Thoughts on Disabling Services in Windows XP SPx.

Many of you may have visited Blackviper regarding windows services.

This thread/post is NOT a recommendation to do anything with services.
However, if you decide to modify from default this is how I approach the task. Use these ideas at your own peril. If you don't know what you are doing services wise don't continue.

Slow down here, you are in choppy seas.

A few things:

1) Make dead sure you have a working bootable cd/dvd to restore your c partition before you start messing with services. By working I mean you have tested the restore for real as if you had too! A firedrill if you like!

2) Two register products I have used PC Tools RM and jv16powertools have features users can exploit to "optimize" services if you would rather assume that these vendors products "know" better than you do. I make my own changes using several references and then run these vendor tools to verify my changes. Works well for me but maybe a shade much for most normal people. As a security geek I don't qualify as a normal user.

3) Start with windows default settings run a bit, see that all is well. Then with Blackviper move 1 service at a time to the safe settings, do one a day, don't rush. Change them first to manual. This way if something goes amiss you will know which one did it! When / if that happens check the dependences in the service properties since these services interact and some rely on others being started etc. When done go back and select those you made manual that stayed manual to disabled one by one. When done. Take a bootable c image.

4) After you finish getting to safe settings you can begin to move 1 by 1 per day to poweruser. But read the BV advice and read the purpose and dependencies before changing settings. Again start with manual. If after a reboot or two they stay un started change to disabled.


Forget, Barebones, if you get your running services down to say 25-30 you will have done well, improved your PC speed and improved security all at the same time.

IMHO, the biggy is file sharing across your lan if you have one. If you don't NEED it disable it. If the day ever comes that you do need it because Cousin IT comes to visit, well fine turn it on then as soon as cousin is gone disable it again.

I will leave it too you all to find the service I'm referring too.

If in doubt do nothing.

 

Excellent suggestions, thanks for the tips.

That being said I have used BV for years with no problems. I always carefully read what the service is for and (as you say) if in doubt I leave a particular service alone. I also make a list of changes but its probably not nec as I could always go back through BV and reset everything to default as per his list. Of course I also have drive images (although I never took the precaution of doing a full test before making the changes). I also never have gone past the "safe" settings, but your suggestions as to how to proceed from safe to the next steps makes me think maybe I could give it a whirl. One service a day and in a month or two the PC will be as good as it gets for the rest of its life,,,,at least as far as running only nec services is concerned.

Thanks again.

 

Great post, I wholeheartedly agree with taking your time trimming services. I did this quite some time back and my computer loves me for it.

 

Been using black vipers website for a long time now

 

25-30 is nothing, not much not much accomplished here.

without my security software services. I managed to cut it down to only about 10 services running. my pc runs smoothly and stable. XP SP2.

 

Interesting.

If I subtract my "extras" that are there by choice to achieve my security and performance purposes I would be at 16 services!

But ten that is bare bones for sure!

 

On my standalone PC, I have only the ff:
Plug and Play
Remote Procedure Call
Windows Audio

Aside from the Blackviper, I also followed this one...
http://www.bold-fortune.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1093(didn't do the boldfortune's slimming but via NLITE)
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2004/10/298702.html
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2004/10/298702.html?c=on#c151172
note: for the tweaker addicts only and thus, the necessity of image back ups

 

Hi,

I tried following "Bold Fortune" & delete the files associated with my disabled services. Windows just puts the files back upon reboot.

Example: alrsvc.dll <deleted> & windows replaced it. What am I doing wrong?

Thanks
Rico

 

Why would you want to delete any files?? Just disable the service(s) and leave it at that. No need to delete anything. You're probably deleting critical system files and Win is replacing them, as it should.

 

Follow Kerodo's advice. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. You are obviously taking the advice out of context or doing boldfortune's advice without researching first the rationale. Many of boldfortune's advice will definitely cripple your os and your application's functionalities.
To be on the safe side, image first your system so as you can restore instantly if you totally messed up your os.
Windows file protection should be disabled as boldfortune advised those who follow his route. NLITE and XPLite are much more safer routes of accomplishing the same things.

 

Thanks Guys,

I just saw the Windows file protection thing, I'll just leave the services I have disabled & be done with it.

Rico

 

Just some points:

1) My OP was about my "safe" method of disabling windows xp sp3 services nothing more the more recent posts are expanding the scope of the thread to systems file deletion.

2) General advice is it is best not to mess with duplicates, some advise never delete them!and that windows doesn't generate unnecessary duplicates. Duplicates that are safe to trash are self created! Leave ALL the others alone.

BUT for those (like me) who do venture in from time to time, here is a Created List of File types and Extensions too dangerous to delete. This list was created in 2006 so it is DATED. It is no doubt incomplete.

Don't delete your backups
Files without extensions, like hosts
.386
.bat
.cat
.cmd
.com
.cpl
.dat
.dll
.drv
.exe
.hta
.htc
.inf
.ini
.lnk
.msc
.ocx
.pif
.sys
.vxd
Zero-byte .log files

If you want to move in this direction use a product like jv16powertools to do the work as the developers there have more knowledge than we do about what is waste and what isn't.

Many of these systems files are shared.

Again if you don't KNOW don't.