I use Windows XP Remote Assistance (RA) to connect to some 250 computers.
After the install of SP2 RA did not function. After selecting the Remote
Assistance, Remote Desktop and File and Print Sharing exceptions in the
firewall settings it still did not work. After hours on the phone with
Microsoft they still had no solution (one tech told me I need 2gig of ram to
even install SP2 and that was my problem!).
I did some more testing on my own this morning and using the program call
Active Ports I was able to figure out that there are two settings in the
firewall I needed to add in order for it to work. First add an exception for
the program Helpsvc.exe which is located in
C:\WINDOWS\PCHEALTH\HELPCTR\Binaries and then add an exception for port 135.
This worked for everyone of our systems on SP2. I hope this is helpful to
others.

Dan Benjamin wrote:
> I use Windows XP Remote Assistance (RA) to connect to some 250
> computers. After the install of SP2 RA did not function. After
> selecting the Remote Assistance, Remote Desktop and File and Print
> Sharing exceptions in the firewall settings it still did not work.
> After hours on the phone with Microsoft they still had no solution
> (one tech told me I need 2gig of ram to even install SP2 and that was
> my problem!).
> I did some more testing on my own this morning and using the program
> call Active Ports I was able to figure out that there are two
> settings in the firewall I needed to add in order for it to work.
> First add an exception for the program Helpsvc.exe which is located in
> C:\WINDOWS\PCHEALTH\HELPCTR\Binaries and then add an exception for
> port 135. This worked for everyone of our systems on SP2. I hope this
> is helpful to others.

You mean this?

Windows XP SP2 Firewall blocks offers of Remote Assistance
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=555179

2 Hours on the phone with Microsoft Technical Support and none of them
pointed you to this article?
Last Revised: 8/22/2004 (1.0)

--
<- Shenan ->
--
The information is provided "as is", it is suggested you research for
yourself before you take any advice - you are the one ultimately
responsible for your actions/problems/solutions. Know what you are
getting into before you jump in with both feet.

And note that this article was written by an MVP--not by Microsoft staff.

"Shenan Stanley" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Dan Benjamin wrote:
>> I use Windows XP Remote Assistance (RA) to connect to some 250
>> computers. After the install of SP2 RA did not function. After
>> selecting the Remote Assistance, Remote Desktop and File and Print
>> Sharing exceptions in the firewall settings it still did not work.
>> After hours on the phone with Microsoft they still had no solution
>> (one tech told me I need 2gig of ram to even install SP2 and that was
>> my problem!).
>> I did some more testing on my own this morning and using the program
>> call Active Ports I was able to figure out that there are two
>> settings in the firewall I needed to add in order for it to work.
>> First add an exception for the program Helpsvc.exe which is located in
>> C:\WINDOWS\PCHEALTH\HELPCTR\Binaries and then add an exception for
>> port 135. This worked for everyone of our systems on SP2. I hope this
>> is helpful to others.
>
> You mean this?
>
> Windows XP SP2 Firewall blocks offers of Remote Assistance
> http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=555179
>
> 2 Hours on the phone with Microsoft Technical Support and none of them
> pointed you to this article?
> Last Revised: 8/22/2004 (1.0)
>
> --
> <- Shenan ->
> --
> The information is provided "as is", it is suggested you research for
> yourself before you take any advice - you are the one ultimately
> responsible for your actions/problems/solutions. Know what you are
> getting into before you jump in with both feet.
>

Bill Sanderson wrote:
> And note that this article was written by an MVP--not by Microsoft
> staff.

Noted.

*grin*

--
<- Shenan ->
--
The information is provided "as is", it is suggested you research for
yourself before you take any advice - you are the one ultimately
responsible for your actions/problems/solutions. Know what you are
getting into before you jump in with both feet.