Better Windows Services

Better Windows Services presents a searchable alternative to the standard service list. The public page shows queries for automatic services that are not running and services whose files are missing. It says the window and command line use the same engine. Query results and completeness are Not reviewed.

The site describes previewing start, stop and configuration operations, including dependent services. Its snapshot examples distinguish a changed setting from a service that merely started or stopped. Those examples explain the intended workflow; no executable was downloaded or run during this first look.

As of version 0.5.0, the site says snapshots work in the window as well as the command line, with Take snapshot and Compare under the Audit menu. Remote management is absent and there's no restore from a snapshot. Change history is limited to what Windows records in its System log, which the bws history command and the window's Change history read to show who changed a start type and when. It targets 64-bit Windows and says changes require elevation. Those limits matter before using it on a working machine. Dependency handling, permissions, signatures and recovery are Not reviewed.

Version 0.5.0 comes as two zip files, one for the window and one for the bws command line, or as a signed MSI installer that puts both on the machine. Each program is a single self-contained executable with its own .NET runtime, the zip versions write nothing to the registry, and reading needs no administrator rights. It supports Windows 10 1809 or Windows Server 2019 and later. The FAQ says it never talks to the internet, with no telemetry, update check, crash reporting or account, unless you pass --follow-network to look at a launch path on another machine. The project site itself sets no cookies and runs no scripts.

The drift workflow is built for scheduled checks. You take a snapshot at deployment, then diff it against the live machine each night. The diff exits with code 5 when the configuration drifted and 3 when it couldn't read everything, so a script can tell a clean answer from a partial one. Snapshots are JSON files that describe the whole machine, and the download page asks you to treat them with care.

The program speaks English only, though the website is translated, and the window stays dark whatever Windows theme you use. Operations on drivers are refused, and certificate revocation isn't checked because the tool never goes online. The list of services it protects from being stopped doesn't include Remote Desktop, so read the plan closely over a remote session. Security software may flag a forced stop, since it can look like ending svchost.exe. DonislawDev publishes it under GPL-3.0, and the site footer says it was built with an AI-assisted workflow.