If you have iTunes installed on your Windows machine, you are running the Windows iPod service. But if you don’t use an iPod, you don’t need this service. Here’s how to turn it off and save 4MB of memory:

1. Click the Start button and select Run… from the Start menu.
2. Type services.msc and press Enter. The Services management console is displayed.
3. Right-click iPod Service and select Properties.
4. Click Stop to halt the service.
5. Change Startup type to Disabled. Click OK and close the console.

If you acquire an iPod, you will have to re-enable the service in order to use the iPod with iTunes. (Thanks to Neil Turner, who described this tweak in his blog.)