Windows 7: How to create a minimal system and turn off everything?

I would like to have one system (or user account) with highest possible security and performance. Only Firefox, Thunderbird and maybe a download manager communicating using the standard HTTP, FTP and POP/IMAP/SMTP ports should be allowed. Does someone know how I can achieve that, i.e. what services to disable, what programs to uninstall, etc.?

Best advice I can give you is to do it in a virtual machine with VMware or Virtual PC.

Main advantages are:
you would still have a fully operational system.
you can experiment with shutting down services.
If it goes wrong you chose not to apply to the virtual system and you're good.
If you encounter viruses you chose not to apply, reboot the virtual machine, and it's clean like a baby.

Just a thought.

Good luck

Thanks for your reply! I was thinking about that, too; however, I would like to restrict the usage for certain users, e.g. have a guest account which (even unexperienced) friends can safely use for using basic surfing etc. So I can't use a VM.. I thought of a combination of disabling services, restricted user account (e.g. restrict to certain folders) and some firewall rules (e.g. only allow Firefox etc. to communicate). However, I do not know how to set that up.

Guest account is already heavily restricted.

You could then use group policies to even further restrict it.

I wouldn't recommend disabling services and features, cause that will have adverse effects on your own useraccount.

Good luck

Read this website.... Follow the advice on the below page, start using the excellent security features built into windows and have a very secure system.


mechBgon's guide for first-time PC builders... Best practices for ongoing security