# Disable Action Center in Windows 7?



## hat (Nov 13, 2009)

Yes, I have googled this. Everything I've seen tells me to go to control panel > all control panel items (which I'm already in because I have the Control Panel to show as a menu, not a link) > system icons. Problem is, I don't have a system icons menu. If it makes any difference I'm running Home Premium, so maybe only users of the "better versions" like Ultimate get to shut it off?


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## human_error (Nov 13, 2009)

**edited as i got the wrong option**

control panel>all icons>Task bar and start menu>taskbar tab>customize (notification area section in middle)>turn system icons on or off (link under the list of all the icons, above the checkbox at the bottom)> turn it off in there. Done


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## hat (Nov 13, 2009)

Thanks, but I want to disable the thing as in completely get rid of it, not just hide it from the system tray.


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## newtekie1 (Nov 13, 2009)

I don't believe you can.


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## Solaris17 (Nov 13, 2009)

http://malektips.com/windows-7-action-center-disable-message.html

then go to start>run>"msconfig" services tab...scroll to bottom uncheck security center apply and reboot


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## newtekie1 (Nov 13, 2009)

Solaris17 said:


> http://malektips.com/windows-7-action-center-disable-message.html
> 
> then go to start>run>"msconfig" services tab...scroll to bottom uncheck security center apply and reboot



Unfortunately that doesn't disable Action Center, all it does it cause Acution Center to bitch about the Security Center service not running.

Action Center seems to be a different beast from Security Center...

And telling it to not display any messages gets it out of the way, the same way disabling the icon in the suggestions above does, but Action Center is still enabled and running.


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## Solaris17 (Nov 13, 2009)

newtekie1 said:


> Unfortunately that doesn't disable Action Center, all it does it cause Acution Center to bitch about the Security Center service not running.
> 
> Action Center seems to be a different beast from Security Center...



thats why you uncheck all of the boxes all i think action center is is a warning about various other aspects of the pc. so just uncheck everything and it wont complain about jack or show the icon its worked on countless 7 formats with me. though i do agree security center is diffirent i wasnt entirely implying that it was the same more like security center in itself is also an unneeded program



> And telling it to not display any messages gets it out of the way, the same way disabling the icon in the suggestions above does, but Action Center is still enabled and running



granted but unchecking what it monitors surely is a way to lighten the load? id imagine anyway seeing as your telling it not to actuively check those programs


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## newtekie1 (Nov 13, 2009)

As far as I can tell, uncheck them just disabled the message, it still monitors everything...I know it is stupid...


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## Solaris17 (Nov 13, 2009)

newtekie1 said:


> As far as I can tell, uncheck them just disabled the message, it still monitors everything...I know it is stupid...



damn well in that case i cant seem to find anything in the services etc that make it obvious its associated with action center. so its probably some kind of intigrated into the OS


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## scaminatrix (Mar 5, 2011)

I know it's an old thread, just giving it an answer.

Completely disable action center:
1. Take Ownership of its dll files - Go to C:\Windows\System32, right-click the file "actioncenter.dll" and click Properties > Security > Advanced > Owner > Edit > Select your name and click OK/Yes/OK. Do the same thing for the file "actioncenterCPL.dll".
2. Need to Restart the dll for the change in ownership to take effect. CTRL+ALT+DEL and Start Task Manager. Go to Processes, select "explorer.exe" and End Process (because the actioncenter.dll file runs under explorer.exe). Go to Applications and click New Task, type explorer.exe and click OK.
3. Make a new folder on your C drive to which you'll move the two DLL files for safe keeping. This will prevent them from being started by explorer. I used C:\ACDLL.
4. Need to close explorer.exe again so that the two dll files are no longer in use. Again go to Processes, select "explorer.exe" and End Process.
5. Move the two dll files to a different location using Command Prompt - in Task Manager, go to Applications and click New Task. Type cmd and click OK. In command prompt, type the following without the quotes (substitute ACDLL for whatever folder you're using): "move C:\windows\system32\actioncenter.dll C:\ACDLL\" and hit Enter. It should say "1 file moved". Then do the same for the actioncenterCPL.dll file.
6. Start explorer again. Go to Task Manager, Applications, New Task, "explorer" and click OK. You will notice Action Center is no longer running.

If anyone reports it working, I'll link the source, but just in case, I'll keep it back for now.

EDIT: Maybe you could try disabling the Security Centre service after doing this?


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