Problems with Windows firewall

[maxfindlay]

Recently, I've started experiencing a problem with Windows firewall. (I’m
running Windows XP Pro with AVG as my anti-virus programme.) When I turn on
my laptop, everything appears to boot up fine and then I get a pop-up message
in the bottom right hand corner of the screen saying "Your computer might be
at risk. No firewall has been turned on". (I should explain that the Windows
firewall has always been set to "on" in Control Panel.) After an age, the
laptop logs onto my network and the pop-up message disappears. But the whole
booting up process has now suddenly become very lengthy. I haven't added any
new software and I'm not aware of having made any other changes to my laptop.
This problem appears to have arrived out of the blue. A mate suggested that a
Windows update might have corrupted something but there are so many of these
that I don't know how to find which one(s) did the damage or indeed how to
correct the it. I’ve wondered whether maybe I’ve overdone the CCleaner and
screwed up the registry in some way although I didn’t actually see anything
too dangerous when working my way through the CCleaner fixes. I would be very
grateful for any help that anyone could give me. Thank you.

 

[Randem]

You mentioned you have AVG installed, but what else do you have protecting
your system such as sppware/malware protection? These days you need at least
three apps to help secure your system. You may still have spyware/malware
that AVG cannot detect.

Since you use CCleaner, have you checked your startup items to see if there
is anything suspicious there? The other step is to check your HD for errors.
The first step would be to run chkdsk /f to see if it corrects anything. The
second step would be to run a program like TESTDISK to see if your HD is
experiencing potential failures.

Malware/virus/spyware these days will attempt to disable any detection
program that you have...


Ref: http://www.randem.com/virusproblems.html


--
Randem Systems
Your Installation Specialist
The Top Inno Setup Script Generator
http://www.randem.com/innoscript.html
Find Out What Your VB Program is Really Doing
http://www.randem.com/rstools.html

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

If you think your Registry needs to be "cleaned" or "repaired," read
http://aumha.net/viewtopic.php?t=28099 and draw your own conclusions.

The fact that you're also having problems with System Restore
(http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windowsxp.general/browse_frm/thread/be3a2433f03ee001)
is NOT a good sign!

There is a very good chance that you are seeing the effects of a hijackware
infection!

NB: If you had no anti-virus application installed or the subscription had
expired *when the machine first got infected* and/or your subscription has
since expired and/or the machine's not been kept fully-patched at Windows
Update, don't waste your time with any of the below: Format & reinstall
Windows. A Repair Install will NOT help!

1. See if you can download/run the MSRT manually:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/malwareremove/default.mspx

NB: Run the FULL scan, not the QUICK scan! You may need to download the
MSRT on a non-infected machine, then transfer MRT.EXE to the infected
machine and rename it to SCAN.EXE before running it.

2. [WinXP ONLY!! =>] Run the Windows Live Safety Center's 'Protection' scan
(only!) in Safe Mode with Networking, if need be:
http://onecare.live.com/site/en-us/center/howsafe.htm

3. Run a /thorough/ check for hijackware, including posting the requested
logs in an appropriate forum, not here.

Checking for/Help with Hijackware
http://aumha.net/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=4075
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/data/prevention.htm
http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/tshoot.html
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k/Malware_Defence.htm
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Removing_Malware

**Chances are you will need to seek expert assistance in
http://spywarehammer.com/simplemachinesforum/index.php?board=10.0,
http://www.spywarewarrior.com/viewforum.php?f=5,
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/cleanup,
http://www.bluetack.co.uk/forums/index.php,
http://aumha.net/viewforum.php?f=30 or other appropriate forums as well.**

If these procedures look too complex - and there is no shame in admitting
this isn't your cup of tea - take the machine to a local, reputable and
independent (i.e., not BigBoxStoreUSA) computer repair shop.

 

[Twayne]

If you think your Registry needs to be "cleaned" or "repaired," read
http://aumha.net/viewtopic.php?t=28099 and draw your own conclusions.

There it is, that self-serving umhuh crap misinformation on a
self-serving site, the article written by the supremely closed mind
amongst those few here who insist on defying all logic and libelling
anything they don't like. This small group of dummies hate the fact
that anyone else might do something they themselves don't belive in.
Worse than that they have absolutely nothing to back up their
allegations.
You have also completely ignored the most obvious causes for this and
sent the poor OP off on a long chase that may be nothing but a
mal-setting in the security center says he's not useing XP firewall or
he recently removed another firewall, etc., etc., etc..

