How to enable or disable Windows components and other operations on them. Turn Windows features on or off

Although Windows is not a pure system in terms of modularity, it is not a microkernel OS with modules loaded on demand - it is nevertheless a hodgepodge of a huge number of components. The glue for all this diversity is the notorious COM technology, which replaced the DDE communication channels from the first versions of Windows. Obviously, there must be some simple way to manage all this "zoo". An interface for performing at least the following simple operations:

• Access the inventory of components.
• Install these items.
• Start them and stop them if they are running (turn Windows 7 features on and off).
• Remove them from the system.

We have described the ideal case. As for the specific implementation of the interface in Windows in general and in Windows 7 in particular, we will deal with this later in the course of the presentation. Proper management of system modules, their correct configuration will free up additional RAM, disk space and offload computer resources for more efficient use.

Therefore, this topic concerns everyone. And in particular - the owners of not very powerful computers and relatively cheap tablets. Such cars need more careful maintenance than their more powerful brothers. By removing or stopping some components of Windows 7, you will make them run faster.

Description of system modules

To open a window with a list of installed applications and other OS services, you can do different things. For example, go to the "Control Panel" and open a window from there. But there is an easier way to do this. We act like this:

From this window, you can enable or disable Windows 7 features.

How to work with the interface?

In fact, everything is very simple: it is easy to see that on the left, next to each entry in the list of the components window, there is a switch with a “tick”.

The state of the checkbox signals the state of the component itself. If the checkbox is checked, then the service is installed and active, if there is no checkmark, then the service is disabled.

What kind of services do you really need for work and play? All the rest consume the resources of your computer without any benefit to you - you can easily turn them off.

What components can be disabled in Windows? Some components cannot be disabled at all - the system itself needs them. When trying to disable others, a warning message may be issued (this is how the Internet Explorer-a service behaves):

Still others, after being deactivated, may require you to restart your computer. You can enable a disabled service in exactly the same way: to do this, you need to restore the checkbox next to the component name, after which you may need to reboot. Now you know a thing or two about Programs and Features in Windows 7.

The Programs and Features section of the Control Panel, in addition to uninstalling programs, provides another opportunity to speed up your computer. We are talking about disabling unused components of the operating system.

At the same time, please note that in the Windows 7 and Windows 8 operating systems, components are not completely removed from the computer, but only stop work, which allows you to free up computer resources. At the same time, the Windows XP operating system assumes the removal of components from the disk and thus helps not only to free up processor resources and RAM, but also to increase the amount of free disk space.

When disabling certain components, be careful not to accidentally disable something you need. If you are not sure whether to disable a particular component, it is better to leave everything as it is.

To disable components on Windows 7 and Windows 8 operating systems, run Control Panel, and then click the icon Programs and Features. In the window that opens, click on the link Turn Windows features on or off.

In the Windows Components window that appears, you can enable or disable system components by checking or unchecking the appropriate boxes. Next to some components there is a + icon, by clicking on which it is easy to open a list of components included in this group. These components can also be disabled if necessary.

The following components can be disabled without compromising system performance:

• Internet Explorer (if you do not use this browser, then you can safely disable it);
• Telnet server;
• Windows Search (if you do not use the built-in Windows search, you can easily disable this component as well);
• Telnet client;
• TFTP client;
• Tablet PC component;
• Windows Gadget Platform;
• Unix Application Subsystem;
• Microsoft Message Queuing Server;
• Windows Activation Service;
• indexing service;
• Print and document service (disable if a printer is not connected to the computer or is not used).

After clearing the desired checkboxes, click the OK button. The system will take some time to disable the components, after which you will see a dialog on the screen prompting you to restart the computer. Click the Restart Now button and wait for the reboot. The computer is ready to go.

Disabling Features in Windows XP

Components are disabled a little differently in the Windows XP operating system. To disable the components of this system, select the following menu items in sequence: Start>>Control Panel>>The installing and deleting of programms. In the window that opens, click the button Installing Windows Components.

The Windows Components Wizard window opens. Here, by unchecking and checking the boxes, you can disable and enable the corresponding components. Some components are composite. If you click on such components with the mouse button, the button will become active. Composition. By clicking this button, you can see what parts this or that component consists of. And accordingly, disable these parts.

So, if you select a component Standard and Utilities and then click the button Composition, a window will open Standard Utilities, which will display the elements included in this component. These elements, in turn, are also composite. For example, in the element Games includes several standard Windows games.

Without consequences, you can disable the following elements of the Windows XP operating system.

