Windows 7 services. What if the list is empty or unavailable? How to disable Windows services

On computers with limited computing resources and small volume random access memory you can resort to another way and optimize Windows - this is disabling rarely used and unnecessary operating system services.

Settings for Windows 7 and Vista

When developing Windows 8.1 was carried out on a large scale. For this reason, there is simply no point in disabling services for even less memory consumption in the new OS. Before proceeding to the description of the method, it is worth noting that the performance gain from disabling services will be minimal and is completely invisible in systems with a lot of fast RAM (from 2 GB and above). However, this operation can be considered relevant for owners of older computers and low-power laptops equipped with slow hard drives and a small amount of RAM.

As much more effective ways freeing up RAM and speeding up system performance, we recommend the following articles:, and and file garbage from the system.

Disabling services in Windows 7

Disabling infrequently used services in Windows 7 and Vista will allow the system to free up more RAM, making other applications and services run faster and more stable, and reducing the need for the system to access virtual memory.

On the Internet you can find a lot of advice on disabling almost all system services, however, this approach is often unjustified, because. many services are disabled by default and are started manually as needed. Forced shutdown of such services may cause problems in the future. For this reason, our list of services to disable is much shorter than usual.

The fastest way to open the Services program is to enter its name in the Start menu search bar. And select the "Services" link in the search results. To ensure maximum stability of the system and applications, we strongly recommend using the "Manual" option, when disabling services. This will allow them to run in the future if the need arises.

Before you start disabling services, you can create a system restore point (control panel > system > system protection > create), in case of unforeseen complications, although they are extremely unlikely.

Open Start Menu » Control Panel »

Change the view mode from "Categories" to "Small Icons" if the default is to view Control Panel items by category.

Locate the Administrative Tools icon »

Select Services »

Services Control Interface in Windows 7

To disable the selected service double click the left mouse button on its name. The service control panel will open. Select "Manual" from the "Startup Type" drop-down menu and click the "Stop" button. Save changes by clicking on "OK"

It is absolutely safe to disable the following services:

• Print Spooler if no printer is connected to the computer.
• Service entry Tablet PC
• Remote Desktop Service (TermService)
• Computer Browser
• Support IP Service
• Remote registry
• Terminal Services if you are not using a connection to remote computers.
• (only if you are not using the Ready Boost feature)
• (if you use third party program for defragmentation)

Not all of the services listed above are available in Windows 7, some of them are only available in Windows Vista.

Please note that disabling other services may cause the operating system to become unstable. Do not disable services that are started manually - they are already disabled. We do not recommend disabling the Windows Update service! Be extremely careful and careful when handling this tool!

To fully unlock the full potential of the system, we recommend that you read other useful articles about and tuning Windows for maximum performance.

One of the ways to improve the performance of the operating system is to clear the list of automatically launched applications. How to remove programs from there, and today we will consider which services (their list is below) and how you can disable it in the Windows 7 environment in order to avoid negative consequences on the computer's performance, and also when it is advisable to do this.

Let's start with a definition. What is a service? This concept refers to an application that starts without the knowledge of the user and runs in the background. It is impossible to find out about its activity (with rare exceptions) through the graphical interface. It does not display any windows or icons and often does not support console management.

Users are wondering: "Will I really get a performance boost if I disable a dozen applications that start and run in the background?". Services in Windows 7 consume system resources (load the processor and take up megabytes of RAM). If the computer is endowed with 4 or more GB of RAM, this will not give a significant effect: the processor will be offloaded by a couple of percent maximum, several tens - two hundred megabytes of RAM will be freed up, and the load on the hard disk will slightly decrease.

When using an old laptop or computer with 2 GB of RAM, the performance will be more noticeable. Although here it is more expedient to disable themes and visual effects, and also use the swap file or increase its size.

What happens if you disable the required Windows work service? This can lead to the inoperability of any function or the appearance of an error, including a system one, followed by an emergency restart of the computer.

Before disabling services, it is strongly recommended (preferred) or a backup copy of the system registry!

Disable unnecessary elements

There are several ways to exclude system and third-party services from startup in Win 7:

• through the "System Configurator";
• using the MMC console snap-in of the same name;
• through a third-party program with appropriate capabilities.

