WindowsVista Services
From Mikeslab
Go to Start and type: services.msc and press Enter (Or go through Control Panel). These are all services that can be disabled, as long as you meet the criteria following them.
| Windows Vista Services | |
|---|---|
| Application Experience | This is safe to stop and disable, unless apps have compatibility issues without this service. |
| Background Intelligent Transfer Service | Set to manual. It won't run until needed. Windows Updates will still function. Don't disable unless you don't plan on using Windows Updates. |
| Base Filtering Engine | If you have an external firewall (home router, etc), don't use ICS, IPsec, and Windows firewall this can be disabled, Otherwise ths can be set to manual. |
| Desktop Window Manager | If you are using the Windows 2000 theme or Aero Basic, this can be stopped and disabled. |
| CNG Key Isolation | If you do not use Wired Auto Configuration and you do not have any wireless cards, this service can be stopped & disabled. |
| DHCP Client | Can be stopped & disabled if you are only going to use a static IP. |
| Diagnostic Policy Service | This is a tossup. It can be useful to detect problems, but also isn't needed for core operation. If you are not too worried about anything failing, this service can be stopped and disabled. I personally am leaving it enabled. |
| Distributed Link Tracking Client | You can safely Stop and Disable this service. |
| Group Policy Client | If you are not on a domain, or use group policies, you can stop and disable this. |
| IKE and AuthIP IPsec Keying Modules | If you do not use IPSec, you can stop and disable this. |
| Infrared Monitor Service | If you have a Infrared receiver and you don't use it, you can disable this service. |
| IP Helper | If you do not have an IPv6 network, this service can be stopped and disabled. |
| IPsec Policy Agent | If you do not use IPsec (if you don't know what it is, you probably don't use it), this can be stopped and disabled. |
| KtmRM for Distributed Transaction Coordinator | You can safely stop and disable this service. |
| Messenger Sharing Folders USN Journal | If you don't use MSN messenger folder sharing, you can stop and disable this service. |
| Offline Files | If you don't use Offline files, this service can be stopped and disabled. |
| Portable Device Enumerator Service | If your network doesn't have porptable device policies (E.G. Not on a domain) this can be stopped and disabled. |
| ReadyBoost | If you don't plan on adding external devices for extra RAM (USB sticks, etc), this service can be stopped and disabled. |
| Remote Registry | If you don't plan on ever having your local registry changed from another computer on your network, it is safe to stop and disable this service. |
| Security Center | If you don't want Security Center to annoy you, you can choose so, but the service still runs. Stop and disable this annoying service. |
| Secondary Logon | If you are not going to use the "User Switching" feature of Windows, this can be stopped and disabled. |
| Smart Card | If your machine doesn't have a smart card interface, or you do not use one, this service can be stopped and disabled. |
| SSDP Discovery | This service can be safely stopped and Disabled. |
| Tablet PC Input Service | If you don't have a tablet PC, this can also be stopped and disabled. |
| Terminal Services | If you are never going to remote desktop into your machine, you can stop and disable this service, as well as the next two. Keep in mind though, Remote Desktop for your computer will be completely disabled if you do this. |
| Terminal Services Config | See above. |
| Terminal Services UserMode Port Redirector | See above. |
| UPnP Device Host | If you do not have any uPnP devices, this service can be stopped and disabled. |
| WebClient | If you don't plan on editing any Internet based files through Windows Explorer, this service can be stopped and disabled. This doesn't affect the functionality of client file transfer programs, like FTP. |
| Windows Defender | If you aren't worried about having a resource eating spyware scanner, this can also be stopped and disabled, although if you do this, make sure you disable it in the "Startup" tab in MSConfig also. |
| Windows Error Reporting Service | If you don't plan on ever sending Microsoft an error report (like normal), you can safely stop and disable this servce. |
| Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service | If you do not use Windows Media Player Sharing (If you have an XBox 360 that you connect to your Vista, leave this enabled), this service can be stopped and disabled. |
| Windows Search | If you do not plan on using virtual folder views, and don't mind a slower search, a good portion of the memory can be freed up. It is safe to stop and disable this service. |
| Windows Time | If you aren't worried about time synchronization (keeping your clock spot on all of the time) or you have a 3rd part utility to do that, this services can be stopped and disabled. |
