home Convectors What services does Microsoft have? Disable unused services to speed up Windows

What services does Microsoft have? Disable unused services to speed up Windows

Owners of personal computers with limited computing resources often try to improve operating system performance by disabling services. By disabling services, a PC user can increase and optimize the performance of an old computer, but problems may arise when disabling services that are necessary for the operating system to function properly.

Problems caused by disabling a particular service can be very different and lead to different consequences. For example, if we disable a service called " Plug and Play", this will lead to the fact that you will not be able to connect new peripherals and components to the PC.

To help our readers optimize PC performance by disabling unnecessary services, we have prepared material in which we will describe in detail the solution to this problem in the Windows 7, 8 and XP operating systems.

Optimizing performance in Windows 7

IN operating system In Windows 7, there are two ways to disable services. The first method allows us to solve our problem through add-in in Control Panel, the second - through console. To use the first and second methods, we first determine which services we can disable without harm to the system.

Here is a list of services with detailed descriptions that we can disable without harming the system:

Print Manager- if your PC does not have a working MFP or inkjet, then feel free to turn it off;
Tablet PC input service- is responsible for supporting touch screens in tablets and touch monitors, if your computer does not have touch screen, then feel free to turn it off;
Remote Desktop Service- allows other users to connect to your desktop remotely and work on it; if you do not use the remote desktop, then feel free to disable it;
Computer Browser- creates a transfer list that is sent to other PCs on the network. This list is needed to determine the main computer on the network. For a home user, this does not matter, so the computer browser can be disabled;
IP Ancillary Service- responsible for new version IPv6 protocol. Since in most cases our providers still use the old IPv4 protocol, we can disable this service without consequences;
Remote registry- used to remotely edit registry entries. In most cases, this feature is not needed by a home user, so feel free to disable it;
Terminal Service- is responsible for access to remote terminal servers; if you do not use RDP, then disable it;
Disk Defragmenter- thanks to this service, the operating system automatically defragments the disk, but if you have a third-party defragmentation utility installed, for example, Defraggler, then feel free to disable it;
Secure storage- provides secure storage of digital signatures, private keys and encrypted data. If you do not use encrypted information, then disable encrypted storage;
BitLocker Drive Encryption Service- used to encrypt local disks. If you do not use disk encryption, then disable BitLocker;
Bluetooth support- ensures the operation of the Bluetooth transmitter and data transmission through it. If your PC does not have a Bluetooth transmitter, then feel free to turn it off.

To use the first method, we must go to the program execute " Execute" and enter the command "services.msc" into it. You can run the program through the menu " Start"or using the keyboard shortcut Win + R

After executing the command, we will be taken to the required add-in. I would also like to note that this method of opening this add-on works on XP and Windows 8.

For example, we need to find and open in this add-on " Print Manager».

To completely stop " Print Manager", select the launch type " Disabled" and click the Stop button. After these steps, the service will go into the " Stopped».

If in the future you need to connect the printer to your computer, then leave the print manager startup type in the “ Manually».

Now let's look at the console stop of unnecessary services. First of all, let's launch the console as Administrator. To do this, enter “CMD” in the Windows 7 search and launch the console as Administrator, as shown in the image below.

In a running console, let's also try to stop " Print Manager" To do this, type the command in the console: net stop "spooler" and execute it.

After this, the spooler process will stop. In the same way, other processes are turned off through the console.

From the examples it is clear that stopping an unnecessary service is quite easy, so even a novice PC user can cope with this task.

Optimizing performance in Windows 8

For Windows 8, disabling services looks the same as in Windows 7, even the add-on has remained virtually unchanged.

Therefore, it makes no sense to describe a similar process. The only difference between Windows 7 and Windows 8 is the number of services that can be disabled. In addition to the services described in the previous example, in Windows 8 you can also disable the following:

Changed Link Tracking Client- this service is designed to monitor changed parameters in installed programs Oh. For example, adjusting the address of a shortcut that has been moved to another location;
BranchCache- technology that helps companies speed up data exchange in a large network;
Hyper-V- you can disable all services in the control panel add-on if you do not use virtual machines on your computer;
Microsoft iSCSI Initiator Service- provides access to computers via the iSCSI protocol;
Family Safety- when using family safety in eight, it is better not to disable this service.

The list shows which services can be disabled in Windows 8 without harm to the system.

Getting better performance by disabling unnecessary services in XP

The principle of disabling services in Windows XP is the same as in seven and eight. If you have had experience disabling Windows XP services, then you can easily do this in Windows 7 and 8. The only difference will be the add-in and command line interface.

Also, the number of services in XP that can be stopped painlessly is significantly lower than in Windows 7 and 8. Below is a list of services that you can stop without harming Windows XP:

Error Logging Service- allows you to send a report about OS and program errors to Microsoft via the Internet;
Remote registry- described in the first example;
Computer Browser- described in the first example;
SSDP Discovery Service- detection of network devices with UpnP protocols; Disabling this service is not critical for a home user;
Remote Desktop Service- described in the first example.

The example describes only a small part of the services that can be disabled.

We advise you not to disable services in Windows XP unnecessarily, since this OS consumes few computer resources. By disabling unnecessary services on a computer running Windows XP, you will rarely notice a noticeable improvement in performance.

