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CLAUDE.md — Win10-Stop-Services-Processes

Project Overview

An AutoIt v3 script that runs as a persistent background process (system tray) on Windows 10/11. Its purpose is to suppress Windows Update and related telemetry activity by periodically terminating a hardcoded list of processes and stopping their backing services. Secondary features include process priority management and a priority watchdog. Requires administrator privileges (#RequireAdmin).

Repository Layout

Stop Services Processes.au3   ← primary script (only file to edit)
Includes/
  ServiceControl.au3          ← custom DllCall service library (advapi32.dll)
  AutoItConstants.au3         ← bundled standard AutoIt include
  Date.au3                    ← bundled standard AutoIt include
  Misc.au3                    ← bundled standard AutoIt include
  MsgBoxConstants.au3         ← bundled standard AutoIt include
BackUp/                       ← historical version snapshots (do not edit)
release/
  Stop Services - Processes.Exe  ← compiled output (do not edit manually)
Log File/closure_log.txt      ← repo-tracked sample log
%HOMEDRIVE%/login/            ← runtime log location on user's machine
ff7.ico                       ← system tray icon

Hardcoded Paths (Machine-Specific)

These paths inside Stop Services Processes.au3 are specific to the author's machine and must not be changed without explicit instruction:

Variable / Directive Current Value
#include (ServiceControl) C:\github\my-github-info\Win10-Stop-Services-Processes\Includes\ServiceControl.au3
$iconfile %HOMEDRIVE%\Users\mmuel\Documents\AutoIT\ff7.ico
$sLogFile @HomeDrive & "\login\closure_log.txt"
#AutoIt3Wrapper_Outfile_x64 ..\..\..\Users\mmuel\Desktop\Stop Services - Processes.Exe

Architecture

Execution Model

The script runs a passive main loop (While 1 / Sleep(50) / WEnd). All meaningful work is driven by hotkeys and AdlibRegister callbacks — never by modifying the main loop directly.

Hotkeys

Hotkey Function Behavior
Shift + F1 ToggleScript() Starts/stops the active monitoring loop
ScrollLock + PAUSE _exit() Hard terminates the script
Ctrl + Shift + 9 SetProcessPriority() One-shot: sets priority for all instances of a named process
Ctrl + Alt + Shift + 9 LockProcessPriority() Locks a specific PID's priority; watchdog auto-restores on drift

Active Monitoring Loop (ToggleScript)

When started via Shift+F1, runs While $bScriptRunning and calls:

  • _CloseInstaller() — kills processes in $sProcesses[] array every ~2 seconds
  • _stopservicescustom() — stops services in $aServiceNames[] every ~2 seconds
  • _miscpopups() — closes specific application registration dialogs

Timing uses TimerInit() / TimerDiff() via CheckElapsedTime($iStartTime, $iIntervalSeconds).

Priority Watchdog (LockProcessPriority + _PriorityWatchdog)

  • LockProcessPriority(): collects PID + priority via InputBox, sets immediately, appends to three parallel global arrays, calls AdlibRegister("_PriorityWatchdog", 10000) only on first entry.
  • _PriorityWatchdog(): fires every 10 seconds, iterates arrays backwards, removes dead PIDs, restores drifted priorities. Calls AdlibUnRegister when arrays empty.
  • Multiple PIDs supported — one timer handles all of them.

Coding Conventions

Function Naming

  • Hotkey-triggered (public): PascalCase — ToggleScript, SetProcessPriority, LockProcessPriority
  • Internal/private: _UnderscorePascalCase — _CloseInstaller, _LogMessage, _PriorityWatchdog

Logging

All events go through _LogMessage($sMessage, $sType, $iLevel):

  • $iLevel 0 = Error, 1 = Info, 2 = Verbose
  • $iLogLevel = 2 by default (Verbose)
  • $bLogToConsole = True mirrors output to SciTE console
  • Log type strings: "System", "Process", "Service", "ProcessPriority", "PriorityWatchdog"

Region Structure

Code is organized into #Region / #EndRegion blocks:

  1. Includes/Options/Permissions/Hotkeys
  2. Variables/Logging
  3. Functions follow (no region wrapper)

AutoIt Version Compatibility Notes (3.3.16.1)