The fact that you're also having problems with System Restore
(http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windowsxp.general/browse_frm/thread/be3a2433f03ee001)
is NOT a good sign!

Hmm, a link to this very post on Google; THAT's worth a lot! Just
slightly more than the first umhuh site mentioned. Googlers who can't
figure out how to use a newsreader are sure going to have the most
expert answers, yup, they sure are!

There is a very good chance that you are seeing the effects of a
hijackware infection!

NB: If you had no anti-virus application installed or the
subscription had expired *when the machine first got infected* and/or
your subscription has since expired and/or the machine's not been
kept fully-patched at Windows Update, don't waste your time with any
of the below: Format & reinstall Windows. A Repair Install will NOT
help!

Well, that must mean you know what the infection is. How can you be
certain one of those files won't be involved? You cannot, IMO.

1. See if you can download/run the MSRT manually:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/malwareremove/default.mspx

NB: Run the FULL scan, not the QUICK scan! You may need to download
the MSRT on a non-infected machine, then transfer MRT.EXE to the
infected machine and rename it to SCAN.EXE before running it.

Not a bad move, actually. It's worth trying and nothing lost if it does
no good.

2. [WinXP ONLY!! =>] Run the Windows Live Safety Center's
'Protection' scan (only!) in Safe Mode with Networking, if need be:
http://onecare.live.com/site/en-us/center/howsafe.htm

What OS would YOU guess a person posting on an xp newsgroup would be
using? After all, he only said he was running XP.

3. Run a /thorough/ check for hijackware, including posting the
requested logs in an appropriate forum, not here.

And here comes the rest of the boilerplate: Hogan's Barn reigns supreme.

Many of the links below aren't applicable at all. How droll.

 

[maxfindlay]

Hiya. I'm very grateful to everyone for their suggestions. I've downloaded
the Windows MSRT. I don't have any nasty bugs apparently. (I should maybe add
that I've always kept my anti-virus up to date and I run Spybot very
regularly.) And my System Restore is working again. But I'm still left with
this slow boot-up time (see original post) and I can't find out how to check
if / correct anything that may have gone wrong in Windows firewall settings.
I'm only saying that because I've run out of ideas of what else it could be.
If anyone's got any suggestions I'd be really grateful. Thank you. (I'm
posting this reply to everyone's message because I do want to thank everyone
for their help so far)

If you think your Registry needs to be "cleaned" or "repaired," read
http://aumha.net/viewtopic.php?t=28099 and draw your own conclusions.

The fact that you're also having problems with System Restore
(http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windowsxp.general/browse_frm/thread/be3a2433f03ee001)
is NOT a good sign!

There is a very good chance that you are seeing the effects of a hijackware
infection!

NB: If you had no anti-virus application installed or the subscription had
expired *when the machine first got infected* and/or your subscription has
since expired and/or the machine's not been kept fully-patched at Windows
Update, don't waste your time with any of the below: Format & reinstall
Windows. A Repair Install will NOT help!

1. See if you can download/run the MSRT manually:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/malwareremove/default.mspx

NB: Run the FULL scan, not the QUICK scan! You may need to download the
MSRT on a non-infected machine, then transfer MRT.EXE to the infected
machine and rename it to SCAN.EXE before running it.

2. [WinXP ONLY!! =>] Run the Windows Live Safety Center's 'Protection' scan
(only!) in Safe Mode with Networking, if need be:
http://onecare.live.com/site/en-us/center/howsafe.htm

3. Run a /thorough/ check for hijackware, including posting the requested
logs in an appropriate forum, not here.

Checking for/Help with Hijackware
http://aumha.net/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=4075
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/data/prevention.htm
http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/tshoot.html
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k/Malware_Defence.htm
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Removing_Malware

**Chances are you will need to seek expert assistance in
http://spywarehammer.com/simplemachinesforum/index.php?board=10.0,
http://www.spywarewarrior.com/viewforum.php?f=5,
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/cleanup,
http://www.bluetack.co.uk/forums/index.php,
http://aumha.net/viewforum.php?f=30 or other appropriate forums as well.**

If these procedures look too complex - and there is no shame in admitting
this isn't your cup of tea - take the machine to a local, reputable and
independent (i.e., not BigBoxStoreUSA) computer repair shop.
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Desktop Experience - since 2002