• Internet Explorer. If you use alternative browsers, then this component can be disabled.
• Internet Information Services. May be useful for some web developers, but they usually use other software products. For other users, we can recommend disabling this component.
• MSN Explorer. Can be disabled.
• Outlook Express. If you do not use this mail program, disable this component.
• Windows Messenger. Currently, it is practically not used, therefore, it can be turned off.
• Other network file and printer sharing services. If you do not work with operating systems of the UNIX family, then feel free to disable it.
• Message Queues. This component may be needed by web developers or network administrators. Regular users are advised to uninstall this component.
• Update packages. If you continue to use the Windows XP operating system, then you are exposing your data to danger, the developer of this system, Microsoft Corporation, officially warns about this. The fact is that this system is no longer supported by the developer and updates are not released for it. But all existing updates are still available for download and installation on the system. After this is done, this component can be safely disabled.
• Windows Media Player. When using an alternative player, this component can be disabled.
• Terminal Server. Initially, this component is disabled. If you don't know why it should be turned on, then don't turn it on.
• Indexing Service. If you do not use the built-in search, you can disable this service.
• Fax service. Usually not used, can be disabled.
• Control and Surveillance Tools. May be useful to system administrators. The average user is advised to disable them.
• Standard and Utilities. In this composite component, some of its parts can be disabled. For example, Games if you don't play them. Disabling component parts is described earlier in this section.

After you have cleared all the necessary checkboxes from the components, click the button Further. When the system has completed all the necessary operations, a window with information about this will appear on the window. You have to press the button Ready. If necessary, the system may require you to restart your computer. Let her do it.

Almost any edition of Windows comes with a certain set of features, applications, programs that are already installed on the system. The user can remove or disable unnecessary features, and in addition, add those that are required to perform the necessary work, but are not installed by default. After removing unnecessary functions on the system disk, there will be more free space, which is often not enough for users of tablets running Windows.

Running the utility

Not every user knows where to enable or disable Windows components.

The list of components can be opened in the "Programs and Features" section of the control panel (look for the link in the left block). But the easiest way to run this tool is by typing "Turn Windows features on or off" in the Start menu search bar.

In the operating system version 8.1, there is a similar way, but before entering, you need to press the "Win + S" combination on the keyboard.

Uninstall or install

The components window is presented as a list with all the features, applications, programs available for a particular OS release. If the checkbox next to the name of the component is checked in this list, it means that it is already installed and available. A gray checkmark indicates that the component consists of multiple packages. To view them, click on the "+" sign. To see a description of each component, simply hover over its name.

Enabling or disabling Windows components is performed by checking or unchecking the checkbox. To complete the operation, click on the "OK" button. Only after pressing this button will the installation or removal processes be activated.

If you uncheck the box, Windows may warn you that disabling this application may change how other components work. For more detailed information, the operating system will offer a link, clicking on which will open a page on the Internet with a detailed description.

Enabling or disabling Windows features is sometimes quite slow because the system has to do a lot of changes and automatic settings. Many functions can be disabled without restarting the computer, however, if a restart is still needed, Windows will warn the user about this and give the opportunity to save all working documents.

Additional requirements for some packages

During installation, the OS may display a window asking you to access the Windows Update site. If there is no access to the Internet at this time, then you will not be able to install the component located on the Microsoft servers. Sometimes Windows asks for the disk from which it was installed, if there is no such disk, you will have to download the distribution kit or try to get the components in another way. Usually they can be found on the official Microsoft website, while all software products from the list of components can be downloaded for free.

The "Turn Windows features on or off" tool provides the user with the ability to flexibly configure the system, but if you do not know the purpose of a particular component installed by default, you should not remove it. It is possible that some necessary functions that you use every day will become unavailable after this.

Empty list

If, when you run the Turn Windows 7 features on or off utility, an empty list does not allow you to perform the necessary actions, you will have to do a few simple manipulations to solve the problem.

Go to the start menu and type "regedit" into the search bar. In the results shown, find the item "regedit32" and click on the icon. In the registry, go to the path "HKEYLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Windows" and change the value of the "CSDVersion" parameter to 0.

The procedure for disabling unnecessary services is useful for netbooks and computers with limited computing resources or equipped with slow hard drives. For details on which services in Windows 7 can be safely disabled, and which ones are better left untouched, how to enable the necessary components, read our article.

How to open the management of services (components) in Windows 7?

The user can use two methods.

Via Start

Click "Start", then "Run". In the window that appears, enter the line services.msc.

This method is the most convenient, since information about the service is given, which makes it clear its value for the system.

Then go to "Services"

The same window can be opened from the toolbar by clicking on the Administrative Tools tool and selecting Services.