System configurator

The easiest way to get rid of unnecessary processes is through the autoload list editing interface. It disables the launch of services with a single click.

1. We call the command interpreter with the key combination Win + R.
2. We write and execute the line "msconfig".

1. Go to the "Services" tab, where there is a list of services installed in the system.

1. Here you can check the option "Do not display Microsoft objects".

The operation will leave on the screen only extraneous services installed on the computer due to the user's activities. If you disable them all, the operating system will not suffer and even become a little faster, but there is one “but”. Many third-party applications such as emulators, anti-virus programs and drivers peripherals you need to call your own services before starting. If they do not function and cannot start, an error will appear and the antivirus or other program will fail.

1. Remove the checkboxes that are next to unnecessary items, and click "OK".

1. We choose the appropriate option.

You can also measure the OS startup time using special utilities or PowerShell, but that's a separate conversation.

If something went wrong, then the “Enable all” button in the configurator window will allow you to start all services.

Still, this method is not recommended, because it will permanently disable the selected objects. It is much more efficient to set manual start for most unnecessary services or for those that you doubt the need for. Although the latter is generally better not to touch.

MMC console accessories

Let's consider how you can configure the autostart of services through the appropriate snap-in.

1. We execute the command "services.msc" in the command interpreter.

1. We look at which service is not needed, right-click on its name and select "Properties".

1. In the options window, specify the "Startup type" - "Manual" or "Disable" - and click "OK".

Unnecessary processes can be immediately stopped through them context menu. From there, a short help is also called. For ease of use, the list can be sorted by startup type by clicking on the name of the corresponding column. Elements with the status "Disabled" are not touched.

Windows allows you to explore the dependencies of each of the services. To do this, go to the "Properties" of the element of interest and go to the "Dependencies" tab. The first block lists the objects without which the current service will not function, the second - dependent on it (children). The list is empty - there are no dependencies.

We will not consider the third way to remove from autorun services that are of no use. The program to stop unnecessary services can be any: Starter, Autoruns or other, including integrated into any package system applications. The meaning of working with it is similar, except that some utilities are endowed with the functions of creating backup copies of editable keys for quickly rolling back the changes made in case of problems.

List of optional components

Let's start with network services. If you disable the following services on a computer that does not work in local network(connected only to the Internet or completely offline in this regard), get rid of a dozen junk processes.

In the presence of home network it is better not to touch anything from the list, otherwise we turn off everything.

1. BranchCache - performs caching on the home network.
2. Web proxy auto-discovery.
3. Identity manager for other network members.
4. Homegroup provider.
5. Homegroup listener.
6. PC PNRP title publications.
7. Stream ordering server.
8. Network logon - delete on a personal computer or laptop.

Other network services (lines without comments mean that the process on a computer without the Internet is not needed).

1. KtmRm - set the manual mode, if necessary, it will be automatically launched.
2. Automatic WWAN setup - ensures the operation of the mobile Internet.
3. Offline Files - Works with the Offline Files cache. What it is? Then we remove it from autorun.
4. Network Access Protection Agent - required to work in a local network.
5. Windows Firewall - many are looking for how to turn it off. If you have a more powerful firewall, be sure to turn it off.
6. Computer Browser - searches for other PCs on the local network.
7. Web client.
8. IP Helper Service - Designed for version 6 protocols, which are still little used.
9. Grouping network participants - it is better to leave the manual start.
10. Remote procedure launch locator – manual start or disabled.
11. Routing, remote access.
12. NetBIOS support module - organization is impossible without it public access to files and printers.
13. Shared access to the Internet connection - if you do not share access to the Internet, then we remove it.
14. IPsec key modules - if you don’t know what it is, then you can remove it at least from autoload (set a manual start).
15. Port forwarder - for working with printers via remote desktops.
16. Wired autotune is better than manual start.
17. The PNRP protocol is most commonly used to call Remote Assistance.
18. Discovery Resource Publishing - Provides file sharing.
19. Server - needed for the local network.
20. Network connections - disable in the absence of the Internet.
21. SSTP service - if there is no Internet, then we remove it.
22. WLAN AutoConfig Service - Configures wireless networks.
23. Network save interface.
24. SSDP Discovery - Enables connection to remote PCs via VPN.
25. Sharing access to Net.Tcp ports - if you see unfamiliar words, then we exclude them from autorun.
26. Shared network resources Windows Media– manual or off.
27. Information about connected networks.
28. Network list service.
29. Windows Time Service - Performs system time synchronization.
30. Remote desktops - if you do not use them, then delete them.
31. Remote registry - will not allow you to manipulate your registry remotely.
32. Fax - if there is no fax, then we prohibit the launch.
33. Background Intelligent Service - Needed to receive updates in the background.
34. Update Center - patches holes in the security of the system, but consumes system resources and occupies the Internet channel.

