Window's Panes, Part New, Services

Windows runs a lot of programs behind your back. Your machine may look idle, but under the hood, anywhere from 30 to several hundred programs are active, slowing your boot, consuming RAM and runtime.
Lift the hood and take a look. Click on Start -> Settings -> ControlPanel. Then click on the Administrative Tools icon. In the opened Administrative Tools window click on "Services" (has an icon of a pair of gears meshing).
Services will display a humongous list of "Services". Each service has a computer-geek type name, a description, a startup type, and a status. Services can tend to wireless modems, do network gruntwork, permit strangers to log into the computer from the internet, set the clock and calender, many things. Some services are critical, Windows won't boot without them. Some are dangerous security risks, some are malware, many merely waste RAM and slow the machine down.
Each running service will appear in Task Manager under "Processes". It is reasonable to have 30 running services. A hundred running services is NOT reasonable and is a cause for concern.
Services are controlled by "Startup Type". Auto startup means run the service at boot up time whether it is needed or not. Auto start of unused or seldom used services makes boot take longer. Manual startup is Microsoft speak meaning "Run this service ONLY if some program asks for it". Disabled means never run this service no matter how badly programs scream and cry for it.
You can slim down the service load by setting services to manual or disabled. Care is required to avoid breaking the machine. Number one safety rule: NEVER do anything to service "Remote Procedure Call". Without RPC Windows won't boot, and the only fix is to re install Windows. A painful and difficult process. You have been warned.
With that one exception it is safe to change Auto services to Manual. A manual service that is never requested won't start, saving time and RAM. If it is needed, it will start when some program requests it. Manual services that show as "Started" have been requested.
No one can remember all the services and what they do, (or don't do). Googling on the service name will get a load of hits, some of them useful and some of them boiler plate. There are a number of websites that carry lists of services and recommendations as to which should be made manual. There is a good deal of disagreement between the various sites. Black Viper runs one of the best sites.
Web surfing in these waters will bring you in contact with advertisements for programs promising to speed up your computer, remove viruses, optimize the registry, and perform other software miracles. Some of these programs are themselves viruses, spyware, sombies, and other bad stuff. Unless I have strong recommendations from several trusted sources, I don't mess with such stuff lest bad things happen to my machine.