svchost.exe

banbutcher

lo, i was just wondering what svchost.exe is for, i have 4 of them running in my task manager! do i need em??

K!LL!@N

Yes, you need them.
They run various essential elements of windows.
If you try to endtask you'll find you have to reboot.

Best way to minimise services that i've found is to have a look at Black Vipers windows xp service guide.
Just google black viper.

Killian

ColmOT [MSFT]

Just don't take Black Viper's advice on these services:

Automatic Updates
BITS

It is highly recommended that this is left turned ON, so that you can get the latest security updates for Windows.

aidan_walsh

But wheres the logic in having the same process running four times? Something I've never understood...

ronanp

Think it's run with different switches to start different services, hence the multiple instances.

ColmOT [MSFT]

But wheres the logic in having the same process running four times? Something I've never understood...

it's a performance & interop thing mainly...

svchost.exe 1452 ntdll.dll, kernel32.dll, ADVAPI32.dll,
RPCRT4.dll, NTMARTA.DLL, msvcrt.dll,
USER32.dll, GDI32.dll, WLDAP32.dll,
SAMLIB.dll, ole32.dll, LPK.DLL, USP10.dll,
lmhsvc.dll, iphlpapi.dll, WS2_32.dll,
WS2HELP.dll, wspwsp.dll, mswsock.dll,
DNSAPI.dll, wshtcpip.dll, rasadhlp.dll,
winhttp.dll, SHLWAPI.dll, winrnr.dll,
DHCPCSVC.DLL, Secur32.dll, wship6.dll,
oleaut32.dll, CLBCatQ.DLL, COMRes.dll,
VERSION.dll, jscript.dll

Webmonkey

I think the reason it runs many times is cause each one holds different miniture services?, i think i read something before bout that