What are Windows Services managed by?

Windows Services are managed by the Windows Services Control Manager. This service is a vital part of the Windows operating system, acting as an interface for managing the various processes that run in the background, known as services. It provides capabilities to start, stop, pause, resume, and configure services on a Windows machine.

When a service starts, the Control Manager is responsible for loading the service's executable file and initializing the service. Then, it communicates control requests and status updates to the service, ensuring that it operates correctly. Users can access these management functions through tools like the Services application, which presents a user-friendly interface for interacting with the Control Manager.

The other options may be related to some aspects of system management but do not specifically manage Windows Services. Task Manager provides information about running applications and processes but does not manage services directly; Device Manager is focused on hardware devices and drivers; Control Panel serves a broader purpose for configuring system settings and does not specifically manage services as the Control Manager does.