TweakHound - Vista Services Guide

Name

Default Startup Type

Needed For ?

Application Experience

Automatic

Enables 3rd party apps to run / run correctly in Vista.

Application Information

Manual

"Run as" admin

Application Layer Gateway Service

Manual

ICS

Application Management

Manual

Corporate

Background Intelligent Transfer Service

Automatic (Delayed Start)

Windows Update

Base Filtering Engine

Automatic

Firewall, ICS, others

Block Level Backup Engine Service

Manual

Used for Complete PC Backup and Restore but not any other Vista backup programs.

Certificate Propagation

Manual

Smart Cards

CNG Key Isolation

Manual

Encryption

COM+ Event System

Automatic

lots of essential services

COM+ System Application

Manual

see above

Computer Browser

Automatic

keeps a list of active computers on your net, it is not needed for browsing the net but can make it snappier.

Cryptographic Services

Automatic

lots of essential services

DCOM Server Process Launcher

Automatic

lots of essential services

Desktop Window Manager Session Manager

Automatic

Aero theme

DFS Replication

Manual

Corporate

DHCP Client

Automatic

Internet, Network

Diagnostic Policy Service

Automatic

Problem solving

Diagnostic Service Host

Manual

Problem solving

Diagnostic System Host

Manual

Problem solving

Distributed Link Tracking Client

Automatic

Corporate (usually)

Distributed Transaction Coordinator

Manual

Corporate

DNS Client

Automatic

Internet, Network

Extensible Authentication Protocol

Manual

WiFi, VPN's

Fax

Manual

Faxing

Function Discovery Provider Host

Manual

External networked devices

Function Discovery Resource Publication

Automatic

others can see what you got (see above)

Group Policy Client

Automatic

lots of essential services

Health Key and Certificate Management

Manual

Encryption

Human Interface Device Access

Manual

some keyboards, remotes (leave as is)

IKE and AuthIP IPsec Keying Modules

Automatic

Corporate

Interactive Services Detection

Manual

answer system event pop-ups

Internet Connection Sharing (ICS)

Disabled

just buy a router already

IP Helper

Automatic

IPv6

IPsec Policy Agent

Automatic

Corporate

KtmRm for Distributed Transaction Coordinator

Automatic (Delayed Start)

databases

Link-Layer Topology Discovery Mapper

Manual

pretty little network map

Microsoft .NET Framework NGEN v2.0.50727_X86

Manual

.Net

Microsoft iSCSI Initiator Service

Manual

Corporate

Microsoft Software Shadow Copy Provider

Manual

backups

Multimedia Class Scheduler

Automatic

allows multimedia apps to snag more resources

Net.Tcp Port Sharing Service

Disabled

allows .net apps to share ports

Netlogon

Manual

Corporate

Network Access Protection Agent

Manual

Corporate

Network Connections

Manual

Internet, Network

Network List Service

Automatic

Internet, Network

Network Location Awareness

Automatic

Internet, Network

Network Store Interface Service

Automatic

Internet, Network

Offline Files

Automatic

Corporate (usually)

Parental Controls

Manual

Keeping the rug rats away from bad things

Peer Name Resolution Protocol

Manual

Corporate

Peer Networking Grouping

Manual

Corporate

Peer Networking Identity Manager

Manual

Corporate

Performance Logs & Alerts

Manual

perfmon

Plug and Play

Automatic

what it says

PnP-X IP Bus Enumerator

Manual

External networked devices

PNRP Machine Name Publication Service

Manual

Corporate

Portable Device Enumerator Service

Automatic

restricts use of things like ipods

Print Spooler

Automatic

Printing

Problem Reports and Solutions Control Panel Support

Manual

lookup what went wrong

Program Compatibility Assistant Service

Automatic

"compatibility mode"

Protected Storage

Manual

saved passwords

Quality Windows Audio Video Experience

Manual

QOS for home networks

ReadyBoost

Automatic

speeds caching

you'll need yet more hardware

Remote Access Auto Connection Manager

Manual

allows apps to connect to the net

Remote Access Connection Manager

Manual

Internet, Network

Remote Procedure Call (RPC)

Automatic

lots of essential services

Remote Procedure Call (RPC) Locator

Manual

Corporate

Remote Registry

Manual

huge security risk

Routing and Remote Access

Disabled

Corporate

Secondary Logon

Automatic

allows "Run as" admin

Security Accounts Manager

Automatic

stores passwords, GPE settings, etc

Security Center

Automatic (Delayed Start)

