These services are by default set to either Automatic or Manual. Disabling these services can help make your computer more secure.350-030-642-432
***Important! - Read what every service does before you disable it or your computer may cease to function properly!
The description of these services has come from Microsoft. It has become a game to try and find these on the Microsoft web site because they have been slow to update the descriptions for SP2. It seems they would rather delete the pages than update them. As of this moment you can find them here and here .
After reading the descriptions, choose the ones you wish to disable and follow these steps:
A = Automatic M = Manual D = Disabled |
Name | XP Pro Default | XP Home Default | "Safe" Secure Setting | Recommended Secure Setting | Notes |
Alerter | Disabled | Disabled | D | D | |
Application Layer Gateway Service | Manual | Manual | M | D | Needed if using ICS (Internet Connection Sharing) |
Application Management | Manual | Manual | M | M | |
Automatic Updates | Automatic | Automatic | A | A | You can't disable this and still use Windows Update. |
Background Intelligent Transfer Service | Manual | Manual | M | M | You can't disable this and still use Windows Update. |
ClipBook | Disabled | Disabled | D | D | |
COM+ Event System | Manual | Manual | M | M | |
COM+ System Application | Manual | Manual | M | M | |
Computer Browser | Automatic | Automatic | D | D | |
Cryptographic Services | Automatic | Automatic | A | A | Windows Update errors may occur if this is disabled. |
DCOM Server Process Launcher | Automatic | Automatic | A | A | |
DHCP Client | Automatic | Automatic | A | D | *CAUTION* You'll have to set your IP Address manually. You'll need to know all your networks settings to do this. Not everyone will be able to disable this and still be able to connect to the Internet or connect to game servers. Do not change this on an ICS gateway. |
Distributed Link Tracking Client | Automatic | Automatic | A | D | |
Distributed Transaction Coordinator | Manual | Manual | M | D | |
DNS Client | Automatic | Automatic | A | D | |
Error Reporting Service | Automatic | Automatic | D | D | |
Event Log | Automatic | Automatic | A | A | |
Fast User Switching Compatibility | Manual | Manual | M | D | Will require you to reboot machine to log in as another user. |
Help and Support | Automatic | Automatic | M | D | |
HTTP SSL | Manual | Manual | M | M | |
Human Interface Device Access | Disabled | Disabled | D | D | Best to leave this at whatever your value is already set to. Many USB devices use this these days (keyboards, special mice, remotes). You can try disabling this to see if your devices need it or not. |
IMAPI CD-Burning COM Service | Manual | Manual | M | D | |
Indexing Service | Manual | Manual | D | D | Worthless resource hog that fires up when it feels like it. |
IPSEC Services | Automatic | Automatic | A | D | Required for certain types of VPN connections. |
Logical Disk Manager | Automatic | Automatic | A | M | |
Logical Disk Manager Administrative Service | Manual | Manual | M | M | |
Messenger | Disabled | Disabled | D | D | Security risk. |
MS Software Shadow Copy Provider | Manual | Manual | M | M | Leave this at what it is already set to. Your backup program may depend on this. |
Net Logon | Manual | Manual | D | D | Only used in domains. |
NetMeeting Remote Desktop Sharing | Manual | Manual | D | D | |
Network Connections | Manual | Manual | M | M | |
Network DDE | Disabled | Disabled | D | D | |
Network DDE DSDM | Disabled | Disabled | D | D | |
Network Location Awareness (NLA) | Manual | Manual | M | M | |
Network Provisioning Service | Manual | Manual | D | D | May be needed in the future for WPS. Not required for home users. AFIK it hasn't been implemented yet. |
NT LM Security Support Provider | Manual | Manual | M | M | |
Performance Logs and Alerts | Manual | Manual | M | M | |
Plug and Play | Automatic | Automatic | A | A | |
Portable Media Serial Number Service | Manual | Manual | M | M | If you have a portable media device and have problems accessing content, return this to Manual. |
Print Spooler | Automatic | Automatic | A | A | |
Protected Storage | Automatic | Automatic | A | A | Some things may cease to function properly if disabled. Among them: Saved passwords, ssl, s/mime |
