windows firewall

[Rich]

my firewall has stopped working iam using vista home premium 32 bit when i try to turn the FW on i get a message saying security centre can not turn the FW on and gives me the option to turn it on manually

then if i try to do that i get told that the FW service is not running but if i check in services it set to automatic and started can any one help out on this problem

[Ruathar]

Common issue with 32 bit vista, the fiewall is incredibly sensitive and fals over quite a lot. Have you run the windows update recently? I know that there were some patches a while ago that caused this if you had certain AV/anti-spyware installed. if you get it totally up to date it does resolve the issue.

If your machine is totally up to date can you go open a run prompt (windows key + r), type in msconfig and hit return.

If you can provie a list of the entries ticked in the services and startup tabs as it i likely one of those causing the issue.

[Rich]

windows is fully up to date as far as i know but i could not install vista sp2 today

[Trotter]

SP2 took me 3 attempts.

Keep trying and you'll find it does sort itself out in the end.

[Alchamist]

I would say that the command to do it is "format c:" followed by "install linux" .... but then you'd expect that answer from me

[Ruathar]

You do need SP2 installed, then there are further updates after that.

[Frenchfarmer]

But you all know the windows & nun joke.

[Drift]

[Rich]

ill cant put sp2 on the lappy

[Frenchfarmer]

If you have a good Virus protection that includes a firewall you should have Windows firewall turned off.
I know windows doesn't like it but you can't have two firewalls at once. Windows will try to activate Firewall everytime you have a serious update from Zone Alarm and you have to go to Control Panel to shut it off so their one can work.

[Alchamist]

[Rich]

ive still no got windows firewall working so ive downloaded comodo firewall has anyone used this and is it any good

does anyone know how i can test my firewall to see if it works

[actung]

comodo do the full internet security suite for free, i tested it b4 months ago n it works ok but took it off cuz dont like software firewalls or majority of that hyped up security crap on any of my pcs (but install it for customers) :p
but its better than majority of other brock n doesnt seem to be a resource hog

[Rich]

well ive spent many hours on the phone this week with a nice man from microshaft trying to sort my computer out

the problem iam having with vista is

the firewall packed up

service pack two wont install

now it will not accept any updates or install programs

so the man from microshaft says let me take over your laptop from our end go to microshaft download this file and i will do the rest

the easy assist file i downloaded will not launch no problem i will email you an action plan follow it and send me the results which i did

he then phones me back the next day we go through the same sh*t has before download easy assist and he will do the rest it still dont work on my laptop so we use a third party remote access program

i sit back and watch him messing about with my laptop and set about trying to fix the firewall and install service pack two and guess what he didn't fix my laptop so yesterday after another hour fiddling with my laptop from his call centre in India his advice to me was over the weekend back up your files and i will call you Monday and talk you through a format of your hard drive

[Trotter]

Have you got a "Hard Copy" of Windows?
If you have, just put it in the disc drive and click on "repair Windows". Job Done!!

[Rich]

i dont have a copy of vista it was pre installed on the laptop i think there is a copy partitioned on the hard drive some were

[john boy]

Thats freaky mine did that about the same time i found my updates were all up to date but did another update and all is ok now.hope that helps.

[Alchamist]

Rich,

If you can hang on till tomorrow (Monday) night, I can have a firkle around inside (as I did with Ste's PC) remotely if you like and see what I can sort out

[john boy]

Rich,

If you can hang on till tomorrow (Monday) night, I can have a firkle around inside

that sounds a bit naughty

[Alchamist]

I think Ste kind of enjoyed it