Task Scheduler tweakng guide for Windows 7

[the_r3dacted]

I originally only included this in the readme of Windows 7 Updated v4, but I figure I might as well make a post for it. I also have found new tasks to remove that aren't in that readme, so even more reason.

This post will go over tasks in Windows 7 that you can disable or delete for more performance, privacy, and security. This list is based off of our Windows 7 Updated v5 ISO.

I have been able to create a batch file that disables and delete these tasks, it is attached to the post. Not all tasks in the list are deleted due to some of them potentially being useful. Here's what isn't touched below.

► Show Spoiler

Not touched:

AppID - VerifiedPublisherCertStoreCheck
Blackbird recommends disabling, but it seems to already be disabled. Sounds like it would be pretty important for security but idk.

DiskDiagnostic - Microsoft-Windows-DiskDiagnosticResolver
Blackbird recommends disabling, but it seems to already be disabled. Sounds like it would be pretty important notifying the user if their hard drive is about to fail but idk.

Media Center - All
You might want to just disable everything instead just in case it breaks something in Media Center. Disabling Media Center
from Turn Windows features on or off removes all of these.

SideShow - SessionAgent & SystemDataProviders
Blackbird recommends disabling, but it seems to already be disabled. Sounds like it would be useful if you use SideShow but idk.

Time Synchronization - SynchronizeTime
Optional, you might want this if you care about accurate time and don't block the NTP port (123).

User Profile Service - HiveUploadTask
Blackbird recommends disabling, but it seems to already be disabled. May be useful if you use roaming profiles.

Disabled but not deleted:

Diagnosis - Scheduled
This seems to be telemetry, but I'm not too sure since it could just be periodic maintenance. Maybe disable just in case?

Power Efficiency Diagnostics - AnalyzeSystem
This seems to be telemetry, but I'm not too sure since it could help with power consumption. Maybe disable just in case?

Main list if you prefer to do it manually:

► Show Spoiler

To open Task Scheduler, press the windows key, type taskschd.msc, and press enter. Go under Microsoft > Windows and delete these tasks:

AppID - VerifiedPublisherCertStoreCheck
Blackbird recommends disabling, but it seems to already be disabled. Sounds like it would be pretty important for security but idk.

Application Experience - All
Telemetry.

Autochk - All
Telemetry.

Customer Experience Improvement Program - All
Telemetry.

Diagnosis - Scheduled
This seems to be telemetry, but I'm not too sure since it could just be periodic maintenance. Maybe disable just in case?

Disk Diagnostic - Microsoft-Windows-DiskDiagnosticDataCollector
Telemetry.

DiskDiagnostic - Microsoft-Windows-DiskDiagnosticResolver
Blackbird recommends disabling, but it seems to already be disabled. Sounds like it would be pretty important notifying the user if their hard drive is about to fail but idk.

Location - Notifications
Location tracking.

Maintenance - WinSAT
Annoying and useless. Can just randomly start in the background and cause issues with applications (especially games) if you happen to be using them at the time it runs.

Media Center - All
You might want to just disable everything instead just in case it breaks something in Media Center. Disabling Media Center
from Turn Windows features on or off removes all of these.

NetTrace - GatherNetworkInfo
Telemetry.

PerfTrack - BackgroundConfigSurveyor
Telemetry.

Power Efficiency Diagnostics - AnalyzeSystem
This seems to be telemetry, but I'm not too sure since it could help with power consumption. Maybe disable just in case?

RemoteAssistance - RemoteAssistanceTask
It looks useless and Blackbird recommends disabling it.

Setup - EOSNotify & EOSNotify2
Windows 7 end of support nagging.

SideShow - SessionAgent & SystemDataProviders
Blackbird recommends disabling, but it seems to already be disabled. Sounds like it would be useful if you use SideShow but idk.

Time Synchronization - SynchronizeTime
Optional, you might want this if you care about accurate time and don't block the NTP port (123).

UPnP - UPnPHostConfig
Seems to be for enabling the UPnP service if the user disables it, doesn't need to run even if you don't disable it.

User Profile Service - HiveUploadTask
Blackbird recommends disabling, but it seems to already be disabled. May be useful if you use roaming profiles.

Windows Error Reporting - QueueReporting
Telemetry.

[Nobody]

The Microsoft Task Scheduler has been completely deleted in my Windows 7 for years.
Only 2 tasks that I created are running.

[Duke]

Windows 8 and 10 have more tasks to disable or delete, lists for those will come soon.

Soon, you mean soon ? Or not that soon ?

[the_r3dacted]

8 lists will be sooner rather than later, as I would need to do them before I release 8.1 Updated v2, and I'm currently working on 8.1 v2.

I'll probably get around to 10 when I make the unfucking 10 post. idk when that will be though.

[the_r3dacted]

Soon, you mean soon ? Or not that soon ?

I added a few more tasks to the list, and also finished most of the 8.1 posts. Only thing left right now is Group Policy, which I figure I'll get out pretty soon as well.

[AntonyMan]

I had most of them already disabled.

For the "Time Synchronization", maybe it's better to change time server and disable/delete windows time sever from registry. (Sometimes, dual boots causing problem with time sync for me.)

Export the Time\Servers Reg Key:
reg export "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\DateTime\Servers" "%UserProfile%\Desktop\Date-Time_Servers[backup].reg"

Adding a new time server. (eg.: time.cloudflare.com)
reg add "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\DateTime\Servers" /v 0 /t REG_SZ /d time.cloudflare.com /f

Setting new server as Default for automatically synchronization.
reg add "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\DateTime\Servers" /t REG_SZ /d 0 /f

note: "Windows Time" Service and "Time Synchronization" Windows Scheduled Task must be enabled.

I have disable windows time servers by add an X in front of the reg Data value. (see below)

Code: Select all

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\DateTime\Servers]
@="0"
"1"="Xtime.windows.com"
"2"="Xtime.nist.gov"
"0"="time.cloudflare.com"