no FTP except when ..

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Guest

For the past few weeks I can't FTP anything - either via an FTP client, DOS,
or IE (nor Firefox). I can FTP only if, using Task Manager, I end the
SVCHOST.EXE SYSTEM (the larger of two processes with that name) process.
Once I do that everything is fine. Any ideas?
 
Xavier said:
For the past few weeks I can't FTP anything - either via an FTP client,
DOS,
or IE (nor Firefox). I can FTP only if, using Task Manager, I end the
SVCHOST.EXE SYSTEM (the larger of two processes with that name) process.
Once I do that everything is fine. Any ideas?
Click to expand...


Use SysInternals' Process Explorer. Double-click on the suspect svchost.exe
process (the one based on its PID that you determined based on its size from
Task Manager's Process tab), double-click it in Process Explorer, and you
can see what services that instance manages. See if one of the services
managed by that instance of svchost.exe relates to TCP, networking, or may
effect your FTP session.

You could also reboot into Windows' safe mode to see if FTP works. If it
does, something you load on Windows startup is causing the conflict. Try
using msconfig.exe to disable all startup programs and then reenable them
one at a time for a reboot to see when the conflict reoccurs.
 
I tried the SysInternal utility but wasn't sure what I was looking at/for.
Ended up turning off the Windows Firewall/Internet Connection Sharing (ICS)
service from start-up services, and FTP works now. But, of course, I now
have no Windows firewall (except the firewall in the router). Not sure this
is a good permanent solution. Is there something else I can do?
 
Xavier said:
I tried the SysInternal utility but wasn't sure what I was looking at/for.
Ended up turning off the Windows Firewall/Internet Connection Sharing
(ICS)
service from start-up services, and FTP works now. But, of course, I now
have no Windows firewall (except the firewall in the router). Not sure
this
is a good permanent solution. Is there something else I can do?
Click to expand...


Guess you'll have to learn how to configure the Windows firewall so it does
not block FTP (port 21 & 22) traffic. I don't use it (leave it disabled)
but instead use better 3rd party firewalls which prompt me when an
application wants to make an outbound connection.
 
FTP Port 20, FTP Port 21 and WS_FTP are already in the exceptions, so they
should be working ... but they don't.
 
Xavier said:
FTP Port 20, FTP Port 21 and WS_FTP are already in the exceptions, so they
should be working ... but they don't.
Click to expand...


Does the Windows Firewall provide any logging function so you can see what
it has blocked and why? I know that if I have connect troubles that I often
look in my firewall's logfile(s) to see when it blocked, why it blocked, and
possibly what I need to allow the connect. There is a Security Settings tab
for the firewall configuration but it doesn't really look to log very much.
I believe C:\Windows\pfirewall.log is the default logfile.
 
Xavier said:
the logging file shows no useful info ... I'm stumped!
Click to expand...


Although not listed as a dependency to the "Windows Firewall" NT service, is
the "Application Layer Gateway" (alg.exe) NT service also enabled for manual
or automatic load? It must be running for the firewall to work, but then I
would suspect that you couldn't web browse, either.

There is a microsoft.public.windows.networking.firewall group that might
better answer how to get the Windows Firewall working. Like I said, I found
it very lacking and have always used something better (and also free).
 
Hello,
I had a similar problem but not with the windows firewall. I do not use the
windows firewall I use Outpost Pro instead. Turning off Outpost Pro made no
difference. I am using DSL and the modem has a firewall built in. The modem
firewall said it would allow ftp in medium and high security settings but on
either of these setting the ftp would not work. It would work on the low
setting. I happened to see a post explaining there were to settings in
internet properties\advanced under browsing. they are "enable folder view
for ftp sites" and "use passive ftp". The post said to leave enable folder
view checked and uncheck use passive ftp. I tried it and it worked for me.
You might give that a try.
 
Thanks JimBob. I'd already tried that and it didn't work, but I tried it
again. Still doesn't help. I think I'll just give up and go to a
third-party firewall.
 
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