Local services - we will consider only those that can be painlessly removed from autorun. Before deciding whether you need them or not, be sure to read the details of the object and examine its dependencies in the properties.

It is better to allow unfamiliar services to be started manually or not to touch them (services unknown to the user that can be removed without damage are marked with a corresponding comment or without it at all). Experiments, even if there is a rollback point, can end badly.

1. Parental Controls - Activates the parental control feature.
2. Superfetch - Keeps frequently called programs in cache to run them faster. If you have 1-2 GB of RAM, get rid of the process.
3. Windows CardSpace - work with digital identities.
4. Windows Search - responsible for accelerated file search, consumes system resources during indexing. We need performance and have time to wait a little longer for search results - we remove it from the list of automatically launched ones.
5. Adaptive brightness control - do not touch only if there is a light sensor.
6. Windows Archiving - the question arises: what is it? That means trash.
7. Biometric service - definitely not necessary.
8. Virtual disk - manual.
9. Disk defragmentation - not necessary for an SSD, also when using a third-party defragmenter.
10. Print Manager - without a printer, only memory consumes.
11. Desktop Window Manager - responsible for Aero transparency effects.
12. Software protection - used for Windows Licensing and applications.
13. Windows Defender - disabled, it is better to replace it with a reliable antivirus.
14. Program compatibility information - needed to run applications that are incompatible with the Seven.
15. Changed Link Tracking Client - monitors the links of NTFS files on a PC and on the network. Usually not required.
16. Windows font cache - font optimization.
17. SNMP trap - Gives the right to some applications to collect information about the user.
18. Media Center set-top boxes - if there is no set-top box, then we prohibit the launch.
19. Distribution of the certificate - for work with Smart-cards.
20. Input Service tablet computer– touch screen operation.
21. Downloads Windows images– receiving pictures from the scanner/camera.
22. Bluetooth support service.
23. Media Center Scheduler.
24. Portable device enumerator - data synchronization on a flash drive via WMP and image import wizard.
25. Application Compatibility Assistant - to run programs that are not compatible with Win 7.
26. Media Center Receiver - View streaming video in this player.
27. Notifications about system events.
28. BitLocker Drive Encryption - can be removed from autorun if you do not use it.
29. Smart card.
30. Application Level Gateway - Required by the firewall.
31. Themes - consume a lot of resources, including graphics adapter, but make the design more beautiful. That rare case when disabling the autorun process will have a positive effect on PC performance.
32. Volume Shadow Copy - Required to create rollback points.
33. The node of universal PNP devices - in the absence of UPNP devices is not in demand.
34. Security Center - Shows alerts about the status of the antivirus, firewall, and update center.

All other services should not be touched. They are extremely important for the operation of the operating system and its components. The exception is services installed with third-party software (drivers, emulators). When network services are disabled, it is better to stop them immediately and check if the connection to the network has disappeared. If you do not touch anything superfluous, problems are excluded.

None of the operating systems of the Windows family available today is 100% productive. They offer the user a large number of unnecessary processes, services and components that run in the background. Let's try to figure out how to disable unnecessary services in the Windows 7 operating system. The seventh version of the operating system will be taken solely as an example. Similar operations can be performed in the eighth and tenth modifications of the operating system.

