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#1
Start task Manager (Processes and Services)
Is there a way to know which processes and services are not needed?
Start task Manager (Processes and Services)
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New #2
If you're refering to services created by the programs that you installed, you can run msconfig from the start menu search and check the services tab. Check the box "hide all microsoft services" and see which services are listed there, then pick your poison. Most of those are just services for notifying you of new versions (like for Java and Adobe Flash), so be careful which ones you disable. If there's something related to your hardware (like a service for the graphics card) you should just leave it alone.
Setting up this in msconfig will automatically effect the list of processes and services that are run automatically on system boot, so you can configure startup processes in msconfig as well and those settings will be remembered by the OS (the processes are located in the "startup" tab of msconfig)
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New #3
You need to be very careful when disabling system services. In other words unless you have a specific need, don't do it.
You will not find a document anywhere that lists all the functions of each service. Many do more than what the public documentation describes. Many an expert has done hours of troubleshooting as a result of disabling a service that was thought to be unneeded, but was.
The benefits of disabling services are very questionable. Unless your system is desperately short on memory they will be minimal at best.
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New #4
check out this page, you can click on a service name and it shows you a small description of the service (if any) and gives a bit of info on some services that can be safely turned off (better turned to manual to avoid screwing something up).
» Black Viper’s Windows 7 Service Pack 1 Service Configurations
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New #5
I'm pretty much in agreement with LMiller7 here, do not disable services unless you know exactly what they are used for and what purpose it serves. I've seen on many occasions, people disabling processes and services because they believe it will actually make some difference to their performance.
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New #6
The descriptions provided by Black Viper are limited and his advice far from infallible. As a member of this forum recently found out the hard way. A supposedly "safe" setting broke important functionality. Unfortunately I do not have a link.
Setting a services startup to Manual is not a safe alternative to disabling it. Such a service can be started by the system or an application if it is needed. But you cannot assume that this will actually occur. Except for services whose default state is Manual this generally will not happen.
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