Windows XP FireWall keeps turning itself on

[T. Willi]

Does some one have any idea why my CPU's Windows Security Center keeps
resetting from off to "on" my Windows Firewall setting? I am using Black
Ice as my Firewall and have not had this problem since I started with Black
Ice about 4 years ago.

Might this be an issue caused by one of Microsoft's "updates?"

Upon each start of my CPU, the Window Security Center will show that their
Firewall has been set to on. I change the setting back to "off" but it gets
reset to "on" with each new restart.

(This seems to be interfering with my email program - giving me connect
errors 10060 and 100,78,168,68:25 for the email while the Internet
connection is working just fine [as I am streaming audio and surfing the Net
just fine during this problem]).

My Internet provider - Adelphia - helped me troubleshoot and narrow down the
cause for my email seeming to drop its connection - while a second computer
that is networked to my computer does not have any problem like this and can
receive email as usual. Adelphia said the error messages meant that a
security setting was set too high. I use Avast as my virus program (but I
have not had this problem in the 3 years of using Avast on this computer).

Thank you for any help you can provide.

Tom

 

[Tom]

Does some one have any idea why my CPU's Windows Security Center keeps
resetting from off to "on" my Windows Firewall setting? I am using Black
Ice as my Firewall and have not had this problem since I started with
Black Ice about 4 years ago.

Might this be an issue caused by one of Microsoft's "updates?"

Upon each start of my CPU, the Window Security Center will show that their
Firewall has been set to on. I change the setting back to "off" but it
gets reset to "on" with each new restart.

(This seems to be interfering with my email program - giving me connect
errors 10060 and 100,78,168,68:25 for the email while the Internet
connection is working just fine [as I am streaming audio and surfing the
Net just fine during this problem]).

My Internet provider - Adelphia - helped me troubleshoot and narrow down
the cause for my email seeming to drop its connection - while a second
computer that is networked to my computer does not have any problem like
this and can receive email as usual. Adelphia said the error messages
meant that a security setting was set too high. I use Avast as my virus
program (but I have not had this problem in the 3 years of using Avast on
this computer).

Thank you for any help you can provide.

Tom

Well, your email connections problems are primarily the problem of your ISP,
anyway:

Back to your issue with Turing off/on the alert that WSC shows. When it says
it is on, it is simply saying there is a firewall on, even if it isn't the
one built-in to XP. If you open Security Center in the Control Panel, and
click on the double drop down arrows next to "On" (looks like chevrons),
then it will inform you of your own firewall being turned on, that being
Black Ice. XP's firewall turns off when you turn yours on.