Disable unnecessary services in Windows 7: basic rules

To begin with, it must be said that some services are disabled not by terminating processes in the Task Manager, but only through special system editors. The fact is that working with the "Task Manager" contributes only to a one-time stop of the selected component. There are several basic methods for deactivating services. Roughly speaking, all of them can be divided into explicit and implicit. So, for example, the processes that appear in the startup menu or in the tree of executable background services can be seen by the user. Such processes are called explicit. Components such as the Hyper-V module, which requires activation in the BIOS, are not needed at all by the user, but he does not even know about it. They are not in the process tree. Disabling services in Windows 7 and using them must be done using special settings. But this will be discussed later. For now, let's dwell on a moment that everyone knows. "Update Center" is perhaps the biggest problem for users of operating systems of the Windows family. This service works as it pleases. The user cannot independently determine the time of release and download of the next update. Therefore, you can disable the "Update Center", especially considering that the main updates concern only the security service of the Windows operating system itself. If the user is enabled to receive updates for other products from Microsoft, such as Office, you can generally notice an almost daily update of components. Internet traffic will be involved here. If the system functions normally without it, then you can disable the "Update Center". All this is done quite simply, you just need to use the settings of the standard "Control Panel".

Administration

In principle, access to service management can be obtained through computer administration, which is called by the corresponding line in the properties menu when you right-click on the icon. Unnecessary processes are disabled through a utility built into the Windows operating system. Here you need to select the services section and change the parameters necessary for launch. But it's too early to rejoice. To begin with, it is necessary to consider the theoretical issues associated with disconnected components.

Services Section

You can get to the services management section by entering the services.msc command in the Run control console (Win + R). Most of the services are disabled here. But in this case, special care must be taken. The thing is that disabling some processes can adversely affect the functioning of the entire system as a whole. In the simplest case, you can simply change the automatic start type to manual. What services are better to disable in Windows7? Let's talk specifically about processes that can be deactivated. Below is a list:

— analysis of offline files;

- remote access to the registry and remote procedure calls;

- IPSec key exchange;

- error logging client;

- printing system;

- tracking of changing links;

- the Parental Control service, which came to Windows 7 from Vista;

— unused devices and their drivers;

- virtual Hyper-V machine;

— video chip management consoles.

Using autoload

Startup applications can be attributed to the type of programs that are loaded with the operating system at the time of its start. But not all users use system configuration settings to disable unnecessary services. From here you can also disable Windows 7 services at the start of the download. To do this, you must use the msconfig access command, which is entered in the Run menu. Next, you need to look at the startup menu, which presents services that can be disabled. In principle, there is nothing wrong with unchecking all processes. You can even deactivate the video card management consoles that start with the system. Depending on the modification of the operating system, you can leave the switching control language bar ctfmon if this process is on the list.

Deactivating system components

However, not all processes are available for deactivation in the Task Manager menu. To find some components, you will have to use additional settings the system itself. First you need to pay attention to the hardware components. Many users use smart cards, which have the ability to connect to modern terminals and be identified by mobile or computer programs. Even card terminals can sometimes give errors without installing related drivers. Also, not all smart cards are compatible with operating systems or devices. The same banking system that runs under Windows makes no difference which card is used. The main thing is to read the information on the magnetic line. In Windows 7, this feature is not provided, as well as fingerprint recognition. For this reason, disabling this feature is out of the question. Another important aspect of the question of how to disable unnecessary services in Windows 7 is to eliminate system load problems by deactivating additional components. If you go to the "Control Panel" section and select the Programs and Features menu, you will notice that some services are in an active state here. There are checkmarks next to the names of such services. First of all, you should pay attention to the fact that in any system the Print Manager service is active. This applies even to those cases when the system was installed from scratch and without the presence of a connected printer in the system. This is not surprising, since it was originally assumed that the user would print some documents. However, it is not. Therefore, you can disable the PrintSpooler component without any doubt. Also here you can find many more unnecessary things that Windows systems turn on without notifying the user. Most of the above components can at least be disabled without major system impact.

Additional BIOS settings

In addition to all of the above, it can be noted separately that not all components that are associated with the operating system can be deactivated using the settings and software tools. So, for example, to disable unnecessary services of the Windows 7 operating system, such as the same Hyper-V module or a camera, you can use changing the corresponding parameters of the primary I / O system. To access the parameters, you can use the key combination that the system itself offers when starting a computer or laptop. As a rule, these are the keys Del, F12, F2 and so on. Here you can also deactivate support for HyperThreadingTechnology. For processors from Intel, this technology is responsible for creating and using a virtual machine.

