smart way to manage services in windows 7

You can make a script to modify the startup type see How can I configure a services start-up type from the command line? | Systems Management content from Windows IT Pro

You only configure it once... so what's the problem? It doesn't take a lot of time to configure using GUI as well.

» Black Viper?s Windows 7 Service Pack 1 Service Configurations

Services Information : Additional information about all services that came with Windows 7.
Super Tweaks : What I do directly after the installation of Windows 7.
Windows 7 (SP1)

• Custom Services Registry File Tool : A method to apply service settings directly to the registry.
• Registry Files : My “one click” solution to services.
• Services Information : Additional information about all services that came with Windows 7.
• Services Configuration: My background services configuration examples:
  
  • Default
  • “Safe”
  • Tweaked
  • Bare-Bones

Windows 7 (Retail)

• Custom Services Registry File Tool : A method to apply service settings directly to the registry.
• Registry Files : My “one click” solution to services.
• Services Information : Additional information about all services that came with Windows 7.
• Services Configuration: My background services configuration examples:
  
  • Default
  • “Safe”
  • Tweaked
  • Bare-Bones

Hi. Well some programs install will install a service that sometimes won't be removed when you uninstall that program. My usual method is to check to see if such a service exists then stop or disable it before uninstalling the program. Occasionally I've had to delete a (non-windows) service manually.

I think that what the forum members with more experience are saying is that you shouldn't mess around with services that are installed as part of windows and if you do mess around with them you should create a system image backup first. I personally tried Black Viper's services tweaks and it did indeed lead to problems. I still disable some services or set them to manual start but in general they should be left alone unless you know exactly why you want to change their start up type.

A couple of examples: Superfetch is disabled because I use a Ramdisk with user temp and system temp files configured to use the Ramdisk. DNS Client Service is disabled because I use a pretty large HOSTS file. These services just shouldn't be disabled on a standard setup machine.

Anyway as it's been mentioned an easy way to apply only safe services tweaks is to use the portable version of:

http://www.synei.com/items/products/service-manager

Be warned that applying anything other than the safe tweaks could lead to problems.

You are wasting your time. Disabling services that do nothing do not slow down the system. However, I would control the startups and allow only those services that you need - ususally the AV program and those that you put yourself into the startups.

I would suggest to leave Windows 7 Services alone. The key words (Windows 7). You don't need or want to do the kinds of things that we use to do in XP.
If by chance you would want to know the default settings look at this Tutorial.

By Brink:

Services - Restore Default Services in Windows 7