Optimize system services in Windows 2000 Server

by Jim Boyce | Jul 10, 2006 7:00:00 AM

Tags: Servers, server, Jim Boyce, Microsoft Windows 2000, Microsoft Windows 2000 Server, Microsoft Windows, Windows 2000 Server Tips Newsletter

Takeaway: Too many Windows 2000 Server services to handle? You're free to disable them—but know what you're turning off before you start. Jim Boyce explains how to tell the critical apps from the noncritical ones.

Windows 2000 Server includes a lot of system services. In most cases, you don't need them all, and you could free some additional memory by disabling unneeded services. While disabling services is easy (you just click some buttons), disabling the wrong service could mean disaster.

To locate services you don't need, just open the Services console from the Administrative Tools folder and look at the Description column. Or you can double-click a service and look at the Description box.

Once you find out what a service does, you can disable it. By selecting Disabled on the Startup type drop-down list, you're telling the operating system not to start this service on the next reboot. If you want to stop the service now, click Stop.

Most administrators will still need help because the service descriptions are very short and often unhelpful. Microsoft offers a more extensive list of all services, with longer descriptions, on the Windows 2000 Web site.

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Disapointed rasilon | 07/11/06

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Book on Services rjwiderman | 07/12/06

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