In the material reviewed, we looked at the main services, disabling which is safe for the functioning of Windows 7, 8 or XP. You can also disable at your own risk even more unused and running services in the Control Panel add-on, most of which cannot be disabled.

Be careful when performing such experiments as they affect system stability and performance.

Before disabling a service not described in this material, it is better to familiarize yourself with its purpose in the description in the Control Panel add-on.

I would also like to advise novice users conducting similar experiments: create a system restore point and make a backup important data.

Video on the topic

As you know, none of the currently existing Windows systems is one hundred percent productive, offering the user a huge number of unnecessary services, processes and components running in How to disable unnecessary Windows services 7, let's try to figure it out. We will take the seventh version of the OS solely as an example, since similar operations can be performed in the eighth and tenth modifications.

How to disable unnecessary services in Windows 7: general rules

First of all, you need to clearly understand that disabling some services should not be done by ending some processes in the Task Manager, which only facilitates a one-time stop of the selected component, but exclusively through special system editors.

In this case, there are several basic methods for deactivating services. Roughly speaking, they can be divided into explicit and implicit. For example, the processes displayed in the startup menu or in the tree of executing background services are visible to the user. These are obvious processes. Components such as the Hyper-V module, which also requires activation in the BIOS, are not needed by the user at all, but he does not know about it. They are not in the process tree, and disabling Windows 7 services and using them can only be done using special settings. But more on that later. For now, let's stick to what everyone knows.

Update installation center

“Update Center” is almost the biggest headache for users of Windows systems. The service works as it wants (it is not possible for the user to determine the time of exit or download of the next update). Therefore, you can disable it, especially since all major updates relate exclusively to the Windows security service. And if the user has enabled receiving updates for other Microsoft products, like Office, then you can generally notice almost daily updates.

But this involves downloading and using Internet traffic. If the system is functioning normally without this, “Update Center” can be disabled. This is done quite simply in the settings contained in the standard “Control Panel”.

Administration

In principle, access to service management can be obtained through computer administration, called up by the corresponding line in the properties menu by right-clicking on the icon, where unnecessary processes are disabled through the utility built into the Windows system.

Here you select the services section and change the necessary startup parameters. But don't rush to rejoice. First, let's look at the theoretical issues related to what should be turned off and what not.

Services Section

You can quickly get to the services management section by entering the services.msc command in the Run management console (Win + R). Most services are disabled here.

But here you need to be extremely careful. The fact is that terminating (disabling) some processes can negatively affect the entire system as a whole. But in the simplest case, you can simply change automatic type manual launch.

What services are best disabled in Windows 7?

Now specifically about those processes that can and should be deactivated. A list of them is presented below:

remote access to the registry and calling remote procedures;
offline file analysis;
IPSec key exchange;
printing system;
error logging client;
tracking of changing connections;
the Parental Control service, which came to the “seven” from Vista;
Hyper-V virtual machine;
unused devices and their drivers;
video chip control consoles.

Using startup

All startup applications belong to the type of programs that are loaded along with the system at the time it starts (probably there is no need to explain this). However, not all users use settings to disable unnecessary services

You can also disable Windows 7 services at startup from here. To do this, use the msconfig access command, which is entered in the standard “Run” menu.

Next, we look at the startup menu, where services that can be disabled are presented. In principle, there is nothing wrong with unchecking all processes. You can even deactivate video cards that start with the control console system. Depending on the modification of the OS itself, you can only leave control of switching the ctfmon language bar, if such a process is in the list (as a rule, it is not present when installing a “clean” version of Windows 7 instead of XP or Vista).

Deactivating system components

But not all processes are available for deactivation in the Task Manager menu or disabling unnecessary startup items. Some components can only be found in the advanced settings of the system itself.

First, let's pay attention to the “iron” components. Smart cards are used by many users who have the ability to connect them to modern terminals and identify them with computer or mobile programs.

Sometimes even card terminals without installing the accompanying drivers can generate errors. Moreover, not all smart cards are compatible with certain types of devices or operating systems. The same banking system running Windows makes absolutely no difference which card is used. The main thing is that the information be read via the magnetic line. This function is not provided in Windows 7, as well as fingerprint recognition, so disabling it is out of the question.

But another important aspect of the question of how to disable unnecessary services in Windows 7 is eliminating system load problems by deactivating additional components.

If you go to the “Control Panel” section and select the Programs and Features menu, it is easy to notice that some services are in an active state (their names have check marks).

First of all, you should pay attention to the fact that the Print Manager service is active in any system, even installed from scratch and without a connected printer. There is nothing surprising in this, because initially it is assumed that the user will print some documents. This is wrong. And the Print Spooler component can be disabled without any doubt.

Here you can also find a bunch of unnecessary things that Windows systems turn on without user notification. At least most of the above components can be disabled without any serious impact on the system.

Additional BIOS settings

In addition to all of the above, it is worth noting that not all components associated with the operating system can be deactivated using its software and settings.

So, for example, you can disable unnecessary Windows 7 services like the camera or the same Hyper-V module by setting the appropriate parameters of the primary input/output system. The parameters can be accessed by pressing the appropriate button or key combination when starting a computer or laptop, which the system itself offers. Usually this is Del, F12, F2, etc.

Here you need to deactivate support for Hyper Threading Technology, which for Intel processors is responsible for creating and using a virtual machine.

