Question, which one is better?

So I have a question which I am hoping to see what most people say about this. My overall question;

1. - is it better to turn off services in the services area or is it better to do it through gpedit.msc?

2. - is there a huge difference?

I got to thinking (watch out everyone) about this because in the past I was so use to just turning off services. I have little time within the gpedit area and I got to poking around one day and thought about this. Example, in gpedit.msc there is Windows Mail or Windows Calendar or Windows Defender, etc. Windows Defender for instance I would just normally turn the service off because of a third party software I would install. But I stumbled across gpedit.msc and saw it in there as well. Would it be better to leave the service alone and then in gpedit.msc disabled Defender off in there?

I even see Windows Mail which I do not use. Turn it off or go and look for a service.

Is there is a difference, does one have a bigger affect on the operating system than the other, maybe the operating system prefers gpedit.msc route or shut down the service and watch the system get grumpy. Just not sure, but wondering.

Thanks

Hi AP4,
in my humble opion id go via the services route, its easier to find and its less likely to upset the OS.
where as if you bork the Group policy you have to start thinking about it more.

Roy

Each has different purposes.
The services screen controls wheter or not each service runs, when and how does it start and under what permissions. Basically, it defines which programs run and what don't even load.
Group policy defines parameters and configurations for different Windows components, much like a privileged configuration screen. It doesn't control services at all, but some settings can affect what some services do. But don't defines if services run at all.

I don't get the part about the Windows Mail and Calendar. They're not services at all, just normal programs that run under the normal desktop, nothing in background.

ThrashZone said:

Hi,
Group policy would effect all users on this machine.

Services too!
Neither of them are tied to a particular user really. They both are system-wide.

Thanks everyone. For years I have been using services to do my settings, but saw the group policy area and just wondered.

@roy -like the name and icon. Thanks for the opinion
@Alejandro85 - awesome and clear explanation.
@ThrashZone - thanks for the input

Thank you everyone for your time. I'll stick to my old ways; services it is.

@RolandJS - that's the truth. Images to the rescue!!!

Thanks