›› Remote Procedure Call (RPC)

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Remote Procedure Call (RPC) is a service that allows client/server software to communicate with each other to accomplish a task. The client is a program that requests a service provided by another program, and the server responds to that request. In other words, Remote Procedure Call enables a program to access data and functionality from a different program on the same machine, local area network (LAN), or over the Internet.

Computer programmers are able to code the use of this service into their software (client) so that it will be able to use the functionality of another piece of software (server) to accomplish a specific task. In this way, developers do not have to waste time and effort re-creating functionality that has already been coded.

For example, suppose that you were a computer programmer and you wanted to create an email program that allows users to check and read their email. You could use the Remote Procedure Call service in your email program to be able to send commands to the email server. In this way, Remote Procedure Call allows commands to be sent from the email client to the email server so that the email server may begin sending the new email messages to the client.

It is imperative that you keep this service set to Automatic. As you can see if you scroll down a bit, the list of services that depend on Remote Procedure Call is almost endless. The reason that RPC has so many reciprocal dependencies is due to the fact that many Windows Services use RPC to communicate with each other. Windows architecture seems to be built around the cooperation of services sending and receiving data to and from each other to perform their duties. You cannot disable or stop this service using the MMC services snap in or the MSCONFIG utility. Disabling this service will cause an operating system failure.

Service Name RpcSs
Display Name Remote Procedure Call (RPC)
Executable File Name svchost.exe
Dependencies None
Reciprocal Dependencies Background Intelligent Transfer Service, COM+ Event System, COM+ System Application, Cryptographic Services, Distributed Link Tracking Client, Distributed Transaction Coordinator, Error Reporting Service, Help and Support, Human Interface Device Access, Indexing Service, IPSEC Services, Logical Disk Manager, Logical Disk Manager Administrative Service, Messenger, Microsoft Software Shadow Copy Provider, Network Connections, Print Spooler, Protected Storage, QoS RSVP, Remote Desktop Help Session Manager, Remote Registry, Removable Storage, Routing and Remote Access, Security Accounts Manager, Shell Hardware Detection, System Restore Service, Task Scheduler, Telephony, Telnet, Terminal Services, Upload Manager, Volume Shadow Copy, Windows Audio, Windows Image Acquisition (WIA), Windows Installer, Windows Management Instrumentation, Wireless Zero Configuration, WMI Performance Adapter
Default Startup Type Automatic
Recommended Startup Type Automatic (DO NOT DISABLE!)

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