Windows 7 services unexpectedly started in Manual mode

Some very informative info from http://www.blackviper.com

* Application Experience
* Background Intelligent Transfer Service
* Server
* SSDP Discovery
* TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper

As you can see these services will start themselves when you try and do something that requires them such as launching a new app, running Windows Update, sharing a resource and browsing a shared resource.

I have a very extensive script intended for you to manage this exact type of thing.

It is called WinServicesOptimizer.  You can use it as an overall optimization script as you are asking AND you can use it as a "temporary services adjustment" for running items like VMWare.  For instance, you can keep the many (up to 5 now?) VMware services shutdown when you're not using it and have them startup RIGHT AS you are about to use it.  You could also shutdown other services for while you are running VMWare.

You can combine it with the excellent knowledge base at blackviper.com on what services can be disabled for purposes of optimization.

Here is the script: http://csi-windows.com/toolkit/winservicesoptimizer

Here is BlackViper's service configuration guide for windows 7:http://www.blackviper.com/category/guides/service-configurations/

Here is the overview of the optimization script:

Optimize real machines - make real machines run faster.
Initial computer build / existing machines - this script works equally well to prepare a machine for imaging, to be run during first boot or to be run on existing machines.
Optimize virtual machines - virtual machines - especially those used for testing - can be significantly optimized by shutting down unneeded services.
Home Computers - home machines can be especially burdened with extra services intended to be used in corporate environments for managing many things not present in a home network.
Services On Demand - turn off or pause unnecessary services when running intensive applications like games. For application specific services, leave them turned off and only turn them on when the software is in use (sample script included).
System Hardening - create service profiles that disable unneeded services for better system security.
Detecting New Services - on a regular basis or after a software install.

Significant Features:

Full Featured - most scripts that perform services optimization focus on disabling services (not setting to ANY mode) and generally do not account for being able to undo changes and have multiple configuration files for different purposes.
Manages both Service Run States and Startup Modes - any specific run of the script can change either or both of these attributes for some or all of your services. This makes it useful for applications such as service startup modes for system optimization or for temporary service disablement (e.g. to play intensive games) or to leave application specific services off until they are actually needed (run script to startup services => start app => app ends => run script to shutdown services)
Convert BlackViper.com Reg Files - how to document describing very simple procedure to convert BlackViper.com registry files to Service Profiles.
Multiple Configuration Files - examples "XPSP3_memoryoptimized", "XPSP3_VM_minimal", "XPSP3_defaults", "MyServicesBeforeChanges"
Unlimited Undo - serialized undo files are produced with each run of the script. The most recent is available with a simple command line switch.
Save Existing Service Configuration - for building custom templates, to return to a known state or to save service changes made manually in control panel.
CSV Configuration File Format - easy to edit and compare. Same data fields that would be output by any WMI call.
Only Managed What You Need To - simply remove services from the configuration file if you aren't managing them or if certain ones should never be disabled or reconfigured.
Easy of Use - uses full service names from control panel to avoid need to constantly lookup a service's registry name.
UAC Prompt Handling - If you accidentally run the script without first having admin rights, it automatically prompts for UAC and relaunches itself. Can be disabled for non-interactive runs using "-nouacprompting" which causes the script to generate an error if it does not have admin rights.
Commenting Files - Configuration files can have comments via records that contain a non valid start mode or run state.
Quick - use of database objects to read services configuration files allows a single control pass over all services to configure the entire set.
Logging -basic and verbose logging tell what services were changed, what ones could not be changed (and the full text error message) and what ones were discovered on the machine that were not in the configuration file. To generate a log file, redirect the script output to a file.
Command Line Switch Validation - validate command line and produce useful error messages.
Integrated Help - use "/?" or "/help" to receive help.
Included Services Configuration Samples:

Services On Demand Scripts - VMWare Workstation 6 - a) UAC elevation (if needed), b) start 3 VMware services and c) then start VMWare, d) shuts the services down when you are done using VMWare.