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This service controls the Desktop Window Manager (DWM), which is responsible for Aero (transparent windows, etc). Without this service, you won’t have Aero effects. DWM consumes a fair amount of RAM which increases with each window you have open (open 30 IE windows and you’ll likely exceed 100MB) as well as CPU (mine typically bounces between 0% and 3% every couple seconds, but with a large amount of windows can go much higher). You can temporarily disable this one (and Aero) from a command window with adminstrator rights by typing net stop uxsms (type net start usxms to turn it back on). If you want to save memory and CPU, and are willing to sacrifice the Aero visual effects, you can safely disable this service.
Display Name:
Desktop Window Manager Session Manager
Service Name:
UxSms
Process Name:
svchost.exe
Description:
Provides Desktop Window Manager startup and maintenance services.
Path to Executable:
%windir%\system32\svchost.exe -k LocalSystemNetworkRestricted
Default Startup:
- Home Basic: Automatic
- Home Premium: Automatic
- Business: Automatic
- Enterprise: Automatic
- Ultimate: Automatic
Log On As:
Local System Account
Desktop Interaction:
No
Depends On:
None
Required For:
None
Memory:
N/A
CPU:
N/A
Do you know something about this service that I don't? Please leave a comment below so I, and everyone else reading this, can benefit from your knowledge!
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Comments
Cameron
Feb 20, 2008 at 9:44 pm
On my Dell laptop, some time ago the UxSms service stopped working. Any time I attempt to start it, I get an error 998: invalid access to memory location. Do you have any idea what might cause this error? I tried looking through the Event Viewer without finding anything useful. Google has not been helpful in this case either. Thanks!
Lev
Aug 9, 2008 at 9:24 pm
After installing drivers and utilities for a fresh Vista Ultimate, at one point the welcome screen started to hang for around 10 minutes. I had disable all services and re-enable them one by one, it turned out that this service was the cause. Luckily it seems not running it wont cause any problems.
Kev
Mar 12, 2009 at 12:31 pm
Just a thought, if Aero is managed by this service and Aero is new service as such then this could be a focus of attack in the future. Most successful attacks are carried out on new services that have yet to be strengthened.
As of yet there is no reason to be worried as Aero itself has not been exploited and it’s complexity may ensure it remains secure, but if it is exploited in say the next couple of years then disabling this service will be a security bonus as well as a performance bonus. For now, keep it turned on if your system is powerful enough to handle it and as the website author says, disable if your machine is slowing down on multiple windows being opened.
Tip: Increase user process address space to 3GB (and other misc. tweaks) - Kartones Blog
May 26, 2009 at 1:13 pm
[...] you have Vista you can also fully disable Aero and disable the “Desktop Window Manager Session Manager” and “Superfetch” Services. Also, if you don’t use them, disable the System Restore Points [...]
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