>> I notice that in MSconfig under Services there are several items
>> (Microsoft) that are checked on the left but say they are stopped on the
>> right. Without checking each one in Services to see if they are on
>> Automatic, Manual or Disabled would it be accurate to assume that it
>> doesn't matter if MSconfig settings and Services "match"? Does either
>> override the other? I rarely hear of people discussing these 2 programs
>> together but it looks like they are quite intertwined. And I wonder why
>> more Services don't show up in MSconfig? And is there a better choice
>> than Services to control what's running in the background? (Using XP
>> Pro, SP3 with latest updates.)
>
> If a service is disabled it will not appear in msconfig > services tab.
> Services that are reported as stopped in msconfig may be set as automatic
> or manual in the Services console. Not all services that are set to
> automatic or manual are always running, services run when a request is
> made for them, otherwise they sit quietly listening for the call to run.

I thought that if something is set to automatic it should be running all the
time. Yet I do remember in Services noting that is not always the case. As
I check now only 1 is not running: Computer Browser. All others set to
Automatic have started.

> Again, as I have always stated and stand firm by:
> One should only use msconfig as a tool for troubleshooting, it should not
> be used as a permanent tool to disable any application, process and/or
> service.
>
> Once an application, process and/or service has been determined as the
> possible cause of any issue, that application, process and/or service
> should be disabled by other means. Ways to disable and/or stop any
> application, process or service will vary depending on the type of
> application, process or service.

I see. So I should do everything possible in Services or perhaps a better
program. What about stuff that doesn't appear in Services? Like many
installed programs. They often don't appear in Services yet often appear in
MSconfig's Startup section. If the program is running unnecessarily in the
background I want to kill it naturally. If there is no option in the
Preferences/Options of that program from preventing it starting
automatically when Windows boots up, what should I do besides using
MSconfig?

And does anybody know of another program that is better than MSconfig?
Could it be called something like Tweak or Tweakui?