Protects noobs from themselves

Server

Automatic

Alows sharing of files

Shell Hardware Detection

Automatic

Autoplay

SL UI Notification Service

Manual

MS anti-piracy garbage

Smart Card

Manual

what it says

Smart Card Removal Policy

Manual

allows computer to be locked on card removal

SNMP Trap

Manual

Corporate (usually)

Software Licensing

Automatic

MS anti-piracy garbage

SSDP Discovery

Manual

allows discovery of UPnP devices,

security risk

Superfetch

Automatic

monitors and preloads the stuff you use the most making your overall computing faster

System Event Notification Service

Automatic

tracks system events and notifies apps of them

Tablet PC Input Service

Automatic

"pen and ink" functionality

Task Scheduler

Automatic

what it says

TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper

Automatic

TCP/IP NetBIOS is a networking protocol. The default for Windows peer-to-peer networks is to use this protocol for sharing. However it is possible (and recommended for the security minded) to disable this service and still have sharing on your network). This requires a little extra configuration on your part.

See Petri & Microsoft

For those who use Linux and Samba, disabling this may cause problems.

Telephony

Manual

Are you still using a modem?

Terminal Services

Automatic

This is said to be a security risk.

Allows you to connect to another machine as if it were your own.

Remote Desktop, and Windows Media Extender require this.

Terminal Services Configuration

Manual

see above

Terminal Services UserMode Port Redirector

Manual

see above, above :-)

Themes

Automatic

Gives your desktop the pretty colors

Thread Ordering Server

Manual

allows multi-threaded apps to do their thing

TPM Base Services

Manual

part of Vista's security, required for BitLocker

UPnP Device Host

Automatic

Said to be a security risk.

Allows networking with devices that also use UPnP. Routers, some media players, X-box?

User Profile Service

Automatic

Loads your profile, some settings unique to you are there.

Virtual Disk

Manual

Got RAID? (other disk management too)

Volume Shadow Copy

Manual

backups

WebClient

Automatic

Connect to a WebDAV directory by adding the directory to the list of Network Places and display the contents as if it were part of the same file system on your local computer. (source)

Windows Audio

Automatic

what it says

Windows Audio Endpoint Builder

Automatic

see above

Windows Backup

Manual

what it says

Windows CardSpace

Manual

Support for digital ID (source)

Windows Color System

Manual

makes your colors look like they're supposed to (source)

Windows Connect Now - Config Registrar

Manual

this is a new one to me, see here

Windows Defender

Automatic

anti-spyware

Windows Driver Foundation - User-mode Driver Framework

Manual

allows your hardware to run correctly

Windows Error Reporting Service

Automatic

Allows MS to know they ruined your day, not that they care.

real answer - reports errors to MS so, in theory they can find a fix. You on their payroll? I ain't.

Windows Event Collector

Manual

Can put errors for elsewhere in your event logs.

Windows Event Log

Automatic

Manages your event logs, Task Scheduler needs this.

Windows Firewall

Automatic

what it says

Windows Image Acquisition (WIA)

Manual

gets pics from scanners and cameras

Windows Installer

Manual

what it says

Windows Management Instrumentation

Automatic

lots of essential services

Windows Media Center Extender Service

Disabled

Got one, need it

Windows Media Center Receiver Service

Manual

TV and radio

Windows Media Center Scheduler Service

Manual

record TV

Windows Media Center Service Launcher

Automatic (Delayed Start)

starts the above 2 if you got a TV card

Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service

Manual

for playing your music / videos on other PC's, see the sharing section in WMP options

Windows Modules Installer

Manual

"Enables installation, modification, and removal of Windows updates and optional components"

Windows Presentation Foundation Font Cache 3.0.0.0

Manual

caches fonts for .Net 3.0 apps

Windows Remote Management (WS-Management)

Manual

Corporate

(should be safe to disable for the security minded)

Windows Search

Automatic

Resource hogging, annoying little...

ahem, the old Indexing service on steroids. Learn to organize your data and ditch this thing.

Windows Time

Automatic

Keeps your computers time correct

Windows Update

Automatic (Delayed Start)

what it says

WinHTTP Web Proxy Auto-Discovery Service

Manual

Corporate

Wired AutoConfig

Manual

Corporate (usually)

802.1X authentication

WLAN AutoConfig

Manual

allows Windows to detect the available wireless networks and automatically connect to the most preferred wireless network (source)

WMI Performance Adapter

Manual

collects performance data

Workstation

Automatic

lots of networking services