Recommended Service Settings for Windows XP -- Comprehensive List
Service	XP Home defaults	XP Pro defaults	Safe for most users	Recommended Settings
Alerter	Manual	Manual	Manual	Optional
Application Layer Gateway Service	Manual	Manual	Manual	Manual
Application Management	Manual	Manual	Manual	Manual
Automatic Updates	Automatic	Automatic	Automatic(3)	Optional
Background Intelligent Transfer Service	Manual	Manual	Manual	Optional
ClipBook	Manual	Manual	Manual	Optional
COM+ Event System	Manual	Manual	Manual	Optional
COM+ System Application	Manual	Manual	Manual	Optional
Computer Browser	Automatic	Automatic	Disabled	Disabled
Cryptographic Services	Automatic	Automatic	Automatic	Automatic
DHCP Client	Automatic	Automatic	Automatic	Automatic
Distributed Link Tracking Client	Automatic	Automatic	Manual	Manual
Distributed Transaction Coordinator	Manual	Manual	Manual	Manual
DNS Client	Automatic	Automatic	Automatic	Automatic
Error Reporting Service	Automatic	Automatic	Disabled	Disabled
Event Log	Automatic	Automatic	Automatic	Automatic
Fast User Switching Compatibility	Manual	Manual	Manual	Manual
Help and Support	Automatic	Automatic	Automatic	Automatic
Human Interface Device Access	Disabled	Disabled	Disabled(1)	Disabled
IMAPI CD-Burning COM Service	Manual	Manual	Automatic	Manual
Indexing Service	Manual	Manual	Disabled	Disabled
Internet Connection Firewall/Internet Connection Sharing(1)	Manual	Automatic	Automatic	Disabled if you use another firewall
IPSEC Services	Automatic	Automatic	Automatic	Automatic
Logical Disk Manager	Manual	Automatic	Manual	Manual
Logical Disk Manager Administrative Service	Manual	Manual	Manual	Manual
Messenger	Automatic	Automatic	Disabled	Disabled
MS Software Shadow Copy Provider	Manual	Manual	Manual	Manual
Net Login	Manual	Automatic	Manual	Manual
NetMeeting Remote Desktop Sharing	Manual	Manual	Disabled(1)	Disabled
Network Connections	Manual	Manual	Manual	Manual
Network DDE	Manual	Manual	Manual	Manual
Network DDE DSDM	Manual	Manual	Manual	Manual
Network Location Awareness (NLA)	Manual	Manual	Manual	Manual
Performance Logs and Alerts	Manual	Manual	Manual	Manual
Plug and Play	Automatic	Automatic	Automatic	Automatic
Portable Media Serial Number	Automatic	Automatic	Manual	Manual
Print Spooler	Automatic	Automatic	Automatic	Automatic
Protected Storage	Automatic	Automatic	Automatic	Automatic
QoS RSVP	Manual	Manual	Disabled	Disabled
Remote Access Auto Connection Manager	Manual	Manual	Manual	Manual
Remote Access Connection Manager	Manual	Manual	Manual	Manual
Remote Desktop Help Session Manager	Manual	Manual	Disabled(1)	Disabled
Remote Procedure Call (RPC)	Warning: Do not disable this service under any circumstances. You will not be able to start your computer again if you do.
Remote Procedure Call (RPC) Locator	Manual	Manual	Manual	Manual
Remote Registry Service	Not Available	Automatic	Disabled(1)	Not Available
Removable Storage	Manual	Manual	Manual	Manual
Routing and Remote Access	Disabled	Manual	Disabled	Disabled
Secondary Logon	Automatic	Automatic	Disabled(1)	Automatic(2)
Security Accounts Manager	Automatic	Automatic	Automatic	Manual
Server	Automatic	Automatic	Disabled(1)	Disabled
Shell Hardware Detection	Automatic	Automatic	Automatic	Automatic
Smart Card	Manual	Manual	Manual	Manual
Smart Card Helper	Manual	Manual	Manual	Manual
SSDP Discovery Service	Manual	Manual	Disabled(1)	Disabled
System Event Notification	Automatic	Automatic	Automatic	Automatic
System Restore Service	Automatic	Automatic	Automatic	Automatic
Task Scheduler	Automatic	Automatic	Automatic	Disabled
TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper Service	Automatic	Automatic	Disabled(1)	Disabled
Telephony	Manual	Manual	Manual	Manual
Telnet	Not Available	Manual	Disabled	Not Available
Terminal Services	Manual	Manual	Manual	Disabled
Themes	Automatic	Automatic	Automatic	Automatic
Uninterruptible Power Supply	Manual	Manual	Manual	Manual
Universal Plug and Play Device Host	Manual	Manual	Disabled(1)	Disabled
Upload Manager	Automatic	Automatic	Automatic	Automatic
Volume Shadow Copy	Manual	Manual	Manual	Manual
WebClient	Automatic	Automatic	Automatic	Automatic
Windows Audio	Automatic	Automatic	Automatic	Automatic
Windows Image Acquisition (WIA)	Manual	Manual	Manual	Manual
Windows Installer	Manual	Manual	Manual	Manual
Windows Management Instrumentation	Automatic	Automatic	Automatic	Automatic
Windows Management Instrumentation Driver Extension	Not Available	Manual	Manual	Not Available
Windows Time	Automatic	Automatic	Disabled	Disabled
Wireless Zero Configuration	Automatic	Automatic	Disabled(1)	Disabled
WMI Performance Adapter	Manual	Manual	Manual	Manual
Workstation	Automatic	Automatic	Automatic	Automatic

(1) If you're using these services, set this item to the default value.

(2) Use "Automatic" if you normally run from a "Limited" account rather than as an "Administrator". You will want to have administrative access just by entering the administrative password rather than logging off the limited account and on to the admisistrator account. Security is maintained by the policy of not running directly as an administrator.

(3) If you set Windows Update for manual updating only, you can set this service to "Manual"and it will only start when you actually check for updates.

"Always disable the Indexing service. This service is the equivalent of the hated 'Find Fast' program installed by previous editions of Microsoft Office. It consumes incredible amounts of system resources and is basically useless." -- unknown