Services that should not be disabled

Are there services that should not be disabled? You should not disable the DHCP Server and DNS Client services, as this may result in communication failures. It is also not recommended to disable the Superfetch service, which is responsible for the correct operation of applications after resuming from hibernation. Although, if you do not use sleep mode when working with a computer, nothing bad will happen when you disable this service.

Conclusion

In this article, far from complete list features that can be disabled in the Windows operating system. You can disable the geolocation system in browsers, the background copy services of volumes, and so on. If we dig deeper, we can conclude that most processes that are in no way connected with ensuring the operation of the operating system can be isolated without much damage. Optimization of any version of the operating system of the Windows family can include disabling unused Windows components, startup items, and network services that are not related to the operation of the operating system. IN this review only the main components of the system that can be disabled were considered. The use of special optimizer programs in this case will not be the most best solution, since they are not always able to interfere with the structure of the background services of the operating system. Those obvious signs, such as an increase in the speed of accessing the hard disk or accelerated work on the Internet, are a simple gimmick that is used to show the supposed advantage of using such utilities. It would be better to simply disable unnecessary operating system services. To do this, it is not necessary to use third-party applications, which, by the way, cannot do anything of the kind, although their developers claim the opposite. However, if you apply all the methods described above, you can achieve a significant improvement in the performance of the Windows operating system.

The operating system from Microsoft is so arranged that there are much more services in it than you need. ordinary user. They hang in the background and uselessly load your PC or laptop. This is especially noticeable on not the most powerful machines when you are trying to run one of your favorite games. But this state of affairs does not suit us, let's figure out which services can be disabled in Windows 7 for better performance.

All processes that are in the operating system are divided into 3 main groups:

• those that should never be touched (otherwise the system will not work properly);
• services that can be disabled (depending on the needs of a particular user);
• processes that are most often not needed at all.

After a brief introduction, we go directly to disabling unnecessary features. And which of them are not needed specifically for you, you can understand from the list below.

Disable unnecessary

So, let's start disabling unnecessary components. In order to do this, start the service manager.

Access methods

The easiest way is to open the service manager in the first way. But you have the right to choose how to do it. We will simply describe each of the methods.

Through the task manager

First, let's use the task manager functionality. Follow our step by step guide:

1. We right-click anywhere on the taskbar and select the item indicated by the number from the context menu
   1. Switch to the tab marked with a number

      "1" and press the button located in the lower right part of the task manager.

   The field of this will start and the dispatcher itself.

   Let's move on to another way to access system processes.

   Using the "Run" utility

   The Service Manager in Windows 7 x 32/x 64 Bit can be configured through a universal tool called Run. In order to do this, follow our thought:

   Press the buttons "Win" + "R" at the same time. In the window that opens, enter the command: "services .msc" and press "Enter".

   After that, the tools we need will immediately open and be available for editing.

   Through the start menu

   You can run the application we need in Windows 7 of any version (including the maximum one) using standard menu"Start". To do this, open the latter and in the search bar enter the name of the object we are looking for. Then click on the item that appears in the search results.

   In control panel

   The last option we'll cover is running the services client through the control panel.

   1. Open "Start" and in the right half of the menu, click on the link marked with a red marker.
   1. In the search bar of the control panel, write the word "Administration". Then click on the item marked with the number "2".
   1. Select Services. After that, the desired tool will start.

   A large number of options for launching the service manager is needed so that you can achieve your goal on any Windows versions 7 and different bit depths of the system.

   We use third party software

   There are programs to disable unnecessary services in Windows 7. They replace the regular functionality. Let's look at one of the most convenient utilities. The application is called Easy service optimizer, you can download it at official website .

   Consider how to work with the program:

   1. First you need to download Easy service optimizer. Then unzip the archive and run the file marked in the screenshot. The program does not require installation and will open immediately.
   1. In order to perform any actions on the selected object, you need to right-click on it and select the desired item from the context menu.
   1. Also from here we can get to system utility Windows 7. To do this, open the menu indicated by the number

      "1" and click on the desired item in the context menu.