QoS RSVP | Manual | Manual | D | D | |
Remote Access Auto Connection Manager | Manual | Manual | M | M | |
Remote Access Connection Manager | Manual | Manual | M | M | |
Remote Desktop Help Session Manager | Manual | Manual | D | D | |
Remote Procedure Call (RPC) | Automatic | Automatic | A | A | |
Remote Procedure Call (RPC) Locater | Manual | Manual | M | M | |
Remote Registry | Automatic | N/A | D | D | Security risk. |
Removable Storage | Manual | Manual | M | M | |
Routing and Remote Access | Disabled | Disabled | D | D | If this is stopped, "your computer will not be able to accept incoming RAS, VPN, or dial-on-demand connections, and routing protocols will not be received or transmitted." |
Secondary Logon | Automatic | Automatic | D | D | Disables the "run as" option. |
Security Accounts Manager | Automatic | Automatic | A | A | |
Security Center | Automatic | Automatic | A | D | Disables the XP Security Center. Up to you if you want this running or not. |
Server | Automatic | Automatic | D | D | You will no longer be able to share files or printers from your computer with this setting. (You can still access network shares though.) If you need to share a file temporarily, open services.msc and start it. |
Shell Hardware Detection | Automatic | Automatic | A | A | Basically disables "auto play" functionality for media files like pictures, mp3's, video. This can also effect the functionality of devices that plug-in to you computer that contain these types of files. |
Smart Card | Manual | Manual | D | D | |
SSDP Discovery Service | Manual | Manual | M | D | Permits discovery of UPnP devices on your home network. See "Universal Plug and Play Device Host" below |
System Event Notification | Automatic | Automatic | A | A | |
System Restore Service | Automatic | Automatic | A | D | DO NOT disable this if you don't use a 3rd party backup program! |
Task Scheduler | Automatic | Automatic | A | A | |
TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper | Automatic | Automatic | D | D | You may need this if you have an old OS using NetBIOS on your network. Do yourself a favor and upgrade to a modern OS. |
Telephony | Manual | Manual | M | M | Needed if you have a modem. I do not disable this because it causes entries in the error logs. If you don't care about this, disable it. |
Telnet | Disabled | N/A | D | D | Security risk. |
Terminal Services | Manual | Manual | D | D | Security risk. |
Themes | Automatic | Automatic | A | A | Makes XP Pretty. |
Uninterruptible Power Supply | Manual | Manual | M | D | Got UPS you need it. |
Universal Plug and Play Device Host | Manual | Manual | D | D | Security risk. If things you connect to outside of your machine stop working after you disable this, set it back to manual. |
Volume Shadow Copy | Manual | Manual | M | M | |
WebClient | Automatic | Automatic | D | D | MS says this is needed to access, create, modify documents on the Internet. I have yet to see any effect from disabling this. |
Windows Audio | Automatic | Automatic | A | A | |
Windows Firewall/Internet Connection Sharing (ICS)* | Automatic | Automatic | A* | A* | DO NOT Disable this if you don't use a 3rd party firewall or your machine is an ICS gateway. |
*Do you need this service running even if you aren't using the Windows Firewall or ICS? The truth is as of this writing, I don't know. I've tried both enabled and disabled. When this is disabled something is going on. I have the network icon in the notification area. When this service is disabled the icon will not show up unless I right-click on My Network Neighborhood. So clearly disabling it is affecting something. Having said that, there are no related errors in the logs and I've noticed no apparent effects in functionality. |
Windows Image Acquisition(WIA) | Manual | Manual | M | M | |
Windows Installer | Manual | Manual | M | M | |
Windows Management Instrumentation | Automatic | Automatic | A | A | |
Windows Management Instrumentation Driver Extensions | Manual | N/A | M | M | |
Windows Time | Automatic | Automatic | A | A | |
Wireless Zero Configuration | Automatic | Automatic | A | D | Keep this on Auto if you use wireless networking. |
WMI Performance Adapter | Manual | Manual | M | D | |
Workstation | Automatic | Automatic | A | A | |
