Vista - Windows Features - Turn on or off. Advice needed.

This is my current setup in Control Panel>Programs and Features>Turn Windows features on or off.

To be frank, I haven't a clue what most of these features mean or do, and Help and Support has nothing to explain the function of the majority of them.

For example, if I rest my cursor over Microsoft Message Queue (MSMQ) Server, it tells me that it 'Manages and Catalogues removable media and operates automated media devices'.

Because I do use SDHC Memory Cards, USB Memory Sticks, Cameras, Card Readers and other sundry media hardware, should I then have this box ticked? If not, then just what does this feature relate to, or do?

Similarly, what the heck is the TFTP Client, and what does that do?

Advice about the other open boxes and their functions, would be appreciated, with the exception of Games, which is self-explanatory, and something I have no interest in anyway. Recommended settings with reasons for activation, will help me understand these features.

This site explains it: Windows Vista Feature Guide

Indexing: builds up a seachable index of one or more target directories. The index can then be exposed for querying either via the built-in UI or an API. If you have to ask, you don't need it (IYHTAYDNI)

IIS: Web server (HTTPD). Used if you want to serve web content from your machine.

.Net Framework: Used by portions of the OS as well as many apps. Should be enabled.

MSMQ: A system for dropping "messages" into a queue and having them dealt with in some fashion. Nothing to do with USB/flash memory cards per se. I don't know where that tooltip text you quoted is from, but it's not relevant to MSMQ. (IYHTAYDNI)

Print Services: Line Printer Daemon/Line Printer Remote. Used for so-called "network printing". It's unlikely you need it unless you've got (an expensive) network printer.

Remote Diff Compression: on-the-fly compression of content in the network stack. Leave it enabled unless you've got a good reason to turn it off.

RIP Listener: Allows your machine to pick up on Routing Information Protocol (RIP) broadcasts made by RIP routers. This is a way of modifying the route table to deal with changing conditions. (IYHTAYDNI)

Simple TCPIP services: a collection of network services commonly used in the UNIX world but almost entirely irrelevant under Windows. (IYHTAYDNI)

SNMP: Simple Network Management Protocol. A lie, because it's anything but simple. Used for signaling information about events and error conditions via SNMP "traps" to a management console located elsewhere on the network. (IYHTAYDNI)

Tablet PC components: includes the snipping tool and other things which are useful even if yours is not a Tablet PC. Best to leave it enabled.

Telnet client: a small utility for making outbound (client) connections to access command console functionality on another machine.

Telnet server: a listener process (on port 23) to allow incoming telnet connections. Most home users have no use for this. (IYHTAYDNI)

TFTP client: Trivial FTP client. A small utility which can make outbound connections to a TFTP server via UDP port 69. It's potentially slightly faster than FTP because there is no TCP overhead, but because there's no guaranteed delivery the data may be corrupted or incomplete. (IYHTAYDNI)

DFS: Distributed File System. Used in large enterprise situations to in effect make file shares on several machines look like the same repository. The benefit is localised access wherever you may be on the corporate network. (IYHTAYDNI)

Windows Meeting Space: a collaboration tool. http://www.microsoft.com/windows/win...ing-space.aspx

Process Activation Service: sometimes used for advanced websites running under IIS. (IYHTAYDNI)



Hope this helps

Snipping will work with this turned off.

I have this feature turned off and I have a tablet. The problem is if you have this feature on and you use multiple monitors then the tablet will span both monitors reducing the horizontal resolution of the tablet by half.

Using the drivers and software of the tablet then the pen will work on one monitor (your main canvas) and when you use the mouse you can select the menus from the second monitor.

Oh, I didn't realise that was the case. Thanks.

when i turned thie off my snipping tool DID NOT WORK
when turned back on it was ok again

My mistake, I do make them.
I was refereing to the Tablet service not feature.

no problem

Thanks all for your help and input to my enquiry. A few issues have been clarified, and I now have a hefty load of reading to do. However, most of it went well over my head as it left contrails at 30000 metres.

As far as I know, these are default settings, as I cannot recall ever making any changes or adjustments to this particular field of settings.

So I will leave well alone, and not touch a thing.

Finally, as a silly old fart, I was a bit perplexed by this person 'Eihyetta Yidnee' that H2SO4 kept referring to as [IYHTAYDNI]. I'd never seen this before and could not figure the meaning. That was until I had a bit of brainpower-food [beer!], and then realised the subliminal message that [IYHTAYDNI] contained....If you have to ask you don't need it!.......I did.......and I don't!! Thanks all.

a site I have found useful is:

Windows Vista Service Pack 1 Service Configurations by Black Viper