M
merothberg
Here is the way to make it work:
winchat.exe is still part of windows XP and still works. However, SP2
disabled winchat and net DDE services that winchat uses. To fix this,
you must open your LAN connection:
Control Panel->Network Connections -> [whatever your connection is
named]
Click Properties
Select the Advanced Tab
Click the Windows Firewall "Settings" button
Select the exceptions Tab. This will display a list of trusted
programs. You will be adding two programs to this list:
"C:\Windows\System32\winchat.exe" and "C:\Windows
\System32\netdde.exe"
This is done by clicking the "Add Programs" button and browsing to the
directory containing these programs (given above). Click the program
you wish to add and then click "Open". This adds the program to the
list of trusted programs. You will do this for each of the programs
listed above.
When you have done this, click OK to return to the Firewall window,
click OK to close the Firewall window, and click OK to close the
Properties window. Close the lan connection window.
Open Administrative Tools->Services and start or restart "Network DDE
DSDM" (This will inform you that Network DDE is also being restarted).
You may now open winchat.exe and call other computers on your LAN. Of
course each computer needs to have the same trusted programs added.
winchat.exe (actually netdde.exe) is a security risk because it allows
someone else to run software on your computer. If you have a direct
connection to the internet, this may be a dangerous program to run. In
my case, I am behind a very secure firewall and have no access to the
internet except via a secure server. If you are in a company
environment, check with your IT security personnel before enabling
this or you may be inviting invasion of your computer. Net DDE is a
known security risk. Making it a trusted program allows external
processes to start an run programs on your computer, so be careful.
I tested this in a business environment using active directory and
domains rather than workgroups. This should work with a workgroup
environment because the security constraints are less stringent.
winchat.exe is still part of windows XP and still works. However, SP2
disabled winchat and net DDE services that winchat uses. To fix this,
you must open your LAN connection:
Control Panel->Network Connections -> [whatever your connection is
named]
Click Properties
Select the Advanced Tab
Click the Windows Firewall "Settings" button
Select the exceptions Tab. This will display a list of trusted
programs. You will be adding two programs to this list:
"C:\Windows\System32\winchat.exe" and "C:\Windows
\System32\netdde.exe"
This is done by clicking the "Add Programs" button and browsing to the
directory containing these programs (given above). Click the program
you wish to add and then click "Open". This adds the program to the
list of trusted programs. You will do this for each of the programs
listed above.
When you have done this, click OK to return to the Firewall window,
click OK to close the Firewall window, and click OK to close the
Properties window. Close the lan connection window.
Open Administrative Tools->Services and start or restart "Network DDE
DSDM" (This will inform you that Network DDE is also being restarted).
You may now open winchat.exe and call other computers on your LAN. Of
course each computer needs to have the same trusted programs added.
winchat.exe (actually netdde.exe) is a security risk because it allows
someone else to run software on your computer. If you have a direct
connection to the internet, this may be a dangerous program to run. In
my case, I am behind a very secure firewall and have no access to the
internet except via a secure server. If you are in a company
environment, check with your IT security personnel before enabling
this or you may be inviting invasion of your computer. Net DDE is a
known security risk. Making it a trusted program allows external
processes to start an run programs on your computer, so be careful.
I tested this in a business environment using active directory and
domains rather than workgroups. This should work with a workgroup
environment because the security constraints are less stringent.