But what you definitely shouldn’t do is disable DHCP servers and DNS clients, as this can lead to communication failures.

It is also not recommended to disable the Superfetch service, which is responsible for the correct operation of applications after waking up from sleep. Although... If it is not used, there is nothing wrong with disabling it in the power supply settings.

Bottom line

This is not a complete list of everything that can and should be disabled in Windows. This is the same geolocation system in browsers, the use of background volume copy services, etc. If you dig deeper, most processes that are in no way related to ensuring the operation of the operating system can be isolated without any damage.

At the very least, optimizing any version of Windows operating systems in the simplest case of applying settings may consist of disabling startup elements, unused Windows components, as well as network services that are activated by default, but are not related to the functioning of the OS itself.

Here, only the main ones that must be disabled, either mandatory or optional, were considered. In fact, upon closer inspection, you can disable everything except the system core. And this is not the best the best option is the use of optimizer programs, since they are actually not always able to interfere with the structure of the background services of the operating system (it simply does not allow this to be done). What the user sees, say, an increase in the speed of accessing the hard drive or Internet acceleration, is just a trick designed to show the user the imaginary quality of the utility being used, so it is better to simply disable unnecessary Windows 7 services without resorting to the help of third-party applications that , by the way, sometimes they don’t know how to do anything like that, although the opposite is stated. However, by applying all the methods shown above, you can achieve a significant improvement in the performance of any Windows system. And, of course, it is not at all necessary to disable absolutely all components and services.

Even though Windows 7 is much more responsive than its predecessor, Vista, its default settings are far from optimal. However, when speeding up the work of the “seven”, it is necessary to take into account that some changes made to its settings lead to a deterioration in the functionality and appearance of the system. Your task is to choose a configuration that will provide you with the optimal balance between performance, functionality and appearance. Next, we will look at several ways to speed up the operation of a number of Windows 7 systems, as well as a number of its utilities.

Windows 7: system boot optimization

It is known that the greatest irritation for the user is the long loading of the operating system. Despite the fact that the "seven" is optimized by the developers in such a way that it loads 10-20 seconds faster than Vista, users always strive to make it even faster. Multi-core processors allow you to speed up system loading even more, for which you need to perform a number of settings. Open the msconfig utility by typing its name in the Start menu bar. In the window that opens, we need the Download tab, where we need to click on the Advanced options button.

Check the box next to Number of processors and select the maximum number of your cores from the drop-down menu. After you click OK to save the settings, reboot the system, and you will see how much faster Windows 7 boot has become. To speed up the system boot, you should also take into account that its speed directly depends on the number of processes and applications launched at startup Windows. Therefore, opening the msconfig utility again, let's go to its other Startup tab.

Many Windows applications are added to the system startup without the user noticing. When there are too many such programs, downloading begins to slow down significantly. Therefore, carefully analyze the list of applications presented in the startup tab and uncheck all programs that you do not need. Ideally, you should leave a checkmark next to the name of your antivirus only. Speed up in the same way loading Windows This will allow you to disable all unnecessary services that slow down not only startup, but also operation. We will look at disabling them below.

Optimizing services in Windows 7

Throughout the Windows OS family there are many services designed to interact with internal hardware, drivers and some system options. Many third-party programs also add their own services to the system. Working in the background, many services significantly reduce system performance without improving its functionality at all. Moreover, a number of Windows 7 services are detrimental to the overall security of the system. Such services, first of all, include the default Remote Registry, which allows an attacker to make any changes to the system. There are two ways to open the service management utility: go to Control Panel - Administrative Tools - Services or enter services.msc in the Start menu bar.

After launching this application, a window will open in front of you with a list of all services.

To disable a particular service, you need to left-click on it, after which a window will open.

Click the Stop button to stop the service and change the startup type to Disabled to prevent it from being enabled again the next time you start the system. After that, click Apply and OK, the service will no longer interfere with your computer. When working with the list of services, you should be especially careful, since disabling the required process can lead to partial loss system health: certain hardware or applications may stop working. If you have made changes to the properties of several dozen services at the same time, it will not be easy to find the right service required for a particular program to work. Below we provide a list of services that can be disabled on almost any computer, be it a single machine or part of a local network.

The remote registry allows remote users to make changes to the system registry. For security reasons, this service should be disabled.
Offline Files is responsible for implementing the Offline Files API. Not needed by the vast majority of users. Turn it off.
The Tablet PC Input Service is required for pen and similar input devices to work on tablets. Turn it off.
Registration Service Windows errors is responsible for maintaining the system error log. If, when problems arise with your PC, you are in the habit of analyzing log entries to identify the causes of errors, leave the service startup type at Auto. If you are almost never interested in what is recorded in the system log, you can disable the service.
IPsec key modules for key exchange... - provides IKE key management and authenticated IP functionality. Turn it off.
Client for tracking changed connections. The service tracks links between files located within NTFS systems. Once disabled, your computer will run faster.
Windows Search is necessary to index files on your computer to enable search functionality. If you do not use the system's built-in search, you can disable the service.
Parental Control. This service was introduced into Windows 7 from the Vista version and is needed only for compatibility with it. Turn it off.

On most home PCs that are not part of the local network, you can disable some other services.

