25 Steps to a Faster PC
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11.  Stop unneeded Windows services.

PC World and Tweakhound's
Batch File for 
Turning off Unneeded Services

Another Guide to
Unneeded Services
at BlackViper.com

Another Nice Guide to Turning off Unneeded
Services at ClanKiller.com

Stop unneeded Windows services.  Services are again programs that Windows starts up automatically at startup.  Many of these are not needed and stopping them can help speed up you considerably.  To get to services, in WIndows 2000 and XP, right click on My Computer and choose Manage.  Then choose services down at the bottom.  Now, consult any one of these lists to see which services are needed: here, here (reference by many) or here (detailed explanations with references to Microsoft articles.  Tweakhound (first link) also has a batch file which is posted on PC Worlds Site, which will stop a lot of unneeded services.  It is here.  Beware though it will turn off all fancy display elements of Windows XP and make it look like Windows 98.