   Naturally, if necessary, any of the system services can be re-enabled.

   Disable unnecessary

   So, you know how to get into the service manager on Windows 7, it's time to explain how to turn them off. In order to deactivate any service, you need to open it. This can be done through the context menu (right-click on the name) or simply by double-clicking the LMB.

   In a small window, you can set the startup type (to disable, select "Disabled") and stop it. The button marked with the number "2" will help you with this.

   Attention. In some cases, you may need to restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

   What can be disabled

   Before we talk about the services that can be disabled in Windows 10, we want to remind you of one important thing: Never disable processes that you don’t know the purpose of! In this case, your operating system can be seriously damaged, and sometimes even personal data is lost. Be sure to read the description. There are also hints in the dispatcher itself.

   Responsible for searching files on the PC. You can disable it only as a last resort, if you use third-party solutions to search for data in the OS.

   The process that is needed to create backup copies of the operating system in case it is restored after failures.

   Computer browser

   Responsible for connecting the PC to the home network or other machines. If you are not going to do this, feel free to turn off the "Computer Browser".

   Secondary login

   Used for multiple accounts in Windows 7. If you have only one account. The local service can be disabled.

   Print Manager

   Everything is clear from the name. If you do not have a printer and you do not print in principle, we remove this service.

   NetBIOS over TCP/IP support module

   Required to share files and printers. Again, if you are not connected to the network, it will run in vain and, therefore, you can disable the process.

   Homegroup provider

   Again the network, this time working with a home group. Not connected to the network. Then turn it off.

   Server

   The local network. If you don't need it. Feel free to turn off and slightly reduce the load on your PC or laptop.

   Tools needed to work with touch screens and other similar gadgets. Naturally, if there are none in the system, the interactive function can and even needs to be disabled.

   Portable Device Enumerator Service

   Function for synchronizing files between Windows Media Library and other devices. It is unlikely that someone may need this service.

   Windows Media Center Scheduler

   A completely unnecessary application and service that is best disabled.

   Bluetooth support

   Everything is very clear here. There is a PC configuration includes wireless adapter, and you use it, then you cannot disable the process.

   BitLocker Drive Encryption

   This tool is needed to encrypt disks in Windows 7. If you do not use the latter, we remove the service.

   Remote desktops

   The process will only be needed for those who use remote access to a PC.

   smart card

   Absolutely not desired function which should definitely be turned off.

   Themes

   When the themes are deactivated, Windows will be displayed in the classic view. The transparency of windows and other beautiful "buns" will disappear. Whether or not to disable them is up to everyone, but it is this process that uses PC resources the most.

   Remote registry

   Another process for remote control. If you don't need it, it's best to turn it off.

   Fax

   No comment at all...

   That's all. We do not recommend disabling other services in Windows 7. Moreover, this will not give a strong increase in performance. Of course, there are other options, such as SSDP Discovery, Diagnostic Service Host, WWAN AutoConfig, Discovery Provider Host, Changed Link Tracking Client, or Windows Update. But turning them off already depends on the needs of each of us.

   There are also services that are installed along with some device. For example, wireless modules work thanks to AtherosSvc.

   What can't be turned off

   As we have already said, it is strictly forbidden to touch some processes in the system. By editing them, you jeopardize the safety of personal data and the security of the system. Below is a list of the most critical ones.

   • windows installer. An indispensable system tool that allows you to install a new software on PC;
   • ASLDR;
   • RPC Endpoint Mapper;
   • offline files service;
   • Branch Cache. Responsible for optimizing the network connection;
   • Windows Audio. Responsible for sound reproduction;
   • DEP. Part of the system that protects the OS from viruses;
   • remote procedure call. A system that is closely related to other OS components. That is why you simply cannot turn it off;
   • Security-SPP;
   • diagnostic system node;
   • Driver Foundation. Toolkit responsible for working with drivers;
   • vaultsvc. Credential Manager;
   • task Scheduler. A very necessary function, which cannot be refused;
   • Plug and play. Allows you to quickly and easily install new hardware into your computer;
   • Superfetch. Speeds up your Windows 7. The service remembers the programs you run most often and loads them into memory for quick launch.

