Windows Services
The purpose of this article is to describe how to access Windows Services, which can be used to
troubleshoot issues.
For Windows 8.1, Windows 10, and Windows Server 2012 R2
1. Right click on the Start button and select Computer Management
2. Expand Services and Applications
3. Select Services
OR
1. Press and hold the Windows button on the keyboard, then press the R key to open the Run
dialog
2. Type "Services.msc" and then press Enter
For Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012
1. Hover mouse over bottom left corner of desktop to make the Start button appear, click Start.
2. Right click on the Start button and select Computer Management
3. Expand Services and Applications
4. Select Services
OR
1. Press and hold the Windows button on the keyboard, then press the R key to open the Run
dialog
2. Type "Services.msc" and then press Enter
For Windows 7, Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2008 R2
1. Click Start
2. Type "Services.msc" in the Search box
3. Press the Enter
OR
1. Click Start, select Control Panel
2. Open Administrative Tools
3. Open Services
OR
1. Right Click on Computer, select Manage
2. Expand Configuration
3. Select Services.
Local Users and Group
Local Users and Groups is a feature in Windows that allows users to manage users and groups on the
system. Users can use this feature to:
1. Create and modify local user accounts
2. Create and modify user profiles
3. Create, add, and delete local groups
Here's how to find local users and groups in Windows 11:
Open the Local Users and Groups folder in the Computer Management Microsoft Management
Console (MMC)
The Users folder contains the default local user accounts and any created local user accounts
To add a user to a group in Windows, you can:
Open the Control Panel
Double-click Administrative Tools
Double-click Computer Management
Expand Local Users and Groups
Select Users
Double-click the user to add to a group
Select the Member Of tab
Select the group to add the user to
Click OK
If the desired group isn't visible, you can click Add to open the Select Groups panel. From there, you
can select the group to add the user to.
Advanced System Settings in Windows
Click the Start button on your taskbar
Type advanced system settings
Click View advanced system settings
You can also open Advanced System Settings by using the keyboard shortcut +R, typing System
Properties Advanced, and pressing Enter.
Once you've opened Advanced System Settings, you can make sure your system is managing the
page file size automatically. This can help improve your PC's performance.
You can also access the Advanced Start-up Options menu, also known as Windows Recovery
Environment (WinRE), to access Windows diagnostic and repair tools. To do this, you can:
Go to Start > Settings > System > Recovery
Select Restart now next to advanced start-up.
Device Manager
Start menu: Search for "Device Manager" in the Start menu
Control Panel: Navigate to System and Security, then System, and then Device Manager
Run box: Press the Windows key and R simultaneously, type devmgmt.msc, and then click OK or
press Enter
Keyboard shortcut: Press the Windows key and X on your keyboard, and then select Device Manager
from the menu
File Explorer: Select and hold (or right-click) This PC, select Manage, and then select Device
Manager
Power User: Right-click the Windows icon at the screen's bottom-left corner, and then select Device
Manager
Device Manager provides information about devices, including their type, status, manufacturer,
properties, and driver information. If a device has a problem, Device Manager will place a yellow
exclamation point next to the device's name and provide an error message.
Task Manager (Windows)
Task Manager, previously known as Windows Task Manager, is a task manager, system monitor,
and startup manager included with Microsoft Windows systems. It provides information about
computer performance and running software, including names of
running processes, CPU and GPU load, commit charge, I/O details, logged-in users, and Windows
services. Task Manager can also be used to set process priorities, processor affinity, start and stop
services, and forcibly terminate processes.
The program can be started in recent versions of Windows by pressing ⊞ Win + R and then typing
in taskmgr.exe, by pressing Ctrl + Alt + Delete and clicking Task Manager, by pressing Ctrl + ⇧
Shift + Esc , by using Windows Search in the Start Menu and typing taskmgr, by right-clicking on
the Windows taskbar and selecting "Task Manager", by typing taskmgr in the File Explorer address
bar, or by typing taskmgr in Command Prompt or Windows PowerShell.
Task Manager was introduced in its current form with Windows NT 4.0. Prior versions of Windows
NT, as well as Windows 3.x, include the Task List application, are capable of listing currently running
processes and killing them, or creating new processes. Windows 9x has a program known as Close
Program which lists the programs currently running and offers options to close programs as well
shut down the computer.
