How to Delete a Service in Windows 7 Vista or XP

How to Delete a Service in Windows 7 Vista or XP

How to Delete a Service in Windows 7, Vista, or XP GA S REGULAR Menu Lifewire Tech for Humans Newsletter! Search Close GO Software & Apps > Windows 60 60 people found this article helpful

How to Delete a Service in Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, or XP

You may need to delete a service when fighting a malware attack

By Mary Landesman Mary Landesman Writer Brevard College Mary Landesman is a former freelance contributor to Lifewire and a security expert. She was named as one of the women to watch in IT security. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on February 14, 2021 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Windows The Ultimate Laptop Buying Guide

What to Know

Open Control Panel and select System and Security > Administrative Tools > Services. Right-click the service you want to delete, choose Properties, and then copy the name of the service in the Properties window. Open a command prompt as an administrator, type sc delete, paste the service name, and then press Enter. This article explains how to delete a Windows service that you suspect may contain malware. Instructions apply to Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.

Delete the Service You Suspect Contains Malware

The process of deleting a service that you suspect was used to infect your computer with malware is similar in all versions of Windows. Open the Control Panel. In Windows 10 or Windows 8, select System and Security > Administrative Tools > Services. Windows 7 and Vista users select Systems and Maintenance > Administrative Tools > Services. XP users select Performance and Maintenance > Administrative Tools > Services. Locate the service you want to delete, right-click the service name, and choose Properties. The Properties dialog box for that service will open. If the service is still running, select Stop. Highlight the service name, right-click, and select Copy. This copies the service name to the clipboard. Click OK to close the Properties dialog. Open a command prompt as an administrator. Type sc delete. Then, right-click and choose Paste to enter the service name. If the service name contains spaces, you need to place quotations marks around the name. Examples without and with a space in the name are: sc delete SERVICENAMEsc delete "SERVICE NAME" Press Enter to execute the command and delete the service. To exit the command prompt, type exit and press Enter. As of January 2020, Microsoft is no longer supporting Windows 7. We recommend upgrading to Windows 10 to continue receiving security updates and technical support.

Why Delete Windows Services

Malware often installs itself as a Windows service in order to load when Windows starts. This allows the malware to run and control designated functions without requiring user interaction. Sometimes, antivirus software removes the malware but leaves the service settings behind. Whether you are cleaning up after an antivirus removal or attempting to remove the malware manually, knowing how to delete a service can help. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire What Is a Service? (Definition of a Windows Service) How to View a Device's Status in Device Manager How Do I Disable a Device in Device Manager in Windows? What Is Svchost.exe (Service Host)? How to Fix an IPv6 No Network Access Error How to Disable Windows Automatic Restart on System Failure Task Manager (What It Is & How to Use It) What lsass.exe Is & How It Affects Your Computer How to Disable Taskbar Button Grouping in Windows How to Open an Elevated Command Prompt in Windows How to Remove the Recycle Bin From a Windows Desktop How to Enable or Disable the Administrator Account in Windows How to Change DNS Servers in Windows How to Open Command Prompt (Windows 11, 10, 8, 7, etc.) How to Delete Temporary Files in Windows What's Conhost.exe in Windows? What Does it Do? Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies
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