Windows – How to open WinXP’s Services control panel applet on the Standard tab by default

control-panelserviceswindows xp

When opening the Services control panel applet it opens on the Extended tab by default. I find that tab wastes a great deal of real estate for no real value-added. All the same information is available on the Standard tab already, without the superfluous whitespace. Can anyone tell me if it's possible, and how, to tweak the UI so that the Services applet will open on the Standard tab by default. (I'm envisioning a Registry key/value, but maybe it's somewhere else, if at all?)

Best Answer

I hate that too. Here's how to fix it:

  1. Browse to C:\Windows\System32
  2. Right-click on services.msc, choose Author
  3. Change to Standard mode
  4. File menu, Save

It will default to the Standard mode from now on.

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