - Manual

Superfetch - Sorta like prefetch on steroids - I'd leave it on Auto

System Event Notification Service - Leave it if you want to know when an error occurs - otherwise, disable it.

Tablet PC Input Service - Disable if you don't have a Tablet PC

Task Scheduler - ? Manual

TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper - ? Manual if you don't know

Telephony - Disable if you don't use dial-up connections.

Terminal Services - Disable, reset it if you need remote functionality

Terminal Services Configuration - Manual

Terminal Services UserMode Port Redirector - Manual

Themes - Disable

Thread Ordering Server - Manual

TPM Base Services - Manual

UPnP Device Host - Disable if you don't need to host UPnP devices.

User Profile Service - Auto

Virtual Disk - Manual

Volume Shadow Copy - Manual

WebClient - Disable

Windows Audio - ? Manual

Windows Audio Endpoint Builder - ? Manual

Windows Backup - Manual

Windows CardSpace - Manual

Windows Color System - Manual

Windows Connect Now - Config Registrar - Manual

Windows Defender - Auto - use it, it's good and it's free!

Windows Driver Foundation - User-mode Driver Framework - Manual

Windows Error Reporting Service - Leave it if you want to know when an error occurs - otherwise, disable it.

Windows Event Collector - Manual

Windows Event Log - Leave it if you want to know when an error occurs - otherwise, disable it.

Windows Firewall - Disable only if using another software firewall - otherwise, leave it alone.

Windows Image Acquisition (WIA) - Manual

Windows Installer - Manual

Windows Management Instrumentation - Auto

Windows Media Center Extender Service - Disabled by default on my system

Windows Media Center Receiver Service - Manual

Windows Media Center Scheduler Service - Manual

Windows Media Center Service Launcher - ? Manual

Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service - ? Manual

Windows Modules Installer - Manual

Windows Presentation Foundation Font Cache 3.0.0.0 - ? Manual

Windows Remote Management (WS-Management) - ? Disable

Windows Search - Disable

Windows Time - Disable

Windows Update - Auto - you need the updates!

WinHTTP Web Proxy Auto-Discovery Service - Disable or Manual

Wired AutoConfig - ? Disable if you don't have wireless - otherwise Manual

WLAN AutoConfig - ? Disable if you don't have wireless - otherwise Manual

WMI Performance Adapter - Manual

Workstation- Auto

Edited November 30, 2006 by usasma

[Jeremy]

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showto...6648&st=15#

[Jeronimo]

Leave the services alone people. They're there for a reason.

Everyone has replied to this comment up to now so I might as well too...

"They're there for a reason."

Yeah to be turned off because they use RAM.

I did a bit of an experiment - exported the whole Services hive, replaced

"Start"=dword:00000002 with "Start"=dword:00000003 and you

know what... it actually didn't make much difference in the RAM usage at all,

but there were a few errors here and there though.

In VMware with Vista you can power it off and adjust the RAM down

to 224Mb (no less) then boot it up again and it uses less than 150Mb

RAM. Sounds impossible, sounds like a joke, but its true... if you have

VMware and Vista, try it. It runs pretty smooth on 224Mb RAM too!

I would not recommend doing this exactly like this as there are services in this key that do not show up in Computer Management Services. Check that you only do this for type 32 (dword 20), these are the actual services. This might give you a good indication of what services are needed, but some services do not start-up in manual mode by themselves when needed. If this should occur for RPC service, then you could be in trouble.

I can however confirm memory usage went down to around 330MB for me as well. This was however on a fully installed system, with Virus scan enabled in the background, so say around 300 to 310MB without AV.

[Jeronimo]

Network Connections - disable if you set static IP-address and do not access network connections frequently

Software Licensing - required for control panel, personalization

Secure Accounts Manager - required for Windows Mail

User Profile Service - disable will cause login failure to you default account (auto-login)

Question:

Group Policy - disable, anyone know how as this service is protected in services as well as in the registry

My 2 cents. If a service:

1. starts at system start-up in manual mode, then I re-evaluate (maybe it is essential?) and if I still do not want it to start, then I set it to disabled.

2. does not start at system start-up in manual mode, then I leave it that way. If it starts because of some application, then it is most likely required.

3. absolutely must not start, because of security risks (like peer-to-peers services) then I always put them to disabled.

My settings...

Automatic:

- Application Experience, Desktop Window Manager Session Manager, Themes (Aero Interface)

- Multimedia Class Scheduler, Windows Audio, Windows Audio Endpoint Builder (Audio)

- DCOM Server Process Launcher, Group Pollicy Client, Multimedia Class Scheduler, Plug and Play, Remote Procedure Call (RPC), Task Scheduler, User Profile Service, Windows Event Log, Windows Management Instrumentation (mandatory)

- Program Compatibility Assistant Service (unsure)

- Protected Storage (Security, Windows Mail)

- Software Licensing (Control Panel)

- SuperFetch (Performance. Yes it uses memory, but less memory usage does not mean better performance)

Disabled (keep starting or depend on eachother):

- Background Intelligent Transfer Service, COM+ Event System, COM+ System Application, Network List Service, Network Location Awareness, SL UI Notification Service, System Event Notification Service

- DHCP Client, WinHTTP Web Proxy Auto-Discovery Service

- Function Discovery Provider Host, PnP-X IP Bus Enumerator

- Function Discovery Resource Publication

- Internet Connection Sharing (ICS), Network Connections, Remote Access Connection Manager, Routing and Remote Access, Telephony

- Net.Tcp Port Sharing Service (default?!)

