7

I noticed that this service starts and stops regularly seeking for proxies, but in the service description says that it implements the HTTP client stack.

Is it used for something more than proxy autodiscover? Will I break something by disabling it?

0

2 Answers 2

8
+100

This service starts and stops as needed so there shouldn't be any reason in particular to disable it.

That said, if you don't have a proxy, there's no need for it. There are no dependencies on this service by other services.

3
  • Thanks, the reason is that I don't want all the computers in my network to be seeking for a proxy when I know that there's no need for that. I already know that I don't have any service depending on that one, but how will the WinHTTP COM objects be affected?
    – jmservera
    Feb 15, 2010 at 13:22
  • 3
    Disabling the service probably isn't going to get the desired effect. According to MSDN, if a COM object requests the URL for a proxy but it cannot delegate the lookup to the proxy service, it loads the COM runtime into its own process space and does the lookup itself. If these are client machines (i.e. XP), you should be able to push out a group policy which turns off the "auto-detect proxy" feature in IE. Servers have a "ProxyCfg.exe" application which configures this, and server-side applications should rely on this being configured anyway, not auto-detecting it. Feb 15, 2010 at 19:00
  • But it's a web server so shouldn't need proxy services (if it's just running a simple set of applications). If it's disabled it can't suck CPU cycles, fill up the log, nor present a security risk.
    – GlennG
    May 11, 2012 at 9:19
4

Do not disable this service in Win8/Server 2012 and newer. Disabling WinHttpAutoProxySvc can cause a cascade of stuck threads that depletes threadpools and eventually causes a server hang. I work at Microsoft and have debugged this issue many times.

5
  • 1
    Is this still true? It seems like it could be an exploitable flaw in the OS. Any time you can exhaust a pool there's a potential chink in the armor. I used to work at MS, too, so I know it's sometimes tough to find a line of communication to another group, but I have to think the Windows group has some avenue for reporting issues. If it's still like this, I really think they need to put safeguards in whatever code is assuming the service is available.
    – Aiken Drum
    Jan 7, 2018 at 1:33
  • Disabling this service requires administrative rights. There are an almost infinite number of ways an administrator can reconfigure a system which will cause the OS to malfunction or outright fail. Changing service configuration from the defaults is no different than changing permissions under C:\Windows\ from the defaults. Can you do it? Yes, BUT you put yourself in a position that requires an extensive test plan because Microsoft has not done ANY testing of the operating system in your new personal configuration. It may work...it may not. But it is no longer configured as designed.
    – Ray Ackley
    Jan 8, 2018 at 12:14
  • That was an extraordinarily long and thorough answer to a question that I didn't ask. :) Is what you said in your answer still true?
    – Aiken Drum
    Jan 9, 2018 at 22:58
  • Yes, it is true, but I think you're missing the point. When an admin changes the way the OS is configured, you can't then shift the responsibility for that change to the OS. If an admin sets C:\Windows\ to Everyone Full Control, is that an "exploitable flaw in the OS"? Of course not. The admin owns that change and the consequences of it. It's the same with disabling services that are not supposed to be disabled.
    – Ray Ackley
    Oct 30, 2019 at 12:55
  • 2
    In Win11 this is now a dep of Network Connection Manager. Not sure why it has to be so complicated now but you do need to leave this enabled. Our beloved WinXP and Win7 tunings are long gone.
    – JGurtz
    May 21, 2022 at 8:44

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .