firewall has been turned off

[fool_on_the_hill]

I have a desktop computer running XP home service pack 2. I have just switched over to an adsl line with always on internet connection.
When I started the computer this morning I received a message saying my firewall was not turned on. I have not changed any settings myself. When I try to turn firewall back on windows says it cannot turn it on and suggests I do it manually via control panel and network and internet connections. This produces the following " windows firewall settings cannot be displayed because the associated service is not running. Do you want to start the Windows Firewall/Internet connection service?" Clicking yes produces " Windows cannot start the windows firewall/ internet connection service" I have done two system restores but no joy there.


Any ideas out there?

[patio]

What firewall ? ?

[fool_on_the_hill]

Hi Patio,

I have the windows (sp2) firewall. I have AVG free edition anti virus and the daily scan says no virus found. I have run ad aware and removed the usual batch of tracking cookies. Belarus informs me that all microsoft updates are in place. AVG and ad aware are up tp date.

[patio]

From the Mothership

patio.  8-)

[fool_on_the_hill]

Hi Patio,

the mothership is not helping on this one which is why i posted here. my security centre informs me that the firewall is off. clicking the enable button produces message windows cannot turn firewall on, do it yourself using the control panel. trying that produces the error message detailed in my first post.

[oddjob]

Actually, as software firewalls go, I think most poeple here would agree that the Windoze built-in firewall isn't that good.

You would be better off getting a decent free firewall elsewhere. Zone Alarm and Sygate are my favourites. Here are the links with a few other choices .........

Zone Alarm > http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/catalog/products/sku_list_za.jsp?dc=12bms&ctry=US&lang=en&lid=nav_za

Sygate > http://www.simtel.net/product.download.mirrors.php?id=53687

Kerio Firewall > http://www.sunbelt-software.com/Kerio.cfm

Agnitum > http://www.agnitum.com/products/outpost/

m0n0wall > http://m0n0.ch/wall/
(I’ve heard good things about monowall but it takes some setting up, I believe)

Smoothwall > http://www.smoothwall.org/

Tiny Personal > http://www.webmasterfree.com/tpfw.html

Outpost > http://www.agnitum.com/products/outpostfree/download.php

[Footnote to whoever redas this … the Norman Personal Firewall looks like it isn’t compatible with vista but this may change.]


OJ

[patio]

oddjob, what about Jetico ? ? Lightweight and effective.

Found it about 3 months ago.

[oddjob]

Agreed. Jetico is OK too.There are others. My list was only meant to be a selection, not comprehensive, but I guess you know that


OJ