"Distributed Link Tracking Client" service and NTFS junction points

[bitoolean]

"Distributed Link Tracking Client" service and NTFS junction points

I understand that this Windows service has something to do with maintaining (keeping) links to files on a network pointing in the right direction. I'm currently disabling this Windows service, seeing as I most probably don't need it (I only run a simple home network using a router).

I hope this doesn't affect the junction-point functionality or the NTFS file system in any other way. I know that Windows 7 uses hard links extensively for example.

I'm pretty sure it's safe to disable in my case. I'm just looking for a confirmation / second opinion. Would disabling this service harm the Windows installation in any other way? I mean besides losing network links updating.

I'm posting in the "tweaking" area of the forum because this is what I'm trying to do. Disabling stuff in Windows for the sake of performance.

Please don't answer with a simple "it is not recommended to mess with system settings" or things like that, unless you can tell me what would go wrong precisely. I'm expecting answers, specifics. Thank you.

 

[LMiller7]

The issue is that nobody can tell you precisely what disabling this service will do. The reason being that Microsoft has never fully documented what each service does. Do not try to read to much into the name. Many services do more that is documented - anywhere. Nobody can tell you for certain that disabling this service will not have a negative impact on your system. Since the performance benefits from doing this are essentially zero I would leave it alone.

I have had bad experiences from disabling a service I thought was unnecessary - but was.

It appears that some AV products will not function properly if this service is disabled. There areprobbaly others.

 

[bitoolean]

LMiller7, you're right. It would be a little precarious to say "it's absolutely safe to disable that and that" so it was immature of me to expect a "confirmation". But I did specify I was expecting specifics, answers, so I still expect to hear from anyone who may have encountered issues. Thank you for taking the time to answer.

I will still leave the service disabled however, because I don't like futility and processes that have no business running. One less thread running on my system may not be much of a performance improvement, but I just feel better knowing what's happening inside my PC and that other threads will receive that CPU attention instead. I'll probably just answer my own question in time...

EDIT: Also, I don't use AV products. But I guess it's impossible to prove that something isn't possible so that may apply in this case partly as well.