[fencefixer]

I was running Windows One Care anti-virus and firewall. I did a 'Shields up Test' today and the result was i failed due to port 1025 being open. I could not get it to close with 'one care' so i deleted it. I went to turn on the SP2 Firewall and could not. It is all greyed out with the Off button checked. I have no group policy and i am a stand alone HP ZD 7000 laptop computer runing XP Media Edition. Now i cannot reload the 'WIndows one care' as the active x control will not appear. Any suggestions?

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Hi fencefixer!

START-->RUN and type cmd. In the new window that appears type netsh winsock reset catalog and hit ENTER. Follow the prompts and reboot your computer. Once rebooted, try to turn on the Windows firewall again.

Fenor

[Fenor]

Hi fencefixer!

START-->RUN and type cmd. In the new window that appears type netsh winsock reset catalog and hit ENTER. Follow the prompts and reboot your computer. Once rebooted, try to turn on the Windows firewall again.

Fenor

[Saracen]

I would use a third party firewall due to the fact that the windows firewall only blocks traffic in one directions, theres a couple of freebie ones liseted below for you to try if you shuld wish to try them, dont forget - you should only install and run one firewall at once.

Zone Alarm Free
Sunbelt Kerio
Comodo Firewall

[fencefixer]

Thanks. I tried your suggestion but it did not have any effect. The windows firewall is still all greyed out.

I used Windows Defender and Spy Sweeper for MSN on my machine as well.

I want to use the Windows Firewall as i use a product called the 'Wiflyer' for wireless access to my laptop here on the mountain top in Montana. Wiflyer works with the horrible slow dialup we have here. Some of the other firewalls will not configure with the Wiflyer.

[Fenor]

See if any of the methods listed HERE solve your problem.

Fenor

[fencefixer]

I want to thank you for your help. I was able to get a hold of someone in Windows (transfered from Windows One Care. He is the solution he walked me through and it worked. So i thought i would pass it on. PS> port 1025 is still open (via 'Shields Up Test')after a reinstall on One Care.
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Action: Tried to turn on the windows firewall after uninstalling windows live one care

Result: Unable to turn on the Windows firewall after installing Windows Live one care and the security center options are greyed out.

Cause: The Windows registry key to enable the windows firewall was set to 0

Resolution Steps: -

Step - 1:- Clicked on Start then Clicked on Run and typed Regedit
Step - 2:- Then Located the Key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsFirewall\StandardProfile\ (highlighted it) and then on the right side panel we saw that the Enablefirewall was all 000000.
Step -3:- Then clicked on file and then Clicked on Export and then saved the file renaming it in as Registry Backup (within My Documents)
Step -4: - Deleted the file called Registry Backup from My Documents after conferming that the Windows Firewall was not greyed anymore and then Restarted the computer.
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[b1caez01]

Something does not sound right in your explanation...like a step or two was left out, or unclear...

Are you able to elaborate?

[fencefixer]

This any better?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------Step - 1:- Clicked on Start then Clicked on Run and typed Regedit
Step - 2:- Then Located the Key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsFirewall\StandardProfile\ (highlighted it by left click) and then on the right side panel we saw that the Enablefirewall was all 0x00000000 (0).
Step -3:- Then right clicked (opened dropdown menu) on right side of the file called 'enable firewall'and then Clicked on Export and then saved the file renaming it in as Registry Backup (within My Documents)
Step -4: Deleted HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsFirewall from the windows registry. Deleted the file called Registry Backup from My Documents after conferming that the Windows Firewall was not greyed anymore and then Restarted the computer.

[b1caez01]

Apparently, there is a caveat to using the Live stuff...it negates the normal stuff...and you can't roll back. I wonder if you will need to try to do a reinstall of windows in its repair funtion from an F8 reboot. What do you think.

I did a search of my registry of what you had, and no such tree turned up.
My registry goes from HLM>SOFTWARE>POLICIES>MICROSOFT...and then nothing like what you have...

Something has affected your registry.

Have you ever done registry back ups before...preferably from a time prior to the Live install. There may be hope there. If so, back up the present registry and then import a copy of the old-pre-live-install.

I cannot stress enough the constanting backing up of the registry and important files and folders for just these occasions.

[fencefixer]

I just double checked mine and after Microsoft>WindowsFirewall shows up with the Standard Profile under that. It was one of the Window Techs that walked me through it and it did work. (1-866-663-2273 was their phone)Once i shut down after the deletion my firewall reappeared and it was not greyed out. My feeling is that ONE CARE should not be allowed to fool with my registry unless it is repaired or restored upon uninstall.

[Boostman]

I've dealt with this firewall "greyed out" issue many times. There a few options that can help this.

1. Run Spybot S&D as there is malware out there that disables the notification of the firewall, etc.

If this does not completely fix the issue then make a .reg file of the following and run it.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Security Center]
"FirstRunDisabled"=dword:00000000
"AntiVirusDisableNotify"=dword:00000000
"FirewallDisableNotify"=dword:00000000
"UpdatesDisableNotify"=dword:00000000
"AntiVirusOverride"=dword:00000000
"FirewallOverride"=dword:00000000

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsFirewall]

To make a .reg file simply copy the code into Wordpad or Notepad and save the file with a .reg appended to the file name and set save file type to "All files". Save it to your desktop and name it something like firewallfix.reg so that you know what it is. Once that is done double-click the file and merge into your registry. I would also suggest a reboot after wards.

So far this has worked I think everytime I have used it.

**I've added the file as an attachment for those that wish not to mess with it. it's named as a txt file, but if you remove the .txt it should then be a .reg file

Attached Files

•  FirewallFix.reg.txt   786bytes   85 downloads

[Saracen]

Just as a precaution I would back the registry up before using a regfix too. Then if it fails for any reason you have a backup you can import.
Always better to be safe than sorry !

At the taskbar, click Start --> Run. Type Regedit The registry editor should now open.
On the top Registry menu, click the File menu and the select Export Registry File.
In the Export range panel, make sure all is selected then save your registry as Backup in a safe location

[Boostman]

Good point there!