   Disabling unnecessary components, although slightly, speeds up the PC. This is especially pronounced on machines with 2 or less GB of installed RAM.

   Summing up

   On this question, which services in Windows 7 can be disabled to improve system performance can be considered exhausted. We also explained how to open the necessary tools and what exactly can be turned off to optimize the PC. Now you can enjoy your favorite game, for example, CS:GO, with great comfort. If you still have questions, ask them in the comments. We will try to help everyone.

   Video instruction

   For greater clarity and completeness of the picture, we recorded a video for our users, in which they showed the process of disabling unnecessary services in the operating room. Windows system 7. We hope it will help you increase the speed of your computer or laptop.

   Disable unnecessary services on a Windows 7 PC

   4.5 (90%) 2 Votes

There are a lot of services. I found the services.msc snap-in to be the most convenient because it at least outputs detailed description services (as opposed to msconfig), which allows you to understand whether you need this service or not.

All services can be divided into three groups:
• services that cannot be disabled;
• services that can be disabled on almost any computer, because in most cases they are not needed;
• services that can be disabled on your home computer / laptop.

Here is an example of services that cannot be disabled:
• Windows Audio - manages the audio tools for all Windows programs. If you disable this service, then all audio devices and sound effects will not work.
• Windows Driver Foundation - manages user-mode driver processes.
• Media Class Scheduler - allows you to prioritize tasks based on system task priorities. The service is intended for multimedia applications. Disabling this service will leave you without sound.
• Plug and Play - used to recognize changes in installed hardware and to simplify device installation. Previously, when installing an expansion board, you had to set its hardware resources (interrupt number, I/O ports). With the advent of Plug and Play (PnP), all devices that support it (and now all devices support PnP) are automatically configured. All the user has to do is install the device driver if it is not present in the system.
• Superfetch - used to improve system performance, do not disable this service! The Superfetch service observes which programs the user launches most frequently and preloads them into memory. When a user launches an application, its launch is almost instantaneous, because the application, in fact, is already loaded (but not yet launched!) into RAM. The Superfetch service can be disabled almost painlessly - the system will work, but slower. Although, if you have only 1 GB of RAM, you can try disabling Superfetch - it is possible that your system will run faster with the service disabled. But if there is enough "RAM" (from 2 GB), then you do not need to disable Superfetch - the system will work more slowly.
• Task Scheduler - Previously, the task scheduler was not a particularly important service, but in Windows 7 there are a lot of important system tasks in the scheduler schedule, so disabling the scheduler is highly undesirable. Even the deferred disk check is performed by means of the task scheduler. By the way, you won't be able to switch keyboard layouts if Task Scheduler is turned off either.
• Remote Procedure Call (RPC) - This service cannot be disabled, even if you really want to. So many other services depend on this service, so the system prevents the user from stopping critical services such as Remote Procedure Call.
• Desktop Window Manager Session Manager - If you disable this service, the Aero interface will not work. If you do not use Aero (for example, because you have a weak computer), this service can be disabled.
• Themes - without this service, the Aero interface will also not work, so do not disable it.
• Windows Installer- do not disable this service, otherwise you will not be able to install applications.

On almost any computer (be it a corporate computer, home or laptop), you can disable the following services:
• Remote Registry - Allows remote users to modify your system's registry. If the service is disabled, then only local users can edit the registry. For security reasons, it is recommended to disable this service.
• Offline Files - maintains the offline files cache, responds to user login and logout events, implements API properties related to offline files. Most users don't need offline files support, so feel free to turn it off.
• Tablet PC Input Service - Used for pen and handwriting functionality on tablet personal computers (PCs). Feel free to disable this service.
• Registration Service Windows errors- Allows sending error reports in case the program hangs or the program crashes. Also responsible for error logging for diagnostic and recovery services. Disable - the system will not bother you with attempts to send a program crash report.
• IPsec Key Modules for Internet Key Exchange and Authenticated IP - If your computer is not part of the Pentagon computer park and you are not suffering from a slight form of paranoia, disable this service - 99% of users do not need it.
• Changed Link Tracking Client - tracks the links of NTFS files that move within a computer or over a network. Disabling this service will make your laptop... run faster. So turn it off.
• Windows Search(Windows Search) - Indexes content to speed up file searches. If you rarely search for files on your computer, you can disable this service. Extended battery life is guaranteed.
• Parental Control ( parental control) - this service was in Windows Vista, but in Windows 7 it is just a stub for backwards compatibility. Therefore, you can safely disable it - this service does nothing at all.

