Windows+XP+Services

Windows XP Services Below is the explanations of XP Services and what happens if you turn them off. The wording is not mine but standard issue, except for small modifications, perhaps after reading you will have a better comprehension of the functions.

Alerter: Notifies selected users and computers of administrative alerts. If the service is stopped, programs that use administrative alerts will not receive them. * Plus Verbiage 1. ( See end of document ) Application Layer Gateway Service: Provides support for third party protocol plug-ins for Internet Connection Sharing and the Internet Connection Firewall. Application Management: Provides software installation services, such as Assign, Publish and Remove. Automatic Updates: Enables the download and installation of critical Windows updates. If the service is disabled, the operating system can be manually updated at the Windows Update Web site. Background Intelligent Transfer Service: Uses idle network bandwidth to transfer data. ClipBook: Enables ClipBook Viewer to store information and share it with remote computers. If the service is stopped, ClipBook Viewer will not be able to share information with remote computers. Plus Verbiage 1.. COM+ Event System: Supports System Event Notification Service (SENS), which provides automatic distribution of events to subscribing Component Object Model (COM) components. If the service is stopped, SENS will close and will not be able to provide log on and log off notifications. Plus Verbiage 1.. COM+ System Application: Manages the configuration and tracking of Component Object Model (COM)+ based components. If the service is stopped, most COM+ based components will not function properly. Plus Verbiage 1.. Computer Browser: Maintains an updated list of computers on the network and supplies this list to computers designated as browsers. If this service is stopped, this list will not be updated or maintained. Plus Verbiage 1.. Cryptographic Services: Provides three management services: Catalog Database Service, which confirms the signatures of Windows files; Protected Root Service, which adds and removes Trusted Root Certification Authority certificates from the computer and Key Service, which helps enroll this computer for certificates. If this service is stopped, these management services will not function properly. Plus Verbiage 1.. DHCP Client: Manages network configuration by registering and updating IP addresses and DNS names. Distributed Link Tracking Client: This maintains links between NTFS files within a computer, or across computers in a network domain. Distributed Transaction Coordinator: This function coordinates transactions that span multiple resource managers, such as databases, message queues and file systems. If this service is stopped, these transactions will not occur. Plus Verbiage 1.. DNS Client: Resolves and caches Domain Name System (DNS) names for the computer. If this service is stopped, this computer will not be able to resolve DNS names and locate Active Directory domain controllers. Plus Verbiage 1.. Error Reporting Service: Allows error reporting for services and applications running in non-standard environments. Event Log: Enables event log messages issued by Windows based programs and components to be viewed in Event Viewer. This service cannot be stopped. Fast User Switching Compatibility: Provides management for applications that require assistance in a multiple user environment. Help and Support: Enables Help and Support Center to run on the computer. If this service is stopped, the Help and Support Center will be unavailable. Plus Verbiage 1.. Human Interface Device Access: Enables generic input access to Human Interface Devices (HID), which activates and maintains the use of predefined hot buttons on keyboards, remote controls and other multimedia devices. If this service is stopped, hot buttons controlled by this service will no longer function. Plus Verbiage 1..

IMAPI CD Burning COM Service: Manages CD recordings using Image Mastering Applications Programming Interface (IMAPI). If this service is stopped, this computer will be unable to record CDs. Plus Verbiage 1.. Indexing Service: Indexes contents and properties of files on local, and remote computers , and provides rapid access to files through flexible querying language. Interactive Logon: Allows the Super Fast User Switcher to log in a user. Internet Connection Firewall (ICF)/Internet Connection Sharing (ICS): Provides network address translation, addressing, name resolution and/or intrusion prevention services for a home or small office network. IPSEC Services: Manages IP security policy and starts the ISAKMP/Oakley (IKE) and the IP security driver. Logical Disk Manager: Detects and monitors new hard disk drives and sends disk volume information to the Logical Disk Manager Administrative Service for configuration. If this service is stopped, dynamic disk status and configuration information may become out of date. Plus Verbiage 1.. Logical Disk Manager Administrative Service: Configures hard disk drives and volumes. The service only runs for configuration processes and then stops. Messenger: Transmits net send and Alerter service messages, between clients and servers. This service is not related to Windows Messenger. If this service is stopped, Alerter messages will not be transmitted. Plus Verbiage 1.. MS Software Shadow Copy Provider: Manages software based volume shadow copies taken by the Volume Shadow Copy service. If this service is stopped, software based volume shadow copies cannot be managed. Plus Verbiage 1.. Net Logon: Supports pass through authentication of account log on events for computers in a domain.

