XP-Antispy

XP-Antispy allows you to gain control over your OS’s behavior by helping you disable certain functions that slow your computer down or make it prone to virus infections. It has the ability to disable automatic updates and various authentication processes in Windows.

Simple setup and clean GUI

Installation is extremely easy as it does not come packed with any offers and it does not last too long. The user interface is simple, yet intuitive. The main window is populated with the items that you can tweak.
Consequently, both power and novice users can learn how to handle XP-Antispy without encountering any kind of issues.

Use some of the included profiles

This tool enables you to easily navigate the aforementioned list and check or uncheck the functions in question. What is more, you can create multiple user profiles and switch between them rapidly. There are also a few built-in profiles you can take advantage of, namely neutral (almost all tweaks are disabled), suggested (scheme created by the developer) and system default (undo function for all the tweaks).

Some of the available options and some details regarding each one

Here’s a short summary of the application’s features: you can control the functions in Media Player, such as disabling automatic acquisition of licenses, automatic codec download, sending information about player usage to Microsoft, allowing its uninstall, and others.
Plus, you have control over the network, Internet Explorer (e.g. disable automatic or scheduled updates), services, MSN Messenger, and tweaks. Each option from the list comes with quick information tips at the bottom of the window, in case you have doubts about its role.
Be careful though, as you might tamper with some essential tools for Windows. For instance, you can completely disable the firewall, leaving you unarmed against malicious online threats.

Conclusion

All in all, XP-Antispy is addressed especially to advanced users. The tweaks it provides might seriously harm your computer if you are less experienced in this area, although the interface proves to be quite simple to handle. The computer’s performance is not burdened ant there are sufficient options to tweak.
If you are interested in skipping the installation process, you should know that a portable counterpart also exists, called XP-Antispy Portable.