Stopping Unneeded Startup Services Heres the way to stop unneeded programs from startup. Along with the core operating system and programs that Windows XP runs when it starts, there is also a host of services involved. Many of these services are necessary for Windows XP to operate correctly. However, many of them are for features in Windows XP that you may not use at all. You can peruse the services and disable any service that you do not want to run. The fewer services that run, the more quickly Windows XP will boot. To reduce the number of services that start on bootup, you can access two different areas of Windows XP. The first is the System Configuration Utility. You can do that by entering the command “msconfig” in the run menu. Start Run “msconfig” (without quotes) || Hit Enter The Services tab shows you the services that start when the computer boots. You can stop a service from starting by simply clearing the check box next to the service and clicking OK. However, before you do so, there is another way to disable services that you may prefer because the interface gives you more information about the service in question. Open Control Panel Administrative Tools Services or Start Run “services.msc” || Hit Enter Take a quick look at common services you may want to live without.