if you REALLY would like a detail look at whats opening ports.. do this:

start > run > cmd.exe <enter>

now type in the black dos window:

netstat -a -b -v


now it should look like this:
Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\*your account*>netstat -a -b -v

Proto Local Address Foreign Address State PID
TCP NETWORK-93BA05E:http NETWORK-93BA05E:0 LISTENING 2000
[Apache.exe]

TCP NETWORK-93BA05E:epmap NETWORK-93BA05E:0 LISTENING 1100
c:\windows\system32\WS2_32.dll
C:\WINDOWS\system32\RPCRT4.dll
c:\windows\system32\rpcss.dll
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
-- unknown component(s) --
[svchost.exe]

TCP NETWORK-93BA05E:microsoft-ds NETWORK-93BA05E:0 LISTENING
...etc

if you dont want it to resolve hosts, or use names of ports, just use the -n option, this forces the numerical option which makes everything has a name back into its number form:


C:\Documents and Settings\*your account*>netstat -a -b -v -n
Active Connections

Proto Local Address Foreign Address State PID
TCP 0.0.0.0:80 0.0.0.0:0 LISTENING 2000
[Apache.exe]


this will give you LOTS of stats on what programs and services have activated a port.

if you want to know what is being sent over these ports, download ethereal and its required winpcap ethernet library at http://ethereal.com/

you can learn some interesting things about networks by just sniffing