To disable the service, you need to double-click on it and in the window that opens, change the "Startup type" option to "Disabled". Then click "Stop" and "OK".

Win+R

After pressing "Win" + R, enter msconfig.exe into the line and click "OK".

In the window that appears, open the "Services" tab.

To stop the application, you need to uncheck the box opposite and click "Apply". The same line will show the date of shutdown.

After clicking "OK", another window will appear where you need to choose when to restart the computer for the changes to take effect.

Video: step-by-step instructions for disabling services for optimization

What services can be disabled without harm to the system?

Most background applications provide system stability. Therefore, it is imperative to check their name and function.

With few exceptions, all computers can run without the following services:

1. remote registry. Allows other users to change the registry of the system, so you need to disable it at least for security purposes.
2. Fax machine. If there is no connection to this device, then the service can be disabled.
3. Windows Error Reporting Service. Responsible for the error log and notifications of crashes or program freezes.
4. Changed link tracking client. Associated with NTFS files that are transferred within a computer or network.
5. Search Windows (Windows Search). Needed only by those who often access the search for files.
6. Parental Control (parental control). Has no use.
7. Helper service IP. Useless on a home PC.
8. Print Manager. Only needed for the printer to work.
9. Secondary login. Allows you to run processes from a different account. It is advisable to disable for security reasons.
10. Tablet PC input service. If there is no pen or handwriting, then the service is not needed.
11. Windows Defender. If your computer has another protection system, you can disable it.
12. Windows Firewall. The same as in the paragraph above.
13. Smart card deletion policy. If such elements are not used, the service is not needed.
14. SSDP discovery. Used to detect devices using the SSDP protocol, such as smart home appliances. If there is no such equipment, then the service can be disabled.
15. Adaptive brightness control. If the laptop does not have a light sensor, then the service can be disabled.
16. Computer browser. If there is no local network, then you can disable it.
17. Access to HID devices. These include input tools such as a USB mouse, webcam, and scanner. If such equipment is not used, then the service can be disabled.
18. Core TPM services. If TMP and/or BitLocker chips are not used, then this can be disabled.
19. Server. If the computer is not included in the local network, then you can disable it.
20. Bluetooth support service. If the computer does not have such a device or it is not used, then the service can be disabled.
21. NetBIOS support module. If there is no connection to the local network, then you can disable it.
22. Windows Image Download Service (WIA). Needed for a scanner or digital camera.

Which services cannot be interfered with?

The following background applications should not be touched:

1. Windows Audio. Turning it off will cut off the sound.
2. Windows Driver Foundation. Affects drivers.
3. Media class planner. When turned off, the sound will disappear.
4. Plug and play. If you disable the service, the system will not be able to recognize new devices.
5. Superfetch. Identifies the programs that the user uses most often and adds them to RAM (but does not run). The computer will work with the service disabled, but performance will be reduced. Can be disabled if the computer has less than 1 GB of RAM. Otherwise, the effect will be negative.
6. Task Scheduler. It can not be disabled because it has many tasks. Without it, you can't even switch the keyboard layout.
7. Remote procedure call (RPC). Affects many other services.
8. Desktop Window Manager Session Manager.
9. Themes. When disabled, the Aero interface will stop working.
10. Windows installer. Allows you to install applications.

How to add Windows features?

Most users are satisfied with Windows 7 with a standard set of components. But sometimes you need to enable additional applications or utilities. To do this, you need to do the following:

1. Start - Control Panel - Programs and Features.
2. Click "Turn Windows features on or off".
3. A window with available components will appear. The checkbox indicates that the application is enabled.
4. To add a component, you need to check the appropriate box and click "OK". If the checkbox is cleared, the component will be disabled. But it will not be deleted from the disk, and to enable it, you need to check the box again.

Video: step by step instructions for adding components

"Turn Windows features on or off" does not work or the list is empty: what to do and what is the reason?

There may be several reasons.

If one of the installed programs has changed the value in the registry

Through the "Start" or using the key combination "Win" + R, open the "Run" window and enter regedit.

Then go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE - SYSTEM - CurrentControlSet - Control - Windows and find the CSDReleaseType parameter. If there is a value other than 0, then you need to change it, then click "OK" and restart the computer.

Login with a non-administrator account

You need to either get administrator rights, or log in with an administrator account.

If the files in the C:\Windows\Servicing\Packages folder are missing or corrupted.

Requires an update to resolve. You will need to download the System Update Readiness Tool for Windows 7:

• For 32-bit processor: https://www.microsoft.com/en-RU/download/details.aspx?id=3132.
• For 64-bit processor: https://www.microsoft.com/en-US/download/details.aspx?id=20858.