Windows registry information for advanced users
Description of the registry
Back up the registry
Edit the registry
Restore the registry
References
This article describes the Windows registry and provides information about how to edit and back it
up.
Description of the registry
The Microsoft Computer Dictionary, Fifth Edition, defines the registry as:
A central hierarchical database used in Windows 98, Windows CE, Windows NT, and Windows 2000
used to store information that is necessary to configure the system for one or more users,
applications, and hardware devices.
The Registry contains information that Windows continually references during operation, such as
profiles for each user, the applications installed on the computer and the types of documents that
each can create, property sheet settings for folders and application icons, what hardware exists on
the system, and the ports that are being used.
The Registry replaces most of the text-based .ini files that are used in Windows 3.x and MS-DOS
configuration files, such as the Autoexec.bat and Config.sys. Although the Registry is common to
several Windows operating systems, there are some differences among them. A registry hive is a
group of keys, subkeys, and values in the registry that has a set of supporting files that contain
backups of its data. The supporting files for all hives except HKEY_CURRENT_USER are in
the %SystemRoot%\System32\Config folder on Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, Windows XP,
Windows Server 2003, and Windows Vista. The supporting files for HKEY_CURRENT_USER are in
the %SystemRoot%\Profiles\Username folder. The file name extensions of the files in these folders
indicate the type of data that they contain. Also, the lack of an extension may sometimes indicate
the type of data that they contain.
Expand table
Registry hive Supporting files
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SAM Sam, Sam.log, Sam.sav
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Security Security, Security.log, Security.sav
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software Software, Software.log, Software.sav
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System System, System.alt, System.log, System.sav
HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG System, System.alt, System.log, System.sav, Ntuser.dat,
Ntuser.dat.log
HKEY_USERS\DEFAULT Default, Default.log, Default.sav
In Windows 98, the registry files are named User.dat and System.dat. In Windows Millennium
Edition, the registry files are named Classes.dat, User.dat, and System.dat.
Note
Security features in Windows let an administrator control access to registry keys.
The following table lists the predefined keys that are used by the system. The maximum size of a key
name is 255 characters.
Expand table
Folder/predefined key Description
HKEY_CURRENT_USER Contains the root of the configuration information for the user who is
currently logged on. The user's folders, screen colors, and Control Panel
settings are stored here. This information is associated with the user's profile.
This key is sometimes abbreviated as HKCU.
HKEY_USERS Contains all the actively loaded user profiles on the computer.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER is a subkey of HKEY_USERS. HKEY_USERS is sometimes
abbreviated as HKU.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE Contains configuration information particular to the computer (for any user).
This key is sometimes abbreviated as HKLM.
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT Is a subkey of HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software. The information that is
stored here makes sure that the correct program opens when you open a file
by using Windows Explorer. This key is sometimes abbreviated as HKCR.
Starting with Windows 2000, this information is stored under both the
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE and HKEY_CURRENT_USER keys.
The HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Classes key contains default settings
that can apply to all users on the local computer. The HKEY_CURRENT_USER\
Software\Classes key contains settings that override the default settings and
apply only to the interactive user. The HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT key provides a
view of the registry that merges the information from these two sources.
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT also provides this merged view for programs that are
designed for earlier versions of Windows. To change the settings for the
interactive user, changes must be made under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\
Software\Classes instead of under HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT. To change the
Folder/predefined key Description
default settings, changes must be made under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\
Software\Classes. If you write keys to a key under HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, the
system stores the information under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\
Classes. If you write values to a key under HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, and the key
already exists under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes, the system will
store the information there instead of under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\
Software\Classes.
HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG Contains information about the hardware profile that is used by the local
computer at system startup.
Note
The registry in 64-bit versions of Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, and Windows Vista is divided
into 32-bit and 64-bit keys. Many of the 32-bit keys have the same names as their 64-bit
counterparts, and vice versa. The default 64-bit version of Registry Editor that is included with 64-bit
versions of Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, and Windows Vista displays the 32-bit keys under
the node HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\WOW6432Node. For more information about how to
view the registry on 64-Bit versions of Windows, see How to view the system registry by using 64-bit
versions of Windows.
Backup and restore your PC
How to use the backup feature to back up and restore data in Windows Server 2003
Edit the registry
To modify registry data, a program must use the registry functions that are defined in Registry
Functions.
