Services: Automatic/Manual/Delayed...?

Hi,

Can someone explain what happens when a service is set on manual or automatic/delayed? I know that automatic loads on startup and disabled doesn't load at all... My specific reason is I have a program which I use occasionally that needs to communicate with 3D printers on the net. It creates two services which load at startup both of which use 110Mb each... I wondered if setting them to "manual" would allow them to load only when I start the program... or not...

TIA, --ch

Hi chmillman and welcome to Vista Forums

Black Viper said:

Configuration Information

• Automatic ~ With a service in this state, it will start at boot time. Some services, when no longer required, will also automatically stop when not needed. If you find you do not need a service, place it into Manual or Disabled.
• Automatic (Delayed Start) ~ With a service in this state, it will start just after boot time. Some services, when no longer required, will also automatically stop when not needed. If you find you do not need a service, place it into Manual or Disabled.
• Manual ~ Manual mode allows Windows to start a service when needed. However, very few services will start up when required in Manual mode. If you find you need a service, place it into Automatic.
• Disabled ~ This setting will stop a service from starting, even if needed. Errors in the Event Viewer will show up complaining of that fact. Some services, while Disabled, will constantly complain. However, this situation is taken care of if placed in Manual. The service descriptions identifies those that should be in Manual vice Disabled.
• "Started" ~ A service that either set to Manual or Automatic that is running by default at or shortly after boot time.
• "Not Started" ~ A service set into Automatic that is not running by default at or shortly after boot time.

Click to expand...

For more information, see Black Viper's Web Site

Thanks Dwarf, I'll give "manual" a try anyway and see if launching the program manages to call up the service... If not, oh well, it was just a try to save 200+ Mb of RAM usage... Geez, what were these guys thinking when they set that up?

I'll be hanging around here for awhile asking dumb questions, I'm transitioning from XP32 to V64 with 3 new machines at once, and I am still learning my way around...

Had a look at the Usenet MS forums, a few years back there seemed to be more MVP-type people hanging out answering questions, now this place looks a lot better... --ch