Windows firewall won't stay on

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin (More info?)

Windows firewall does not stay on. I have set the firewall to be on many
many times, but for some reason every so often I will get a Security
Center alert saying that the firewall is off. Also, it does not stay on
after a restart - I have to turn it on every time I restart Windows. This
does not happen at the office where my computer has XP professional. Is
there a setting to change to stop this from happening?

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin (More info?)

Thanks! I have done most of those things - I use Norton AV and Spybot
Search & Destroy regularly, and I run a 3rd party firewall in addition to
the Windows firewall. Had some issues with IE being hijacked a few months
ago so we stopped using it (did try HijackThis also, but only once).

Any specific suggestions about keeping Windows fiewall turned on?

Thanks,

Joseph

In article <uvzK7346EHA.4040@TK2MSFTNGP14.phx.gbl>,
malke@nospoonnotreally.com says...
>
>
>Joseph Flynn wrote:
>
>> Windows firewall does not stay on. I have set the firewall to be on
>> many many times, but for some reason every so often I will get a
>> Security Center alert saying that the firewall is off. Also, it does
>> not stay on after a restart - I have to turn it on every time I
>> restart Windows. This does not happen at the office where my computer
>> has XP professional. Is there a setting to change to stop this from
>> happening?
>
>Do you know if the computer is 100% spyware and virus-free? If you
>aren't sure, here are general malware removal steps. If you feel your
>computer is clean, then what did you use to determine this? Also, do
>you have a third-party firewall installed?
>
> 1) Scan in Safe Mode with current version (not earlier than 2003)
>antivirus using updated definitions.
>
>2) Remove spyware with Spybot Search & Destroy and Ad-aware. These
>programs are free, so use them both since they complement each other.
>There is a new version of CWShredder from Intermute. I would not
>install the other Intermute programs, however. Alternately, there are
>CoolWebSearch malware removal steps at SilentRunners.
>
>Be sure to update these programs before running, and it is a good idea
>to do virus/spyware scans in Safe Mode. Make sure you are able to see
>all hidden files and extensions (View tab in Folder Options).
>
>HijackThis is an excellent tool to discover and disable hijackers, but
>it requires expert skill. See below for HijackThis links. A combination
>of HijackThis and About:Buster works well in removing the About:Blank
>homepage hijacker. Again, this is an expert tool and novices should get
>help with it.
>
>3) If you are running Windows ME or XP, you should disable/enable System
>Restore because malware will be in the Restore Points. With ME, you
>must disable System Restore completely. With XP, you can delete all but
>the most recent (presumably clean) System Restore point from the More
>Options section of Disk Cleanup (Run>cleanmgr).
>
>4) Make sure you've visited Windows Update and applied all security
>patches. Do not install driver updates from Windows Update.
>
>5) Run a firewall.
>
>Links to help with malware:
>
>Software/Methods:
>http://www.safer-networking.org - Spybot Search & Destroy
>http://www.lavasoftusa.com - Ad-aware
>http://www.majorgeeks.com - good download site
>http://www.intermute.com/spysubtract/cwshredder_download.html
>http://www.silentrunners.org/sr_cwsremoval.html. - SilentRunners
>
>HijackThis:
>http://www.aumha.org/a/hjttutor.htm - HijackThis tutorial by Jim
>Eshelman
>http://spywarewarrior.com/viewforum.php?f=5 - Spyware Warrior HijackThis
>forum
>http://www.wilderssecurity.com/
>http://forums.tomcoyote.org/
>http://www.spywareinfo.com/forums/
>
>General:
>http://forum.aumha.org/ - look under "Security" for various forums
>http://rgharper.mvps.org/cleanit.htm
>http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
>http://www.aumha.org/a/parasite.htm - The Parasite Fight
>http://www.spywarewarrior.com/rogue_anti-spyware.htm
>
>Malke
>--
>MS MVP - Windows Shell/User
>Elephant Boy Computers
>www.elephantboycomputers.com
>"Don't Panic!"