IPSec Policy Agent. Almost never used on a home PC. Turn it off.
KtmRm for distributed transaction coordinator. If you read the description of the service, it becomes clear that it is not recommended to start it unless you are sure that you need it. Turn it off.
IP Ancillary Service. Not used on a home computer. Turn it off.
Print Manager. If you do not use the printer, disable this service. If you print documents occasionally, try setting the startup to Manual. If printing does not work in this case, change the startup type to Auto. Whether your printer will work or not with the Manual startup type depends only on its drivers.
A secondary login is required to run processes as a different user. Disabled for security reasons.
Fax machine. We disable it if you do not send or receive faxes.
Windows Defender protects against spyware. You can disable it if you plan to install an alternative security system on your system.
Windows Firewall. Can be disabled if you have installed a third-party firewall on your system.
Smart Card Removal Policy. If you don't use smart cards, you don't need the service.
Microsoft iSCSI Initiator Service. If you do not use iSCSI devices, you can set the service startup type to Manual.
SSDP discovery is required for devices that use the SSDP protocol. Can be disabled.
Adaptive brightness control is only necessary for PC owners with a built-in light sensor to automatically adjust monitor brightness.
A computer browser is required to discover working machines on the local network. A single computer does not need the service. Turn it off.
Server. The service is required only for computers used for file or printer sharing. Turn it off.
Bluetooth support service. Disable if you don't have Bluetooth.

You should not disable all services at once. It’s better to disable them two or three at a time, and then reboot the system. If your computer and other equipment will work normally, disable the following services. Otherwise, you may be faced with the fact that you will not understand which service is disabled and prevents the computer from working properly.

Reducing shutdown time: Windows 7 optimization

The system shutdown time can also be reduced, but this can only be done using a somewhat barbaric method - reducing the time that is given to the process to complete running programs. If the system does not have time to complete their work, they will be stopped forcibly. Open the registry again and find the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE -> System -> CurrentControlSet -> Control branch there.

Find the WaitToKillServiceTimeout parameter there and change its value from 12000 to 2000.

ReadyBoost function

Windows 7 has an option to use flash drives in addition to RAM for data caching. This allows you to speed up data read and write operations and also increases system performance. To use the ReadyBoost option, you must have USB drives or flash cards connected to the PC using a card reader. Insert the drive into USB port computer and in the Autorun window, select Speed up the system using Windows ReadyBoost.

Specify the space limit available for use. To save the settings, click the Apply and OK buttons. After this, the ReadyBoost.sfcache file will be created on the USB drive. Under no circumstances remove the flash drive from the computer!

Optimizing your hard drive in Windows 7

This function is valid in the Windows family of systems, starting with version XP, it is also available in the “seven”, however, if in XP this option was enabled by default, in Windows you must enable it yourself. Right-click on the My Computer icon and open Device Manager. Find Disk devices in the list, right-click on the HDD name and select Properties. A window will appear where we need the Policy tab. Check the box next to “Disable buffer clearing...”.

Here in the Device Manager we find the IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers branch in the list, where in the properties of all ATA channels in the Additional parameters tab, check the box next to the Enable DMA item.

Speed up copying and moving files

One of the new options in Windows 7 is remote differential compression, which is designed to calculate the differences between two objects, which reduces the amount of data transferred, but requires more calculation time. You can disable this option in the Windows Components utility. Find the Programs and Features icon in Control Panel and open Turn Windows features on or off from the list on the left. Next to the item Remote differential compression, uncheck the box.

Disabling driver signature verification

This setting will significantly reduce the time required to install drivers. Use the Start menu to find the gpedit.msc utility.

Then, in User Configuration, go to Administrative Templates -> System -> Driver Installation. Click Digital signature of device drivers and in the window that opens, select Disable, click Apply and OK.

Speed up thumbnail viewing

To increase the speed of viewing thumbnails, make the necessary settings in the registry. Open the HKEY_CURRENT_USER -> Control Panel -> Mouse branch.

Change the MouseHoverTime setting to 100 or lower.

Speed up the Start menu

When you open the Start menu, the system spends some time identifying and highlighting recently installed programs. If you do not need this option, you can disable it, reducing the time it takes to open the menu. Right-click on the Start button and select Properties from the menu that appears.

In the Menu tab, click the Configure button. In the window that appears with a list of settings, uncheck the “Highlight recently installed programs” item.

There is a short pause before the Start menu opens, which can be reduced by changing the corresponding registry setting. To do this, first launch the registry by entering the word regedit in the Start menu bar and pressing Enter.

In the registry editor that opens, find the HKEY_CURRENT_USER -> Control Panel -> Desktop key and change the value of the MenuShowDelay key from 400 to 50. After this, the pause when opening the menu will be noticeably shortened.

Disable unnecessary visual effects

If your computer has a not very powerful graphics card or uses a graphics solution built into the motherboard for graphics, Aero visual effects may cause a noticeable performance hit. Owners of inexpensive laptops, mainly intended for office work, face this problem especially often. In the Control Panel, click on the System icon and in the window that opens, select Advanced system settings. A window will appear in front of you where you should go to the Advanced tab.

Click the Settings button under Performance. A window will open with a list of special effects, many of which significantly affect system performance.

You have to configure the system to ensure the optimal balance between appearance and performance. On weaker computers, you can disable all effects by selecting “Ensure the best performance.” By making the “Special Effects” item active, you can independently choose which effects you need. Most users prefer not to disable the “Smooth out irregularities in screen fonts” option.

