FTP-client can't run standard mode FTP after SP2

G

Guest

After installing SP2 I can't use the FTP-client evoked from the DOS-prompt.
It runs standard mode FTP (not Passive mode) and WinXP appearently doesn't
allow the FTP-server to establish a data connection from server port 20. I
have disabled the firewall i WinXP but anyway the OS has been more
restrictive after SP2. Any help appreciated.
 
G

Guest

Adam, You're right - and it never did. But Standard mode FTP used to work in
WinXP - until SP2. I'm looking for a setting or whatever to make it work
again.
 
R

Ron Lowe

Gert said:
After installing SP2 I can't use the FTP-client evoked from the
DOS-prompt.
It runs standard mode FTP (not Passive mode) and WinXP appearently doesn't
allow the FTP-server to establish a data connection from server port 20.
I
have disabled the firewall i WinXP but anyway the OS has been more
restrictive after SP2. Any help appreciated.

I'm not clear if you are saying that dis-abling the firewall fixed the
problem or not.
If it does fix the problem, then you need to set up the exception on the
firewall as described below.

If disabling the firewall did not fix things, then there's something else
wrong.
Is there another firewall installed?
Or has there ever been another firewall installed,
and which has possibly been incorrectly un-installed?

It should still work with the SP2 firewall.
When you initiate a standard ( PORT ) mode FTP data
connection, the client opens a port, and the server connects to it from port
20.

The firewall should flag up that ftp.exe is attempting to open a port, and
do you wish to permit that.
If you say yes, then active FTP will work as normal.

Go into the firewall settings, Exceptions tab.
There should be one for:
"File Transfer Program" ( their error, not mine! )
Double-click it, and is should point to C:\windows\system32\ftp.exe.
The scope should be "Any computer, ( including Internet )".

If this exception is missing, then choose 'Add Program'.
Choose 'Browse', and go to c:\windows\system32\ftp.exe
 
J

James Egan

After installing SP2 I can't use the FTP-client evoked from the DOS-prompt.
It runs standard mode FTP (not Passive mode) and WinXP appearently doesn't
allow the FTP-server to establish a data connection from server port 20. I
have disabled the firewall i WinXP but anyway the OS has been more
restrictive after SP2. Any help appreciated.

The ftp server would connect back on the port one up from the random
unprivileged port you used to connect to its command port so you can't
pin down which port to open.

Maybe you could use the command line utilities wget and wput instead
of ftp to achieve the same thing in passive mode.


Jim.
 
G

Guest

Ron, thanks for the answer. Disabling the XP-firewall does not fix the
problem. There is no other firewall between the FTP-client and FTP-host (but
the both of them are protected by a firewall against the internet). I
suspect some XP firewall functionality remain enabled despite my disabling it
via the control panel. I have also tried to make it work with the firewall
enabled and the ftp.exe entered as an exception. No success. The control
connection works fine and the client says "200 PORT subcommand request
successful." and waits. The server tries to open a data connection from
port 20 and waits. It looks like the XP-client rejects the data connection -
witout notifying anybody about it. Regards from Gert
 
R

Ron Lowe

Gert said:
Ron, thanks for the answer. Disabling the XP-firewall does not fix the
problem. There is no other firewall between the FTP-client and FTP-host
(but
the both of them are protected by a firewall against the internet). I
suspect some XP firewall functionality remain enabled despite my disabling
it
via the control panel. I have also tried to make it work with the
firewall
enabled and the ftp.exe entered as an exception. No success. The control
connection works fine and the client says "200 PORT subcommand request
successful." and waits. The server tries to open a data connection from
port 20 and waits. It looks like the XP-client rejects the data
connection -
witout notifying anybody about it. Regards from Gert

"Ron Lowe" wrote:



If it doesn't work with the firewall disabled, then something's broken.
It's not normal SP2 behaviour.
( The program exception for ftp.exe will keep track of changing port
numbers. )
It's something else on the machine causing this behaviour.

It sure sounds like another firewall, or the remenants of one.
Is there a VPN client installed that may have sneaked a firewall in there
too?

Next, I'd probably start thinking about malware.
Some malware intercepts the TCP/IP stack, and removal of this can break
things.
Have you run any spyware / adware removal tools lately?
 
G

Guest

Ron, thanks again for participating. I do have a Cisco VPN client installed
and it does prevent any other TCP-connection while active. But when not used
I wouldn't expect it to cause any problems. I probably have an absolute
minimum of spyware on my computer right now as I have displaced the HDD and
installed WinXP + SP2 from scratch.

Regards from Gert
 
R

Ron Lowe

Ron, thanks for the answer. Disabling the XP-firewall does not fix the
Ron, thanks again for participating. I do have a Cisco VPN client
installed
and it does prevent any other TCP-connection while active. But when not
used
I wouldn't expect it to cause any problems.

Hmm, I'd un-install the VPN client as a test...
 
J

James Egan

If it doesn't work with the firewall disabled, then something's broken.

My firewall behaved in a similar manner until I sytem restored back to
before sp2 and then re-installed it. Then it all worked okay. sp2
appeared to install successfully on both occasions.


Jim.
 
G

Guest

SUCCESS !! The Cisco VPN client has an option "Stateful Firewall (Always
On)" that is unchecked by default. Somehow this option had been checked in
my configuration and caused the FTP problem. It is NOT a SP2 issue as it
causes the same problem with SP1 or Win2K. Thanks a lot for helping.
Regards from Gert.
 
G

Guest

Hi Guys,

I am having the EXACT same problem as Gert. After SP2 applied NONE of my
FTP clients work EVEN THOUGH I told XP to UNBLOCK the programs.

I even went as far as to DE-INSTALL SP2 and gues what -- ALL THE FTP client
programs WORKED again. I re-installed SP2 and AGAIN none of the FTP clients
work.

ANYBODY --- PLEASE HELP!

PEACE AND LOVE TO ALL
THANKS
 
R

Ron Lowe

Jeff said:
Hi Guys,

I am having the EXACT same problem as Gert. After SP2 applied NONE of my
FTP clients work EVEN THOUGH I told XP to UNBLOCK the programs.

I even went as far as to DE-INSTALL SP2 and gues what -- ALL THE FTP
client
programs WORKED again. I re-installed SP2 and AGAIN none of the FTP
clients
work.

ANYBODY --- PLEASE HELP!

PEACE AND LOVE TO ALL
THANKS



If you heve the EXACT same problem,
then how about trying the EXACT same solution?

I'd say you are running into a firewall problem.
Either the XP firewall, or a 3-rd party one.

Do you have any 3-rd party security / firewall software installed?
Are you running the Cisco VPN client too?

What happens if you switch between Active and Passive Mode?
Do both fail?
 
G

Guest

Hi Ron,

I turned XP SP2 firewall monitoring OFF and then installed Zone Alarm and
added a firewall run to allow the two FTP clients I have as trusted within
Zone Alarm. All is working now.

As an aside, since installing SP2 my computer boot time has increased
dramatially, at least it seems like it. I did not actually time it before
and after.

Any comment on that?
 

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