Disable the Windows XP Security Center

Have you recently installed Service Pack 2 and are tired of Windows XP nagging you about disabling Windows Update or Windows Firewall? These steps will show you how to turn off the Windows XP Security center.

Steps

  1. Open the Control Panel.
    1. Click on Start.
    2. Click on Settings
    3. Choose "Control Panel".
    4. Choose "Performance and Maintenance".
  2. Double click on Administrative Tools.
  3. Double click on Services.
  4. Scroll down to Security Center and double click it to open the Properties window. You should see a window that resembles the following:
  5. Expand the drop-down menu next to "Startup Type:" and select Disabled.
  6. Click on Apply.
  7. Click on the Stop button to manually end the Security Center process.
  8. Click on OK.
  9. Close the Services window. You should no longer receive any Security Center notifications.
      • Another way to disable the Security Center for domain users is by using gpedit. You can access this by clicking Start > Run > gpedit.msc Under Computer Configuration, click Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Security Center Right click Turn on Security Center and select Properties Set the option to Disabled and click Apply. Close the Group Policy editor and your all done.

Tips

  • The security center is actually a good thing to have but it causes problems to people who do a lot of heavy rendering and things of that nature.
  • Alternatively, you can access the Services window by clicking on Start, then Run, and entering "services.msc".

Warnings

  • It is still a good idea to keep Windows XP updated to keep up with critical security updates. Visit Windows Update every so often to keep your computer safe.
  • CAUTION: Group Policy Editor is a very powerful tool. Improper use may seriously affect the performance of your machine. An inexperienced user can do nearly as much damage to their machine as one who was fooling around in the Registry.

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