None of the currently available operating systems in the Windows family 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.

Disabling unnecessary services in Windows 7: basic rules

To begin with, it must be said that some services are disabled not by ending processes in the Task Manager, but only through special system editors. The fact is that working with the “Task Manager” only facilitates a one-time stop of the selected component. There are several basic methods for deactivating services. Roughly speaking, they can all be divided into explicit and implicit. For example, the user can see processes that are displayed in the startup menu or in the tree of executing background services. 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 we will talk about this later. For now, let's focus on the point that everyone knows. Update Center is perhaps the biggest problem for users of Windows operating systems. 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 Update Center, especially considering that major updates only affect the security service of the Windows operating system itself. If the user is enabled to receive updates for other products from Microsoft, for example, Office, you may notice almost daily component updates. Internet traffic will be involved here. If the system functions normally without this, then you can disable 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 up by the corresponding line in the properties menu by right-clicking 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 required for startup. But it’s too early to rejoice. First, we need to consider the theoretical issues associated with switchable components.

Services Section

You can get to the services management section by entering the services.msc command in the “Run” management console (Win + R). Most services are disabled here. But in this case, special care must be taken. The thing is that disabling some processes can negatively 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 best disabled in Windows 7? Let's talk specifically about processes that can be deactivated. Below is the list:

— analysis of offline files;

— remote access to the registry and calling remote procedures;

— IPSec key exchange;

— error logging client;

— printing system;

— tracking of changing connections;

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

— unused devices and their drivers;

— Hyper-V virtual machine;

— video chip control consoles.

Using startup

Startup applications can be classified as programs that are loaded with the operating system when it starts. But not all users use system configuration settings to disable unnecessary services. From here you can disable Windows 7 services at startup. To do this, you need to use the msconfig access command, which is entered into 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 control consoles that start with the system. Depending on the modification of the operating system, you can leave control of switching the language bar to ctfmon, if this process is present in the list.

Deactivating system components

However, not all processes can be deactivated in the Task Manager menu. To find some components, you will have to use additional settings of 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 recognized by mobile or computer programs. Even card terminals can sometimes produce errors without installing the accompanying drivers. Additionally, not all smart cards are compatible with operating systems or devices. The same banking system that runs under Windows makes absolutely no difference which card is used. The main thing is that the information is read via the magnetic line. Windows 7 does not provide this feature, nor does it provide fingerprint recognition. For this reason, disabling this function is out of the question. Another important aspect 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 here are in an active state. There are checkboxes next to the names of such services. First of all, it is worth paying attention to the fact that in any system the “Print Manager” service is active. This applies even to those cases where the system was installed from scratch and without a connected printer in the system. This is not surprising, since it was initially 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 seriously affecting the system.

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 settings and software. So, for example, to disable unnecessary services of the Windows 7 operating system, such as the same Hyper-V module or camera, you can use changing the corresponding parameters of the primary input/output system. To access the parameters, you can use the key combination that the system itself offers when starting your 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 the virtual machine.

Services that are best not to be disabled

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

Conclusion

This article presented a far from complete list of components that can be disabled in the Windows operating system. You can disable the geolocation system in browsers, background volume copy services, and so on. If you dig deeper, you can conclude that most processes that are in no way related to ensuring the operation of the operating system can be isolated without much damage. Optimizing any version of the Windows operating system may involve disabling unused Windows components, startup elements, and network services that are not related to the functioning of the operating system. This review only examined the main components of the system that can be disabled. Using special optimization programs in this case will not be the best solution, since they are not always able to interfere with the structure of background services of the operating system. Those obvious signs, such as an increase in the speed of accessing the hard drive or accelerated work on the Internet are a simple ploy that is used to show the imaginary 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 like this, 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.

You can disable unnecessary services in Windows in the “Start” menu - “Control Panel” - “Administrative Tools” - “Service Components” - “Local Services”. An easier option: press Win+R (Start->Run), enter services.msc in the window and press Enter to go to the services window.

If for some reason the standard capabilities of Windows and the service manager are not enough, you can use free program Easy Service Optimizer from the developer Sordum. It displays all names, descriptions of services and other necessary data from the system and allows you to accurately search for services and change their status.

Why disable services?

Windows starts a large number of services at system startup in the belief that the user may need them. Unused services consume resources and slow down your computer. Disabling unnecessary services can improve performance and relieve CPU and memory load.

It is important to note that for everyone modern computers disabling Windows services to improve performance and performance does not make sense. Noticeable efficiency can only be seen on older computers (with 2GB of RAM or less). At the same time, a “noticeable” increase in performance means a reduction in the load on the processor by several percent, as well as freeing up a hundred or two megabytes of RAM.

Before disabling the service, it is advisable to familiarize yourself with its functionality. Windows cannot work without many components, so it is important not to disable unnecessary ones in the pursuit of performance. You should remember about other ways to speed up your PC: cleaning the registry, deleting system files and cache, using CCleaner.

It is important to remember that a disabled service will start when the system is restarted if the autostart settings have not been changed. And if they have been changed, then the problem may appear when the service is required, but cannot start. Disabled services with autostart disabled will have to be started manually if necessary. This is a problem for most users because when problems arise months later, it is difficult to remember which services were disabled and what they were responsible for.