You can disable the following services on your home computer and laptop (in addition to the services described above):
• IPSec Policy Agent - The IPSec service is almost never used on the home computer, so you can safely turn it off. Notebook users need to turn off this service anyway: remember, the less the service runs, the longer the laptop can work offline.
• KtmRm for Distributed Transaction Coordinator - coordinates transactions between the transaction engine and MS DTC. The description of the service clearly states that if you do not need it, it is not recommended to run it. Disable.
• IP Helper Service - Provides tunneling capability using tunneling technologies for IPv6.
• Print Manager - If you don't have a printer (and don't use a network printer), then disable this service. If you have a printer, try setting the startup type to Manual to manually start the service when you need it. If printing is not possible, set the startup type to Automatic. Whether your printer will print or not when the startup type is Manual, the Print Manager service depends only on the printer driver. Disabling this service may cause the icons in the Printers folder to disappear.
• Secondary logon - allows you to run processes on behalf of another user. For security reasons, it is recommended to disable this service.
• Fax - allows you to send and receive faxes using the resources of this computer and network resources. In most cases, this service is not needed, so feel free to disable it.
• Windows Defender - protects the system from spyware and potentially dangerous programs. If you plan to install an alternative protection system, then Windows Defender should be disabled. But if you do not plan to install additional protection tools, Windows Defender should not be turned off.
• Windows Firewall - here the recommendations are the same as in the previous case. If you want to install a third-party firewall, disable this service. But if you don’t install anything, let the standard firewall work, which is pretty good in Windows 7.
• Smart card removal policy - if you do not use smart cards to organize computer access policy, you can safely disable this service. In general, the service blocks the desktop of the computer when the smart card is removed.
• Microsoft iSCSI Initiator Service - If you are not using iSCSI (Internet SCSI) devices, then set the startup type for this service to Manual.
• SSDP Discovery - discovers network devices and services that use the SSDP protocol, such as UPnP devices. You can almost always disable this service.
• Adaptive brightness control - the service allows you to adjust the brightness of the monitor depending on the ambient lighting. The service receives data about the level of illumination from the light sensor. But not all users have a laptop equipped with such a sensor.
• Computer Browser - maintains a list of computers on the network and provides it to programs upon their request. You can disable this service on your home computer.
• Access to HID Devices - If you do not have a USB keyboard, USB mouse, and wireless mouse/keyboard, then this service can be disabled.
• Core TPM Services - If you are not using TMP and/or BitLocker chips then you can disable this service.
• Server - If the computer is not used as a server and does not need file and printer sharing, this service can be disabled.
• Bluetooth Assistance Service - If you don't have Bluetooth or don't use it, disable this service.

As you have already noticed, there are a lot of services. I will not give a description of each service, since you can already read it in the services.msc program. Instead, consider a table that will be your "guide" to Windows 7 services. It has only two columns - the name of the service and the recommended startup type. But before enabling or disabling any service, carefully read its description - you may not be satisfied with the type of launch provided (for example, I recommend disabling the Fax service, but you can use it to send faxes).

Now let's figure out how to properly disable services. Make a list of services you don't need. After that, proceed to disable services. But don't disable all services at once. Disable 2-3 services and restart your computer. If the computer boots and works normally after disabling services, then disable the next 2-3 services, etc. Sometimes it happens that the user disables all unnecessary, in his opinion, services, but then it turns out that some service was still needed, and without it the system does not work as it should. But how do you know which service to enable? For example, would you guess that keyboard layouts won't switch if Task Scheduler is disabled? Fortunately, in Windows 7, the user cannot disable system-critical services, which include the Task Scheduler. There is a way to disable such services, but not through the services.msc snap-in.