Microsoft Storage Spaces SMP (smphost) startup type, default configuration, and information
Registry Name:
smphost
Display Name:
Microsoft Storage Spaces SMP
Description:
Host service for the Microsoft Storage Spaces management provider. If this service is stopped or disabled, Storage Spaces cannot be managed.
For more information, see the Additional Information section.
Default Status:
Stopped
Default Startup Type:
Manual
Learn more about the different startup types of Windows services in Microsoft Windows.
Image Path:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe -k smphost
svchost.exe is a system process that hosts and manages Windows services running from DLL files rather than standalone executable files, allowing Windows to modularize and efficiently manage background tasks.
svchost.exe loads and runs Windows services, such as networking, Windows Update, audio, and many others. Multiple instances of svchost.exe can run simultaneously, each hosting different services. This helps with stability and security—if one service fails, it doesn't crash all services.
DLL File Path:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smphost.dll
Dependencies:
The service depends on the following system components to function properly:
System components that depend on this service to function properly:
- None
Log On As:
NT AUTHORITY\NetworkService
Additional Information:
The Microsoft Storage Spaces SMP service provides support for Storage Spaces. Storage Spaces is a technology that allows you to group multiple physical disks together into a single logical storage pool. This can be used to create redundant storage, expand your storage capacity, or improve the performance of your storage.
The Microsoft Storage Spaces SMP service is not essential for the operation of Windows, but it is required for Storage Spaces to work. If you are having problems with Storage Spaces, you can try restarting the Microsoft Storage Spaces SMP service.
Windows Service Startup Type:
In Microsoft Windows, Windows services can be configured with different startup types that determine how and when they are started:
- Automatic: The service starts automatically when Windows boots.
- Automatic (Delayed Start): The service starts automatically after the system has finished booting and initial services have started, helping improve startup performance.
- Manual: The service does not start automatically. It must be started by a user or another process when needed.
- Manual (Trigger Start): The service starts manually or in response to specific system events (triggers), such as device insertion or network changes.
- Disabled: The service is prevented from starting, even if required by the system or an application.