Administrators can modify the registry by using Registry Editor (Regedit.exe or Regedt32.exe), Group
Policy, System Policy, Registry (.reg) files, or by running scripts such as VisualBasic script files.
Use the Windows user interface
We recommend that you use the Windows user interface to change your system settings instead of
manually editing the registry. However, editing the registry may sometimes be the best method to
resolve a product issue. If the issue is documented in the Microsoft Knowledge Base, an article with
step-by-step instructions to edit the registry for that issue will be available. We recommend that you
follow those instructions exactly.
Use Registry Editor
Warning
Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly by using Registry Editor or by
using another method. These problems might require that you reinstall the operating system.
Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved. Modify the registry at your own risk.
You can use Registry Editor to do the following actions:
Locate a subtree, key, subkey, or value
Add a subkey or a value
Change a value
Delete a subkey or a value
Rename a subkey or a value
The navigation area of Registry Editor displays folders. Each folder represents a predefined key on
the local computer. When you access the registry of a remote computer, only two predefined keys
appear: HKEY_USERS and HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.
Use Group Policy
Microsoft Management Console (MMC) hosts administrative tools that you can use to administer
networks, computers, services, and other system components. The Group Policy MMC snap-in lets
administrators define policy settings that are applied to computers or users. You can implement
Group Policy on local computers by using the local Group Policy MMC snap-in, Gpedit.msc. You can
implement Group Policy in Active Directory by using the Active Directory Users and Computers MMC
snap-in. For more information about how to use Group Policy, see the Help topics in the appropriate
Group Policy MMC snap-in.
Use a Registration Entries (.reg) file
Create a Registration Entries (.reg) file that contains the registry changes, and then run the .reg file
on the computer where you want to make the changes. You can run the .reg file manually or by
using a logon script. For more information, see How to add, modify, or delete registry subkeys and
values by using a Registration Entries (.reg) file.
Use Windows Script Host
The Windows Script Host lets you run VBScript and JScript scripts directly in the operating system.
You can create VBScript and JScript files that use Windows Script Host methods to delete, to read,
and to write registry keys and values. For more information about these methods, visit the following
Microsoft Web sites:
RegDelete method
RegRead method
RegWrite method
Use Windows Management Instrumentation
Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) is a component of the Microsoft Windows operating
system and is the Microsoft implementation of Web-Based Enterprise Management (WBEM). WBEM
is an industry initiative to develop a standard technology for accessing management information in
an enterprise environment. You can use WMI to automate administrative tasks (such as editing the
registry) in an enterprise environment. You can use WMI in scripting languages that have an engine
on Windows and that handle Microsoft ActiveX objects. You can also use the WMI Command-Line
utility (Wmic.exe) to modify the Windows registry.
For more information about WMI, see Windows Management Instrumentation.
For more information about the WMI Command-Line utility, see A description of the Windows
Management Instrumentation (WMI) command-line utility (Wmic.exe).
Use Console Registry Tool for Windows
You can use the Console Registry Tool for Windows (Reg.exe) to edit the registry. For help with the
Reg.exe tool, type reg /? at the Command Prompt, and then click OK.
Restore the registry
To restore the registry, use the appropriate method.
Method 1: Restore the registry keys
To restore registry subkeys that you exported, double-click the Registration Entries (.reg) file that
you saved in the Export registry subkeys section. Or, you can restore the whole registry from a
backup. For more information about how to restore the whole registry, see the Method 2: Restore
the whole registry section later in this article.
Method 2: Restore the whole registry
To restore the whole registry, restore the system state from a backup. For more information about
how to restore the system state from a backup, see How to use Backup to protect data and restore
files and folders on your computer in Windows XP and Windows Vista.
Note
Backing up the system state also creates updated copies of the registry files in the %SystemRoot%\
Repair folder.
References
For more information, visit the following Web sites:
Windows 2000 Server Resources Kit
Inside the Registry
The Windows Server Catalog of Tested Products is a reference for products that have been tested for
Windows Server compatibility.
Data Protection Manager (DPM) is a key member of the Microsoft System Center family of
management products and is designed to help IT professionals manage their Windows environment.
DPM is the new standard for Windows backup and recovery and delivers continuous data protection
for Microsoft application and file servers that use seamlessly integrated disk and tape media. For
more information about how to back up and restore the registry, see How to back up and restore
the registry in Windows XP and Windows Vista.