Disabling services in Services Manager

In all versions of Windows, there is a Windows Services Manager for working with services. It allows you to enable/disable services and set startup options. Although many services in Windows are barely used by regular users and can be disabled completely, it is strongly recommended not to do so.

To reduce the load on the system and increase performance/performance, for all unused services it is enough to set the “Manual” option in the autorun settings. In this case, the service will not be used by Windows and will not consume computer resources. In this case, the system will be able to start the service when it is really needed.

There are several ways to start Windows Services Manager:

Click “Start” - “Run”, enter services.msc and press Enter.
Type services.msc in the search bar in the Start menu.
Open “Start” - “Control Panel” - “Administrative Tools” - “Services”.

The services window displays all services present on the computer, including disabled ones. The startup type column should have the status “Manual” or “Automatic”. It is not advisable to place services in a completely disabled state.

New versions of the OS have other launch settings: delayed launch, trigger launch, and so on. It is not recommended to change these settings without understanding your actions. It is worth making sure that improving performance in this way is a truly effective measure to solve the problem with performance.

Windows 10

The new Windows 10 operating system has a huge number of services that the user can disable. Optimizing performance through such actions is doubtful. It is better to compare the difference in performance immediately after rebooting the computer - changes in the operation of services will take effect, and other running processes will not change the picture.

You can compare the difference in performance using the Task Manager or third-party utilities with similar functionality. You must first clear the system and/or registry of unnecessary files, remove all unnecessary programs from their autorun settings. Below is a list of services for Windows 10 and previous versions of the OS (Windows 8 (8.1), 7, Vista, XP), disabling which (putting them in manual mode) should not cause negative consequences for the operation of the system.

Diagnostic Tracking Service And Diagnostic Policy Service— System Diagnostic Tracking Service and Diagnostic Policy Service, respectively.
Downloaded Maps Manager— map manager for working with downloaded content. Can be disabled if you are not using the Maps application on your computer.
— disabling the client of changed connections is possible only if the computer is not connected to any of the networks.
Bluetooth support— if the Bluetooth module is not used.
Connected User Experiences and Telemetry— Telemetry and functionality for connected users.
Router service AllJoyn— the AllJoyn framework ensures the interaction of devices, users and applications via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
IP Helper— the service can be disabled if an IPv6 connection is not used.
Dmwappushservice— push message routing service. The service routes push messages over the WAP network and is not required by the vast majority of users. Disabling this service is one way to stop all kinds of data being collected from your Windows 10 device and sent to Microsoft.
Print Spooler— Print Spooler can be disabled if the computer is not connected to the printer or the printer is not in use.
- Program Compatibility Assistant service, which allows you to run old games and applications in compatibility mode. To be fair, this function is rarely required and for really old software.
Remote Registry- a remote registry, which can be disabled forever for the vast majority of users as unnecessary.
Security Center And Secondary Logon- “security center” and “secondary login”. Disabling both services should be safe for the system and not interfere with the user.
Touch Keyboard and Handwriting Panel Service— Touch keyboard and handwriting support service. You can disable it completely if such functionality is not used and is not planned.
Windows Image Acquisition- Windows image download service or WIA. Can be disabled if the system does not use a scanner.
BitLocker— disk encryption service.
Hyper-V- Hyper-V services can be disabled only if Hyper-V virtual machines are not used. The list of services is as follows: heartbeat service, data exchange service, guest shutdown service, time synchronization service, virtual machine session service, remote desktop virtualization service. There should be a Hyper-V prefix next to the service name - you can use the page search to find and disable all services.
Xbox Live Online Service— it makes sense to disable it if any of the Xbox consoles are missing.
Superfetch— can be disabled only if SSD drives are used.

Many articles also recommend disabling Windows Defender Service, Windows Search, Windows Error Reporting Service, and Internet Connection Sharing (ICS). This is not recommended for a number of reasons, especially with the latter service - it is used to distribute Wi-Fi from a laptop and similar popular features.

Windows 8/8.1

Windows 8/8.1 has fewer services that can be safely disabled without harming the system. The list contains rarely used services, disabling which will not affect the performance of the system. You should always check to see if a specific functionality is used on a specific computer.

Diagnostic Policy Service— the diagnostic policy service can be disabled on any computer without any problems, but sometimes errors like “The service could not start on this Windows computer” occur.
Computer Browser- Computer browsers. The service can be disabled if the computer is not connected to any network.
BranchCache— Technology for caching network traffic transmitted over WAN channels. Most users can turn off this service without any negative consequences.
Distributed Link Tracking Client— you can find a lot of advice on the Internet suggesting disabling the “Changed Relationship Tracking Client.” This will only happen without consequences for a computer that is not connected to the network, so it is still not recommended to turn it off.
Family Safety— the functionality can be completely disabled if you do not plan to use it.
Hyper-V- If Hyper-V virtual machines are not used, all associated services can be disabled. They all have Hyper-V in their name, so finding them won't be difficult. The exact set of services may differ on Windows 8/8.1, so searching by page/services is your best option.
IP Helper- IP Assisted Service may be disabled if the device is not using an IPv6 connection.
Windows Biometric Service- another component that you can do without in everyday work.
Program Compatibility Assistant Service- The Program Compatibility Assistant service is required to run older software in compatibility mode. If there is no such need, the constantly running “compatibility assistant” can be switched to manual mode.
Print Spooler- in Windows 8/8.1, Print Manager is responsible for working with printers, so it can be disabled if they are absent.
— The portable device enumerator service can be disabled if external devices are not connected to the computer. The benefit of such an action is doubtful, since the consumption of PC resources from such functionality is minimal.
Remote Registry And Secondary Logon— Remote registry and Secondary login. Both components can be switched to manual mode when not in use.
Server— the service with the self-explanatory name “Server” can be turned off if the system is not used as a server.
- Windows error logging service, responsible for saving logs and sending error reports.
Windows Image Acquisition, WIA- The image download service is required by Windows 8/8.1 for the scanner to operate. If there is no scanner, WIA can be switched to manual mode or turned off.