To find out the bit depth, you need to click "Start", open the "Control Panel", then "System". The bit depth is indicated in the “System type” item.

Close all programs and run the file. It has the .msu extension. The whole process will take 10-15 minutes.

After installation, close the window and restart your computer. Then open the list of components again. If the window is still empty, then you need to correct the errors manually.

Open C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CheckSUR.log and look at the lines under "Checking Package Manifests and Cataloges". If there is an error, then at the beginning of the line is (f), and then the error code and path. But if there is another line under this line, and (fix) is in front, then this error has been fixed.

Lines marked in pink indicate errors that could not be corrected. The errors in this example may be different than what the user finds.

It is necessary to write down information from the lines where uncorrected errors are indicated, for example, on a sheet of paper. The part that starts with "Package_" is important.

Now you need to manually delete the corresponding registry keys. Call the "Run" window and enter "regedit" in the line. In the window that opens, go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ ComponentBasedServicing\Packeges\ and find the key with the error. This example removes the error on the fourth line.

After removing the corrupted key, the component list issue should be resolved.

Smart - a program to disable unnecessary services

Free software that does not need to be installed.

Allows you to set one of four settings configurations:

1. Safe Tweaks. The most secure, suitable for most users. It will not affect the operation of the system, but performance will increase.
2. Moderate Tweaks. Disables almost half of the services, limits the multimedia capabilities of the system. Productivity is even higher.
3. Advance Tweaks. Recommended for advanced users only. Disables all services except those necessary for the system to function.
4. custom. Also for professionals. There is a manual service configuration mode.

Disabling unused services will be a good tool for optimizing (speeding up) a computer with little RAM. And in the case of a laptop, this will also lead to an increase in battery life.

Each version of Windows carries a certain set of installed programs, functions and applications, while the user can disable (remove) unnecessary features, or add those that are needed, but not installed by default. Removing unnecessary features, programs or applications can free up quite a lot of disk space, which is especially true for $ 100 tablets that have flooded the market lately.

In this guide, we'll show you how to add or remove features in Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 8.1.

We will perform all the necessary actions in a window called "Windows Components".

How to open "Windows Components" in Windows 7

The Windows Features window can be opened from the Uninstall or change a program section (also known as Programs and Features). The easiest way to open Windows Components is to use the Start menu. To do this, you need to open the menu, enter "enable components" in the search bar and click on the corresponding item in the search results (see screenshot below).

How to open "Windows Components" in Windows 8 and 8.1

On the desktop, press the keyboard shortcut Win + S, type "turn on features", and then in the search results, click on "Turn Windows features on or off."

In addition, there is another way that also works in Windows 7. Open the "Control Panel" and in the "Programs" section, click on the "Uninstall a program" link.

As a result, you will see the "Windows Components" window.

How to remove Windows components

The Windows Features window is a list of all the features, programs, and applications available for a particular version of Windows. The components that are checked are already installed and available on your computer. To view additional information about a component, simply move the mouse cursor over it.

To remove a component or program, simply uncheck its box. You can remove multiple components at once. After that, click "OK".

If you uncheck the box, you'll see a warning that disabling the feature may affect other components, programs, or settings. To learn more, you can click on the "Details Online" link at the bottom of the warning. If you agree with the consequences of your choice, click Yes. Otherwise, click "No" and the removal (disabling) process will be canceled.

Windows needs time to make the necessary changes. Some features can be removed or disabled without the need to reboot the system. If this is the case for the feature you selected, you will be informed that Windows has made the requested changes.

After uninstalling some components, Windows may tell you that you need to restart your computer in order to apply the changes. Click Restart Now and wait for the process to complete. Keep in mind that the reboot will take longer than usual because the operating system will need to spend extra time configuring itself according to your instructions.

How to add Windows features

Adding components to Windows consists of the same steps as removing them. The only difference is that instead of unchecking the checkboxes, they need to be checked.

During the installation process, depending on what you choose to install, Windows may ask you for permission to download some files from Windows Update. Let the operating system do this for the installation to complete successfully. And in some cases, Windows may even ask for an operating system installation disk.

Conclusion

Does it make sense to remove some unused components and programs if you do not have enough disk space? The answer is yes!

For example, if you, as a Windows 7 user, don't use Gadgets, Windows Media Center, DVD Maker, Internet Games, More Games, and Fax and Scanner, removing these components will free up a total of 0.24 GB (245 MB). That's a decent savings when disk space is a real concern.

Have a great day!