NetMeeting Remote Desktop Sharing: Enables an authorized user to access this computer remotely by using NetMeeting over a corporate Intranet. If this service is stopped, remote desktop sharing will be unavailable. Plus Verbiage 1.. Network Connections: Manages objects in the Network and Dial-Up Connections folder, in which you can view both local area network and remote connections. Network DDE: Provides network transport and security for Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) for programs running on the same computer or on different computers. If this service is stopped, DDE transport and security will be unavailable. Plus Verbiage 1.. Network DDE DSDM: Manages Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) network shares. If this service is stopped, DDE network shares will be unavailable. Plus Verbiage 1.. Network Location Awareness (NLA): Collects and stores network configuration and location information, and notifies applications when this information changes. NT LM Security Support Provider: Provides security to remote procedure call (RPC) programs that use transports other than named pipes. Performance Logs and Alerts: Collects performance data from local or remote computers based on preconfigured schedule parameters, then writes the data to a log or triggers an alert. If this service is stopped, performance information will not be collected. Plus Verbiage 1.. Plug and Play: Enables a computer to recognize and adapt to hardware changes with little or no user input. Stopping or disabling this service will result in system instability. Portable Media Serial Number: Retrieves the serial number of any portable music player connected to your computer. Print Spooler: Loads files to memory for later printing. Protected Storage: Provides protected storage for sensitive data, such as private keys, to prevent access by unauthorized services, processes or users. QoS RSVP: Provides network signaling and local traffic control set up functionality for QoS aware programs and control applets. Remote Access Auto Connection Manager: Creates a connection to a remote network whenever a program references a remote DNS or NetBIOS name or address.

Remote Access Connection Manager: Creates a network connection.

Remote Desktop Help Session Manager: Manages and controls Remote Assistance. If this service is stopped, Remote Assistance will be unavailable. You should before stopping this service, see the Dependencies tab of the Properties dialogue box. Remote Procedure Call (RPC): Provides the endpoint mapper, and other miscellaneous RPC services. Remote Procedure Call (RPC) Locator: Manages the RPC name service database. Remote Registry: Enables remote users to modify registry settings on the computer. If this service is stopped, the registry can be modified only by users on the computer. Plus Verbiage 1.. Removable Storage: Manages, well, removable storage. Routing and Remote Access: Offers routing services to businesses in local area and wide area network environments. Secondary Logon: Enables starting processes under alternate credentials. If this service is stopped, this type of log on access will be unavailable. Plus Verbiage 1.. Security Accounts Manager: Stores security information for local user accounts. Server: Supports file, print and named-pipe sharing over the network for the computer. If this service is stopped, these functions will be unavailable. Plus Verbiage 1.. Shell Hardware Detection: This manages auto play of some devices. Smart Card: Manages access to smart cards read by the computer. If this service is stopped, the computer will be unable to read smart cards. Plus Verbiage 1.. Smart Card Helper: Enables support for legacy non-plug and play smart card readers used by the computer. If this service is stopped, the computer will not support the legacy reader. Plus Verbiage 1.. SSDP Discovery Service: Enables discovery of UPnP devices on your home network. System Event Notification: Tracks system events, such as the Windows log on, network, and power events. Notifies COM+ Event System subscribers of these events. System Restore Service: Performs system restore functions. To stop service, turn off System Restore from the System Restore tab under My Computer, Properties. But why would you wish to turn it off ? Task Scheduler: Enables a user to configure and schedule automated tasks on the computer. If this service is stopped, these tasks will not be run at their scheduled times. Plus Verbiage 1.. TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper: Enables support for NetBIOS over TCP/IP (NetBT) service and NetBIOS name resolution. Telephony: Provides Telephony API (TAPI) support for programs that control telephony devices and IP based voice connections on the local computer and, through the LAN, on servers that are also running the service. Terminal Services: Allows more than one users to be connected interactively to a machine, as well as, the display of desktops and applications to remote computers. The underpinning of Remote Desktop (including RD for administrators), Fast User Switching, Remote Assistance, and Terminal Server. Themes: Allows user experience theme management. Uninterruptible Power Supply: Manages an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) connected to the computer. Universal Plug and Play Device Host: Provides support to host Universal Plug and Play devices.

Upload Manager: Manages synchronous and asynchronous file transfers between clients and servers on the network. If this service is stopped, synchronous and asynchronous file transfers between clients and servers on the network will not occur. Plus Verbiage 1.. Volume Shadow Copy: Manages and implements Volume Shadow Copies used for backup and other purposes. If this service is stopped, shadow copies will be unavailable for backup and the backup may fail. Plus Verbiage 1.. WebClient: Enables Windows based programs to create, access and modify Internet based files. If this service is stopped, these functions will not be available. Plus Verbiage 1.. Windows Audio: Manages audio devices for Windows based programs. If this service is stopped, audio devices and effects will not function properly. Plus Verbiage 1.. Windows Image Acquisition (WIA): Provides image acquisition services for scanners and cameras. Windows Installer: Installs, repairs, and removes software according to instructions contained in .MSI files. Windows Management Instrumentation: Provides a common interface and object model to access management information about the operating system, devices, applications and services. If this service is stopped, most Windows based software will not function properly. Plus Verbiage 1.. Windows Management Instrumentation Driver Extensions: Provides systems management information to and from drivers. Windows Time: Maintains date and time synchronization on all clients and servers in the network. If this service is stopped, date and time synchronization will be unavailable. Plus Verbiage 1.. Wireless Zero Configuration: Provides automatic configuration for the 802.11 adapters. WMI Performance Adapter: Provides performance library information from WMI HiPerf providers. Workstation: Creates and maintains client network connections to remote servers. If this service is stopped, these connections will be unavailable. Plus Verbiage 1..

Verbiage 1.. If this service is disabled, any services that explicitly depend on it will fail to start. 