What windows services do you disable?

[Cutting_Edgetech]

When your doing a fresh install of windows what services do you disable? Also do you change any services from automatic to manual?

[Cutting_Edgetech]

1. I disable System restore protection since I use Shadow Protect, and Acronis True Image. I have found it not to be very dependable in the past, and don't need it using up system resources and disk space for no good reason.
2. I disable remote assistance / remote desktop.
3. I disable windows defender.
4. I disable Remote Registry.
5. I disable Telenet if for some reason it is installed or already enabled.
6. Net tcp. port sharing if its enabled.


I use to disbale computer browser, and error reporting. Lately i've left it alone.

[Sully]

http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=264882&highlight=tweak

Sul.

[Fad]

69 disabled
28 auto
49 manual - haven`t checked if they are all completely necessary yet (w7x64)

[Cutting_Edgetech]

-{ Quote: "69 disabled
28 auto
49 manual - haven`t checked if they are all completely necessary yet (w7x64)" }-

I disabled a lot more services in XP, but i'm afraid to mess around with W7 as much because i'm worried about possible dependencies issues that im not aware of. Microsoft don't always list them all. I want to disable as much as possible though so I can eliminate as many security exploits as possible, and cut down on unnecessary system resource usage.

[Fad]

-{ Quote: "eliminate as many security exploits as possible, and cut down on unnecessary system resource usage" }-

This was my thinking also....

I have read page after page on forums about services and a lot of people will just say..."It`s Windows 7 - it works great as it is - don`t touch anything"
well, I`m sorry but that just isn`t good enough, if I can disable something without consequence - I will !
and not necessarily always suitable advice as can be seen with the case of installing an SSD drive.

Each PC is different of course and there`s no one set of rules, I for example don`t use themes or homegroups etc, so they are gone, but that would be disastrous for someone else.
So listing the ones I have disabled for the purpose of this thread would be pretty much redundant on the whole.

7 certainly does have a mind blowing list of services though compared to XP. :o

[moontan]

i used to disable services in XP but i don't bother with that stuff anymore in Windows 7.
what for? so i can get an extra 1% leaner in CPU usage?
not worth the headaches or the time, IMO.

[trismegistos]

-{ Quote: "i used to disable services in XP but i don't bother with that stuff anymore in Windows 7.
what for? so i can get an extra 1% leaner in CPU usage?
not worth the headaches or the time, IMO." }-
I think the reason some disable unneeded services is more to reduce the attack surface. We don't know when zero day back doors or security holes on services would surface. Like the case in point in Stuxnet, dll planting on the service Webclient's Webdav.

[Sully]

Disabling services is about turning off what you don't need, what is a possible exploit and what might cause performance slow downs.

I use this program, pserv, to manage my services
http://www.p-nand-q.com/download/pserv_cpl.html

You can export your current services as an .xml file with pserv. Then you may turn off what you desire (within reason) and if you get lost, just restore the .xml settings. Then rinse and repeat.

Disabling services may or may not be a positive thing, depending on what your goals are. In my world, I don't like things running just because I might someday need it. That is extraneous. I am comfortable turning a service on if I need it. For others, maybe it is not a good idea if they don't understand what is going on.

Sul.

[JRViejo]

Let me preface my post by stating that I'm not advocating the use of BlackViper (http://www.blackviper.com/)'s Windows Services Configurations, because one can do more harm than good, if settings are changed haphazardly. However, as an informational Services tool on Windows Operating Systems, it is second to none IMO.

[GlobalForce]

-{ Quote: "Disabling services may or may not be a positive thing, depending on what your goals are. In my world, I don't like things running just because I might someday need it. That is extraneous. I am comfortable turning a service on if I need it. For others, maybe it is not a good idea if they don't understand what is going on." }-
And I don't quote often - this is it in a nutshell. Sully, you remind me of someone (http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showpost.php?p=719251&postcount=20).

[m00nbl00d]

Windows 7 Ultimate:

I disable Remote Registry; UPnP; SSDP; Tablet PC; Computer Browser; Remote Assistance; SmartCard's related services; BranchCache; DNS Client;

I might have others disabled, but don't remember just by exercising memory. :D
I might disable more, along the path, after seeing if I need them or not.

There are quite a few services that you won't need enabled, either manual or automatic, depending on what type of configuration you desire, like say is you computer part of a network, and if so desire the features such services provide? Stuff like that.

[Fad]

Is there any way of getting some sense out the export list feature of the services manager ?

It`s just a big block of text that nobody in their right mind would trawl through after it`s exported as either txt or csv. ???

[ruinebabine]

I use SMART (http://www.thewindowsclub.com/smart-a-utility-for-tweaking-windows-7-vista-xp-services) (Service Management And RealEasy Tweaking) Utility for Windows 7.