Services Windows Search(system search function) and Security Center(Security Center) is not recommended to be disabled. The functionality of the former is required regularly, and the Security Center performs really important protective functions, especially if an antivirus is not installed on the computer.

Windows 7

In Windows 7, there are more than a dozen services that can be safely disabled (switched to manual mode) in order to optimize and increase performance. Below is a list of services that are safe to disable, with notes that will help you decide on the autostart method you choose.

Distributed Link Tracking Client And Computer Browser- The Client for tracking changed connections and the Browser by the computer can be switched to manual mode if the computer is not connected to any network.
Desktop Window Manager Session Manager- Desktop Window Manager Session Manager. A service with such a complex name is needed only to ensure the functioning of Aero themes. If Aero themes are not used, the component can be launched manually.
Diagnostic Policy Service— diagnostic service (diagnostic policy service).
Remote Registry— It is recommended to disable the remote registry on all versions of Windows if its functionality is not used. In addition to a slight reduction in load, disabling the registry often has a positive effect on security.
Print Spooler— print manager, required for the printer to work.
IP Helper- IP auxiliary service for IPv6 connectivity.
Server— if the PC is not connected to the local network and is not used as a server.
Offline Files— a service that caches data and allows you to continue working with documents from the public domain (network) when you disconnect from the server and go offline. Disabling this service should not interfere with the average user's experience.
Portable Device Enumerator Service— the portable device enumerator service is used on server versions of Windows to work with remote devices.
Tablet PC Input Service— Tablet PC input service.
Themes— the “Themes” service can be disabled if themes are not used (standard Windows 7 design is applied).
Windows Error Reporting Service- a service that logs errors and sends reports about them to Microsoft.
Windows Media Center Service Launcher— the component is responsible for launching Windows Media Center.
BitLocker— the BitLocker disk encryption service is definitely not needed by those who don’t even know what it is.
Bluetooth— Bluetooth support service if there is no Bluetooth module on the computer or it is not used.

Programs that are installed on a Win7 computer by a user can also install and run their own services. Examples of such programs include desktop software or antivirus software. The user should decide whether to disable such services independently. As a standard, it is not recommended to turn off the search function Windows Search, security services and firewall.

If you want to further optimize system performance, you should pay attention to the next section about Windows Vista. This list of services is more complete, and the functionality and names are almost identical to Windows 7.

Windows Vista

About Windows Vista last years They write little, since this version of the OS is used relatively rarely. Maximum collected here full list Windows Vista services short description their functionality and recommended autorun settings.

Vista has a lot of unused components that you can safely disable (or put into manual mode) for optimization and performance reasons. If the service is not listed below, then its startup type should be set to " Automatically«.

Services whose autostart settings can be set to manually:

Microsoft .NET Framework NGEN v2.0.50727- one of the most important frameworks necessary for Windows to work. You can’t turn it off completely - you can set the start to “ manually«.
Windows CardSpace— a component for working with digital IDs.
Quality Windows Audio Video Experience is a service for high-quality audio and video streaming.
Windows Driver Foundation - User-mode Driver Framework— a framework for managing driver host processes.
Network Access Protection Agent— the agent functionality is necessary for network access protection (NAP) on client computers; it is practically not used by ordinary users.
WMI Performance Adapter— the service works only when the Performance Data Helper component is activated.
Windows Backup— ensures archiving and Windows recovery, is used when creating recovery points - backup copies of the system state.
Windows Firewall— Microsoft’s protection system can be completely turned off or switched to manual launch mode on computers running Windows Vista. However, this should be done only if the computer has protection that is similar in capabilities or better (paid antiviruses, etc.). Otherwise, disabling the built-in firewall is strongly discouraged.
Grouping of network participants— a number of group services necessary for the functioning of peer-to-peer networks.
Automatic Remote Access Connection Manager— the dispatcher is needed to automatically create a connection to a remote network. It is used when any software accesses the remote DNS by address or NetBIOS name.
Network Member Identity Manager— allows you to identify users within a peer-to-peer network.
Performance Logs and Alerts— the service collects scheduled performance data and alerts from local and remote PCs, then the information is logged or a notification is displayed. Disabling the service will result in no performance information being collected or logged. Also, all services that directly depend on this or use the received data will not start.
Windows Presentation Foundation 3.0.0.0 font cache— an application for optimizing work with fonts by caching them. You can disable it, but it will reduce the performance of Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) applications.
Configuring Terminal Services— configuration of terminals (TSCS) and remote access, support for ongoing sessions.
SSDP detection- necessary to connect and interact with devices and programs that use the SSDP discovery protocol.
Windows Instant Connections— when the service is stopped, the Windows Immediate Connection Configuration Recorder, which issues network identities for subscribers, stops working.