These are confirmed bugs/gaps encountered in the author's AutoIt installation — do not revert these decisions:

Issue Fix Applied
$PROCESS_IDLE not defined in AutoItConstants.au3 Manually declared Global Const $PROCESS_IDLE = 0 in globals
_WinAPI_GetPriorityClass wrapper propagates unreliable @error values _GetProcessPriorityByPID uses direct DllCall("kernel32.dll", ...) instead
PROCESS_QUERY_INFORMATION (0x0400) denied on some processes Use PROCESS_QUERY_LIMITED_INFORMATION (0x1000) — sufficient for GetPriorityClass
TrayTip renders as large Windows 10/11 toast notification Use ToolTip() via _TrayNotify() helper — tiny, no Action Center, no sound
@error overwritten by _WinAPI_CloseHandle after _WinAPI_GetPriorityClass Always save Local $iErr = @error on the line immediately after any WinAPI call

ServiceControl.au3

Custom library wrapping advapi32.dll via DllCall directly (not using AutoIt's built-in service functions). Provides:

  • _ServiceRunning($sComputerName, $sServiceName) — checks if service responds to SERVICE_CONTROL_INTERROGATE
  • _StopService($sComputerName, $sServiceName) — sends stop control
  • _StartService, _ServiceExists, _CreateService, _DeleteService

Note: The main script calls _stopservice(...) (lowercase) — AutoIt function names are case-insensitive, so this correctly resolves to _StopService in ServiceControl.au3. Do not "fix" this inconsistency.

WinAPI Priority Reading Pattern

The correct pattern for reading a process priority class — do not use _WinAPI_GetPriorityClass:

Local Const $PROCESS_QUERY_LIMITED_INFORMATION = 0x1000
Local $aOpen = DllCall("kernel32.dll", "handle", "OpenProcess", "dword", $PROCESS_QUERY_LIMITED_INFORMATION, "bool", False, "dword", $iPID)
If @error Or Not $aOpen[0] Then Return -1
Local $aResult   = DllCall("kernel32.dll", "dword", "GetPriorityClass", "handle", $aOpen[0])
Local $iDllError = @error
Local $iWinError = _WinAPI_GetLastError()   ; must be before CloseHandle
DllCall("kernel32.dll", "bool", "CloseHandle", "handle", $aOpen[0])
If $iDllError Or Not $aResult[0] Then Return -1

Priority Constant Mapping

_WinAPI_GetPriorityClass / GetPriorityClass returns Windows API constants. ProcessSetPriority takes AutoIt constants. These are different numbering schemes — always use _WinAPIPriorityClassToAutoItConst() to convert.

AutoIt Const Value Windows API Const Hex
$PROCESS_IDLE 0 $IDLE_PRIORITY_CLASS 0x40
$PROCESS_BELOWNORMAL 1 $BELOW_NORMAL_PRIORITY_CLASS 0x4000
$PROCESS_NORMAL 2 $NORMAL_PRIORITY_CLASS 0x20
$PROCESS_ABOVENORMAL 3 $ABOVE_NORMAL_PRIORITY_CLASS 0x8000
$PROCESS_HIGH 4 $HIGH_PRIORITY_CLASS 0x80
$PROCESS_REALTIME 5 $REALTIME_PRIORITY_CLASS 0x100

User Notifications

Never use TrayTip for watchdog events — it produces large toast notifications on Windows 10/11. Always use _TrayNotify($sMessage) which calls ToolTip() positioned bottom-right and auto-clears after 3 seconds via AdlibRegister("_ClearTrayNotify", 3000).

AU3Check Compiler Flags

-q -d -w 1 -w 2 -w 3 -w 4
  • -q quiet, -d check undeclared variables, -w 1-4 enable warning levels 1–4
  • All compiler warnings should be resolved before committing

Git / Deployment

  • Repo: https://github.com/SevWren/Win10-Stop-Services-Processes
  • Branch: main
  • Compiled .exe lives in release/ — rebuild via AutoIt3Wrapper after script changes
  • BackUp/ folder contains historical versions — never delete, never edit