I find that if I reboot my Win 7 machine, I end up with fewer background gizmos running.
Also, before I fly AH, I run ("as admin") the following batch script to shut down selected stuff that my general-purpose PC runs. I don't - yet! - have a dedicated gaming machine that I can keep away from the rest of the family.
rem ### this batch script shuts down selected windows 7 programs
rem ### reboot machine to return to normal config
rem ### Home Group Provider
net stop HomeGroupProvider
rem ### Network List Service
net stop netprofm
rem ### Network Location Awareness
net stop nlasvc
rem ### PNRP Machine Name Publication Service
net stop PNRPAutoReg
rem ### Peer Networking Grouping
net stop p2psvc
rem ### Peer Name Resolution Protcol
net stop PNRPsvc
rem ### Peer Networking Identity Manager
net stop p2pimsvc
rem ### Function Discovery Provider Host
net stop fdPHost
rem ### Function Discovery Resource Publication
net stop FDResPub
rem ### Background Intelligent Transfer Service
net stop bits
rem ### Windows Update
net stop wuauserv
rem ### Windows Search
net stop WSearch
rem ### Windows Backup
net stop SDRSVC
rem ### Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service
net stop WMPNetworkSvc
rem ### Disk Defragmenter
net stop defragsvc
rem ### TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper
net stop lmhosts
rem ### Offline Files
net stop CscService
rem ### Superfetch
net stop SysMain
rem ### Print Spooler
net stop Spooler
rem ### FAX Service
net stop Fax
rem ### Remote Registry
net stop RemoteRegistry
rem ### Routing and Remote Access
net stop RemoteAccess
rem ### Microsoft Office Service
net stop OfficeSvc
rem ### LightScribeService Direct Disc Labeling Service
net stop LightScribeService
rem ### Windows Image Acquisition (WIA)
net stop stisvc
rem ### Distributed Link Tracking Client
net stop "TrkWks"
rem ### ArcSoft Connect Daemon
net stop ACDaemon
rem ### Apple iPod programs
taskkill /f /t /im "iTunesHelper.exe"
net stop "Apple Mobile Device"
net stop "Bonjour Service"
net stop "iPod Service"
rem ### Java Update Scheduler
taskkill /f /t /im "jusched.exe"
rem ### Steam Client Bootstrapper
taskkill /f /t /im "Steam.exe"
rem ### HP Network Printer programs
taskkill /f /t /im "NPNetworkCommunicator.exe"
taskkill /f /t /im "ScanToPCActivationApp.exe"
rem ### Adobe Acrobat junk
taskkill /f /t /im "acrotray.exe"
rem ### Garmin devices
net stop "Garmin Core Update Service"
rem ### Google Chrome browser programs
taskkill /f /t /im "GoogleCrashHandler.exe"
taskkill /f /t /im "GoogleCrashHandler64.exe"
rem ### Epson event manager
taskkill /f /t /im "EEventManager.exe"
pause