Recently, I've started experiencing a problem with Windows firewall. (I’m
running Windows XP Pro with AVG as my anti-virus programme.) When I turn
on
my laptop, everything appears to boot up fine and then I get a pop-up
message in the bottom right hand corner of the screen saying "Your
computer
might be at risk. No firewall has been turned on". (I should explain that
the Windows firewall has always been set to "on" in Control Panel.) After
an age, the laptop logs onto my network and the pop-up message disappears.
But the whole booting up process has now suddenly become very lengthy. I
haven't added any new software and I'm not aware of having made any other
changes to my laptop. This problem appears to have arrived out of the
blue.
A mate suggested that a Windows update might have corrupted something but
there are so many of these that I don't know how to find which one(s) did
the damage or indeed how to correct the it. I’ve wondered whether maybe
I’ve overdone the CCleaner and screwed up the registry in some way
although
I didn’t actually see anything too dangerous when working my way through
the CCleaner fixes. I would be very grateful for any help that anyone
could
give me. Thank you.

 

[maxfindlay]

Hiya. I'm very grateful to everyone for their suggestions. I've downloaded
the Windows MSRT. I don't have any nasty bugs apparently. (I should maybe add
that I've always kept my anti-virus up to date and I run Spybot very
regularly.) And my System Restore is working again. But I'm still left with
this slow boot-up time (see original post) and I can't find out how to check
if / correct anything that may have gone wrong in Windows firewall settings.
I'm only saying that because I've run out of ideas of what else it could be.
If anyone's got any suggestions I'd be really grateful. Thank you. (I'm
posting this reply to everyone's message because I do want to thank everyone
for their help so far)

If you think your Registry needs to be "cleaned" or "repaired," read
http://aumha.net/viewtopic.php?t=28099 and draw your own conclusions.

There it is, that self-serving umhuh crap misinformation on a
self-serving site, the article written by the supremely closed mind
amongst those few here who insist on defying all logic and libelling
anything they don't like. This small group of dummies hate the fact
that anyone else might do something they themselves don't belive in.
Worse than that they have absolutely nothing to back up their
allegations.
You have also completely ignored the most obvious causes for this and
sent the poor OP off on a long chase that may be nothing but a
mal-setting in the security center says he's not useing XP firewall or
he recently removed another firewall, etc., etc., etc..

The fact that you're also having problems with System Restore
(http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windowsxp.general/browse_frm/thread/be3a2433f03ee001)
is NOT a good sign!

Hmm, a link to this very post on Google; THAT's worth a lot! Just
slightly more than the first umhuh site mentioned. Googlers who can't
figure out how to use a newsreader are sure going to have the most
expert answers, yup, they sure are!

There is a very good chance that you are seeing the effects of a
hijackware infection!

NB: If you had no anti-virus application installed or the
subscription had expired *when the machine first got infected* and/or
your subscription has since expired and/or the machine's not been
kept fully-patched at Windows Update, don't waste your time with any
of the below: Format & reinstall Windows. A Repair Install will NOT
help!

Well, that must mean you know what the infection is. How can you be
certain one of those files won't be involved? You cannot, IMO.

1. See if you can download/run the MSRT manually:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/malwareremove/default.mspx

NB: Run the FULL scan, not the QUICK scan! You may need to download
the MSRT on a non-infected machine, then transfer MRT.EXE to the
infected machine and rename it to SCAN.EXE before running it.

Not a bad move, actually. It's worth trying and nothing lost if it does
no good.

2. [WinXP ONLY!! =>] Run the Windows Live Safety Center's
'Protection' scan (only!) in Safe Mode with Networking, if need be:
http://onecare.live.com/site/en-us/center/howsafe.htm

What OS would YOU guess a person posting on an xp newsgroup would be
using? After all, he only said he was running XP.

3. Run a /thorough/ check for hijackware, including posting the
requested logs in an appropriate forum, not here.

And here comes the rest of the boilerplate: Hogan's Barn reigns supreme.

Many of the links below aren't applicable at all. How droll.

Checking for/Help with Hijackware
http://aumha.net/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=4075
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/data/prevention.htm
http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/tshoot.html
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k/Malware_Defence.htm
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Removing_Malware

**Chances are you will need to seek expert assistance in
http://spywarehammer.com/simplemachinesforum/index.php?board=10.0,
http://www.spywarewarrior.com/viewforum.php?f=5,
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/cleanup,
http://www.bluetack.co.uk/forums/index.php,
http://aumha.net/viewforum.php?f=30 or other appropriate forums as
well.**
If these procedures look too complex - and there is no shame in
admitting this isn't your cup of tea - take the machine to a local,
reputable and independent (i.e., not BigBoxStoreUSA) computer repair
shop.