In addition to those indicated, in the mode manually The following services can be transferred to Windows Vista:

Reports on problems and their solutions (support for the functionality of an element in the Control Panel).
Basic TPM services.
Extensible Authentication Protocol EAP.
Software Shadow Copy Provider (Microsoft).
PNRP protocol.
DFS replication.
Stream ordering server.
Windows Event Collector.
Network connections.
COM+ system application.
WLAN auto-configuration service.
Windows Image Upload (WIA) service.
Microsoft iSCSI Initiator Service.
Block-level archiving module service.
User Profile Service ( manually- if the user is on a computer one, otherwise - automatically).
Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service.
Software Licensing Notification Service.
Themes (if standard design is used).
Telephony.
Link layer topologist.
Volume shadow copy.
Diagnostic service node.
Diagnostic system unit.
Universal PNP device node.
Windows Modules Installer.
Windows Installer.
Windows Color System (WCS) - Disabling it may cause some colors to appear incorrectly on the screen.
Function Discovery Provider Host - discovery function provider host.

To change settings, you must have administrator rights. The following services can be fully disable:

Fax— the name speaks for itself; can be turned off when not using fax.
Manage certificates and health key- Manages the X.509 certificate and manages keys for the Network Access Protection agent. Make sure that the technologies and programs you are using do not use an X.509 certificate.
Remote registry- makes it possible to change the registry on one PC from another using remote access.
Application management— working with programs installed through group policy: installation and removal, building lists.
Smart card- Required to control access to smart card readers.
Application Layer Gateway Service- Allows you to support third-party protocols when using Internet connection sharing.
WS-Management is a Windows remote control service that uses the WS-Management protocol in its work.
PNRP Computer Name Publishing Service
Windows Media Center Receiver Service— components for the receiver, allowing you to receive and view TV and FM broadcasts in the built-in Windows Media Center player.
Windows Media Center Scheduler Service— the scheduler is required to start and stop recording TV programs in Windows Media Center.
Net.Tcp Port Sharing Service- allows multiple users to share TCP ports using the Net.Tcp protocol.
Portable Device Enumerator Service- Applies Group Policy settings to removable storage devices and sets access rights for programs and files.
Windows Time Service— manages and synchronizes date and time on all computers, clients and servers on the network. You can turn it off, but there is hardly any point in doing so, since power consumption is minimal.
Windows Media Center Extender Service- allows the media console of the same name to find Windows Vista and connect to the computer.
Tablet PC input service— required for graphics tablets and pen input.
Basic Filtration Service (BFE)- BFE applies user mode filtering to manage IP security and firewall policies. If your computer does not have antivirus or alternative reliable security products, disabling basic filtering can significantly reduce the security of your computer. For a PC without an antivirus, the BFE status should be “Automatic”.
Parental control— if standard Windows parental control functions are not used.
Publishing feature discovery resources— publishes basic information about the computer and its functions. If resource publishing is disabled, other devices on the network will not be able to discover this computer.
Smart Card Removal Policy— makes it possible to change the settings of smart cards so that the desktop is blocked when the card is removed.
Terminal Services User Mode Port Redirector- if you are not using a remote desktop.
Internet Connection Sharing (ICS)- if Internet sharing and local services are not used.
Windows Media Center Service Launcher— launches the scheduler and receiver for the media center; you can disable it if the Media Center is not needed.
Access to HID devices— provides universal access to Human Interface Devices.

Even these lists are not exhaustive, since many programs are capable of creating services. You should carefully check the services that start automatically, remove outdated and unused programs from your computer, or disable autorun for them.

Windows XP

In Windows XP, you can turn off a relatively small number of services, since the functionality of the OS was not yet so bloated. Windows XP is morally and technically outdated, but continues to be used on weak machines, so additional optimization can be beneficial.

Alerter— sending notifications.
Distributed Link Tracking Client- The client for tracking changed connections may be disabled if the computer is not connected to the network.
Computer Browser- Computer browser should also be disabled only when working offline.
Internet Sharing (ICS)— Internet Connection Sharing, if you do not need Internet distribution.
Internet Firewall (ICF)— deactivating Internet Connection Firewall will reduce system protection; it should be switched to manual mode only if alternative protection (anti-virus software) is available.
Remote Registry— the remote registry can be disabled permanently.
Messenger/Messaging Service- built-in Windows messaging service.
Server— if the computer is not connected to the local network and is not a server.
Secondary Logon- secondary login if one computer with Windows XP is used by several users.
System Restore or “System Restore Service”, when disabled, it will not create recovery points from which data can be restored in case of corruption or viruses.
Wireless Zero Configuration— if the wireless communication module via Wi-Fi is not used.
NetBIOS support module over TCP/IP— the functionality of TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper has already been described above, you can disable it without fear.

Disabling a significant part of Windows functionality will significantly increase the performance of a weak computer. At the same time, you should remember about possible negative consequences: failures in the operation of programs and the system itself, loss of a significant part of the functions. Errors and bugs may appear, the causes of which will be difficult to determine.