gHacks Technology News | Latest Tech News, Software And Tutorials » disabling services http://www.ghacks.net A technology news blog covering software, mobile phones, gadgets, security, the Internet and other relevant areas. Sat, 11 Feb 2012 21:54:04 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Harden XP by disabling serviceshttp://www.ghacks.net/2007/02/14/harden-xp-by-disabling-services/ http://www.ghacks.net/2007/02/14/harden-xp-by-disabling-services/#comments Wed, 14 Feb 2007 09:38:28 +0000 Martin Brinkmann http://www.ghacks.net/2007/02/14/harden-xp-by-disabling-services/ I never thought that a lot of users would still run Windows XP with the default service configuration but reality proofed me wrong once again. The default settings want to make sure that the majority of Windows users can use Windows XP without having to think about services that they would have to enable. This is great for compatibility issues but bad for the overall security of your operating system.

It is possible to increase the security of your system by disabling certain services that you will never use. Why would you for instance use remote services if those are not needed on your system. A rule of thumb could be to disable as many services as possible as long as this does not mean that you can’t use functions or programs in Windows XP that you do need.

Hit Windows + R and type services.msc to view the services configuration window. Services do have one of three possible start up types – they are either started automatically, manually or disabled. The difference between automatic and manual is that services that are set to automatic are started when Windows starts. Manual services are only started when they are needed.

It would be good to backup your system before you make any changes to the services, make sure you have a backup at hand or at at least system restore. If you want to be on the safe side right-click a service before you disable it and select Properties. Take a look at the Dependencies before you disable it, some services (that you might need) rely on others to function.

Disabled services list: (for a one user system)

  1. Alerter
  2. Application Layer Gateway
  3. Automatic Updates
  4. Background Intelligent Transfer Service
  5. Clipbook
  6. Computer Browser
  7. Distributed Link Tracking Client
  8. Distributed Transaction Coordinator
  9. Error Reporting Service
  10. Event Log
  11. Fast User Switching Compatibility
  12. IMAPI CD-Burning Com Service
  13. ET.TCP Port Sharing Service
  14. Messenger
  15. Network DDE
  16. Network DDE DSDM
  17. QoS RSVP
  18. Remote Desktop Help Session Manager
  19. Remote Procedure Call Locator
  20. Remote Registry Service
  21. Routing and Remote Access
  22. SecondaryLogon
  23. Security Accounts Manager
  24. Server
  25. Shell Hardware Detection
  26. SSDP Discovery Service
  27. TCP/IP Netbios Helper
  28. Telnet
  29. Terminal Services
  30. Themes
  31. Web Client
  32. Windows Firewall / Internet Connection Sharing
  33. Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service
  34. Windows Time
  35. Wireless Zero Configuration
  36. WMI Performance Adapter

Manual Services:

  1. Application Management
  2. DNS Client
  3. HID Input Service
  4. HTTP SSL
  5. Install Driver Table Manager
  6. iPod Service
  7. IPSEC Services
  8. Logical Disk Manager
  9. Logical Disk Manager Administrative Service
  10. MS Software Shadow Copy Provider
  11. NB Service
  12. Net Logon
  13. Network Connections
  14. Network Location Awareness
  15. Network Provisioning Service
  16. Performance Logs and Alerts
  17. Protected Storage
  18. Remote Access Auto Connection Manager
  19. Remote Access Connection Manager
  20. Removable Storage
  21. Telephony
  22. Uninteruptable Power Supply
  23. Universal Plug and Play Device Host
  24. Volume Shadow Copy
  25. Windows Card Space
  26. Windows Installer
  27. Windows Management Instrumentation Driver Extensions
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