- Remote Registry (security!?)

- Shell Hardware Detection

- SSDP Discovery, UPnP Device Host, Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service (security!?)

Note that all other services will be at manual, but then again I have already removed a lot of services from the Windows Vista Home Basic by use of vLite (0.8 beta)

[LeveL]

OK this is really annoying me now... and it didn't happen on XP.

You assume I have disabled some service or other and something

isn't working? Ha! I wish! I can't even get started because I go here:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services]

Then I export that entire key, it ends up about 1.7Mb as a .reg file (I have

stripped a lot out with vLite)

So I start looking next to "Display Name" in the reg file and instead of it

having the display name like "DNS Client" it has a path to the DLL file

with a switch.

In other words you can't just easily find these services in the registry!

What would take maybe one hour is now going to take two f**king days.

Anyone else know how to solve this I mean, this IS the correct key, yes?........

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services]

[TheTOM_SK]

My startup: 200 MB RAM, My Services (no Manual), My reg file.

I forgot to thank the author, thanks man for my PC's performance.

Group Policy - disable, anyone know how as this service is protected in services as well as in the registry

It can be done via mmc, but I would not do it, if I were you.

Windows will not load (work), if those 4 services are disabled.

Though I used to have DCOM service disabled in XP, such a pity:

DCOM Server Process Launcher
Group Policy Client
Plug and Play
User Profile Service

Sound needs 3 services, oh well:

Multimedia Class Scheduler
Windows Audio
Windows Audio Endpoint Builder

Those 2 will allways start when needed, even when disabled:

Cryptographic Services
Protected Storage

By disabling Themes, I would gain only 4 MB, it is not worth of it.

BTW, there are some service, which can not be disabled via registry.

It can be done via mmc or altering reg permissions (not a good idea).

In other words you can't just easily find these services in the registry!

Start - services.msc - look for service you want to disable, eg.:

DNS Client's properties - look for Service name: Dnscache, then:

In the registry look for "Dnscache" in the services key and you get it.

Edited February 9, 2007 by TheTOM_SK

[dcyphure]

i havnt found any of ultimates default services to be any performance hinder, games run same fps no matter what idisable

[hlc]

Here's the list of services that I had on my Vista RTM install when it first started - along with my choices about what should and should not me modified. A lot of this is based on previous experiences and may not apply in your situation. Finally, some of it is just a SWAG (scientific wild-a**ed guess) - so take it with a grain of salt.

My thoughts are that, when it doubt, you should set a service to Manual rather than Disabling it - this way you can go back and see if it's being called on as time progresses. If it isn't needed in a week or two, then chances are that you won't need it - so it should be safe to Disable then.

Regardless, take the time to export a list of the services as they sit on your system and save them to a text file - it's a good resource for resetting them if needs be. PM me for the Excel version of this if you'd like (it includes the comments from earlier in this thread).

Here's what I've gotten:

Multimedia Class Scheduler - Disable, Manual if you need priority assigned to multimedia tasks

Windows Audio - ? Manual

Windows Audio Endpoint Builder - ? Manual

Multimedia Class Scheduler Service cannot be disabled or you don't want to hear any sounds from your computer......

Edited February 10, 2007 by hlc

[DigeratiPrime]

very handy site, blackviper style plus reg files

http://www.speedyvista.com/services.html

[TheTOM_SK]

Thanks, now I understand why I can not open regedit directly, and so on, cool.

Though some info is incorrect, eg about stopping Network Store Interface Service.

Edited February 11, 2007 by TheTOM_SK

[TheTOM_SK]

I wonder, if I would login with default admin, if would I still need that: User Profile Service or not?

EDIT: Removing Cryptographic Services & Protected Storage from registry caused, that I can not login via Google Talk, so I have removed the info from this post.

Edited February 13, 2007 by TheTOM_SK

[TheTripleX]

Do not disable User Profile Service, otherwise your user profile will not load correctly. I have tried setting it to manual and it was a pain in the a** as all the paths were broken.

What happens when you set WMI service to disabled? Also, disabling COM+ disables Windows Update too?

[TheTOM_SK]

You are right, I just did another clean instal. Default admin account loaded properly, but allways with annoying message, that User Profile Service is disabled and blablabla, even when I removed other account, so I decided to keep it on. I am just trying to keep Themes disabled, it is a little disgusting to see 32-bit icons in 256-color enviroment and the gain is only about 10 MB RAM and 10 MAB pagefile, but maybe I will get used to it and I like, that I have only 8 services running. At XP I used to have only 4 windows services running and 1 firewall service, oh I miss that so much.

I have WMI disabled for months, so far I have not found any aplications, that would need it, except ATI control panel, but I do not access that one daily, just after clean instal to set up a few things and then no more.

Yes, I can not access Windows Update like this, but I prefer downloading updates manually anyway.

EDIT: I have edited previous post, removing services: Cryptographic Services & Protected Storage did not go well, so I am going to reinstal and I will keep Themes as well, so I will have 12 services at the end. I will just have to learn to live with that.

Edited February 13, 2007 by TheTOM_SK

[TheTripleX]

What effect does Protected Storage have? I have it disabled and it's OK without it.