Processes and Services

AutoPlay
How to disable autoplay:
 * run 'regedit'
 * browse to 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Cdrom\'
 * set 'AutoRun' to '0'

Bare-bones Windows XP
The following is a minimal list of processes for running a bare-bones Windows XP - you can use Process Explorer to kill processes:

System Idle Process  - what the machine does when it's bored System               - ? smss.exe           - Windows NT Session Manager csrss.exe        - Client Server Runtime Process (instant shutdown if killed!) winlogon.exe     - Windows NT Logon Application services.exe   - Services and Controller App svchost.exe  - Remote Procedure Call         (starts shutdown timer if killed) svchost.exe  - Audio, Exploring, DHCP, Hardware detection, etc.                         (can be killed but respawns in minimal version) svchost.exe  - Remote Registry, etc.                         (can be killed but respawns with only Remote Registry) svchost.exe  - DNS Client (can be killed but Active Directory networking doesn't work) lsass.exe      - LSA Shell (?) - could be some security stuff (instant shutdown if killed!)

A timed shutdown may be aborted using the command C:\>shutdown /a

Beyond Bare-bones
If you want to file the bones down, you can actually kill everything but the idle process and csrss.exe. You just have to do it in this order:


 * 1) Kill smss.exe, abort shutdown
 * 2) Kill winlogon.exe and all its children
 * 3) Remember not to kill Process Explorer, as you won't be able to start it again. :)

Services
You disable services for startup by using msconfig.

The following is a list of services needed to run a bare-bones Windows XP:

DCOM Server Process                 - essential DHCP Client                         - TCP/IP: if you use DHCP to get an IP DNS Client                           - TCP/IP: name resolution Event Log                           - needed by 'Windows Management Instrumentation' Net Logon                           - network: needed for SMB/CIFS Network Connections                 - network: needed to manage network connections Plug and Play                       - needed for connecting hardware Print Spooler                       - for printing Remote Procedure Call (RPC)         - essential Remote Procedure Call (RPC) Locator - essential Windows Audio                       - needed for sound Windows Management Instrumentation  - hardware management Wireless Zero Configuration         - network: needed for wireless networking Workstation                         - network: needed for SMB/CIFS

If you accidentally stop some needed services, just start Computer Management (run 'mmc') and enable them:

1. Run 'mmc' 2. Computer Management (local) |_ Services and Applications |_ Services 3. Double-click on service name and press 'start'