 

[maxfindlay]

Hiya. I'm very grateful to everyone for their suggestions. I've downloaded
the Windows MSRT. I don't have any nasty bugs apparently. (I should maybe add
that I've always kept my anti-virus up to date and I run Spybot very
regularly.) And my System Restore is working again. But I'm still left with
this slow boot-up time (see original post) and I can't find out how to check
if / correct anything that may have gone wrong in Windows firewall settings.
I'm only saying that because I've run out of ideas of what else it could be.
If anyone's got any suggestions I'd be really grateful. Thank you. (I'm
posting this reply to everyone's message because I do want to thank everyone
for their help so far)

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

OK, so you did #1. What about #2 and #3?

Hiya. I'm very grateful to everyone for their suggestions. I've downloaded
the Windows MSRT. I don't have any nasty bugs apparently. (I should maybe
add that I've always kept my anti-virus up to date and I run Spybot very
regularly.) And my System Restore is working again. But I'm still left
with
this slow boot-up time (see original post) and I can't find out how to
check
if / correct anything that may have gone wrong in Windows firewall
settings.
I'm only saying that because I've run out of ideas of what else it could
be.
If anyone's got any suggestions I'd be really grateful. Thank you. (I'm
posting this reply to everyone's message because I do want to thank
everyone
for their help so far)

If you think your Registry needs to be "cleaned" or "repaired," read
http://aumha.net/viewtopic.php?t=28099 and draw your own conclusions.

The fact that you're also having problems with System Restore
(http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windowsxp.general/browse_frm/thread/be3a2433f03ee001)
is NOT a good sign!

There is a very good chance that you are seeing the effects of a
hijackware
infection!

NB: If you had no anti-virus application installed or the subscription
had
expired *when the machine first got infected* and/or your subscription
has
since expired and/or the machine's not been kept fully-patched at Windows
Update, don't waste your time with any of the below: Format & reinstall
Windows. A Repair Install will NOT help!

1. See if you can download/run the MSRT manually:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/malwareremove/default.mspx

NB: Run the FULL scan, not the QUICK scan! You may need to download the
MSRT on a non-infected machine, then transfer MRT.EXE to the infected
machine and rename it to SCAN.EXE before running it.

2. [WinXP ONLY!! =>] Run the Windows Live Safety Center's 'Protection'
scan
(only!) in Safe Mode with Networking, if need be:
http://onecare.live.com/site/en-us/center/howsafe.htm

3. Run a /thorough/ check for hijackware, including posting the requested
logs in an appropriate forum, not here.

Checking for/Help with Hijackware
http://aumha.net/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=4075
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/data/prevention.htm
http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/tshoot.html
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k/Malware_Defence.htm
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Removing_Malware

**Chances are you will need to seek expert assistance in
http://spywarehammer.com/simplemachinesforum/index.php?board=10.0,
http://www.spywarewarrior.com/viewforum.php?f=5,
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/cleanup,
http://www.bluetack.co.uk/forums/index.php,
http://aumha.net/viewforum.php?f=30 or other appropriate forums as
well.**

If these procedures look too complex - and there is no shame in admitting
this isn't your cup of tea - take the machine to a local, reputable and
independent (i.e., not BigBoxStoreUSA) computer repair shop.
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Desktop Experience - since 2002

Recently, I've started experiencing a problem with Windows firewall. (I’m
running Windows XP Pro with AVG as my anti-virus programme.) When I turn
on
my laptop, everything appears to boot up fine and then I get a pop-up
message in the bottom right hand corner of the screen saying "Your
computer
might be at risk. No firewall has been turned on". (I should explain
that
the Windows firewall has always been set to "on" in Control Panel.)
After
an age, the laptop logs onto my network and the pop-up message
disappears.
But the whole booting up process has now suddenly become very lengthy. I
haven't added any new software and I'm not aware of having made any
other
changes to my laptop. This problem appears to have arrived out of the
blue.
A mate suggested that a Windows update might have corrupted something
but
there are so many of these that I don't know how to find which one(s)
did
the damage or indeed how to correct the it. I’ve wondered whether maybe
I’ve overdone the CCleaner and screwed up the registry in some way
although
I didn’t actually see anything too dangerous when working my way through
the CCleaner fixes. I would be very grateful for any help that anyone
could
give me. Thank you.