Windows Firewall question

[David_L]

I recently uninstalled PC Tools Firewall Plus, I think it was version 1.0, because it and AVG free AV weren't getting along and have turned the Windows Firewall back on. Now and then I'll hear a "bloop" and then down in the task bar a little red shield will pop up, but only for a second or two. It's the same red shield you see if if you go into control panel and turn the Windows Firewall off. Is this "bloop" tone and the little red shield popping up and then disappearing normal behavior with this firewall? It makes me nervous. It's as if something is turning the firewall off just for a moment or two. After I hear the tone and see the shield I can go into control panel and then look at the status of the firewall and it says it's on. Maybe I'm worrying for nothing? Thanks.

[lotse]

Hi

 

Its doesn't happen with windows Vista. I rely on the windows vista firewall and the Vista firewall control.

 

If your worried you can reset your security setting, by doing the following.

 

1. At the command line of windows XP "Start" ->"Run" enter the command "CMD.EXE" and press Enter.

2. At the new window (Command Prompt window), type "NET STOP WINMGMT /Y" and press Enter. Then type "exit" and press Enter again.

3. Then go at the folder C:\windows\system32\wbem and delete the folder "Repository".

4. Reboot windows. The folder will be recreated by the Security Center.

 

The security system will be back to its default state.

 

It works on vista and XP.

[DennisD]

Hi David, that red shield and popping noise can also be your Automatic Updates.

 

Press Start > Control Panel > Security Centre > Automatic Updates, and see what your settings are.

 

If they're set to off, you will get that red shield appearing in your system tray, and the accompanying popping noise.

[Anthony A]

I recently uninstalled PC Tools Firewall Plus, I think it was version 1.0, because it and AVG free AV weren't getting along and have turned the Windows Firewall back on. Now and then I'll hear a "bloop" and then down in the task bar a little red shield will pop up, but only for a second or two. It's the same red shield you see if if you go into control panel and turn the Windows Firewall off. Is this "bloop" tone and the little red shield popping up and then disappearing normal behavior with this firewall? It makes me nervous. It's as if something is turning the firewall off just for a moment or two. After I hear the tone and see the shield I can go into control panel and then look at the status of the firewall and it says it's on. Maybe I'm worrying for nothing? Thanks.

 

Had the same problem on a relatives machine. Every once in a while the Windows Security Center red shield would pop up and a message saying the fire wall was disabled. When I went to check the firewall it was on and working. Not once was it off. Still can't figure out why it's happening but since we know the firewall is on we disabled the notifications so the warnings don't appear anymore.

 

Go into the Control Panel and select Security Center. On the left there will be an option called "change the way Security Center alerts me". Uncheck the firewall option. This has nothing to do with turning the firewall on or off it just turns of the notification telling you the firewall is disabled. Of course if the firewall really does get turned of or disabled you won't get the warning but it's easy enough to check for your self.

[David_L]

Thanks everybody. I'll try all the suggestions and see which one(s) works.