Can't enable Windows Firewall on XP Home SP2
Just installed SP2 on Windows Home Edition on an HP Pavilion 505n (sneer). So this Win XP HOME client won't let me enable the firewall after installing SP2. The Firewall General tab shows the Enable and Disable check boxes GREYED OUT so I can't change them, and the Disabled box is checked. This tab also tells me that some settings are controlled by Group Policy. So I tried to add the Group Policy Editor snap-in to the MMC console, BUT it's NOT in the snap-in list. Read somewhere that Group Policy Editor is not included in XP Home. Now What? I tried chatting with an HP Customer Care rep, but that was a total joke, and there is nothing specific the in HP knowledge base about this issue. Let's see, what else... oh yeah, the Firewall service is in fact running. I can stop and start it, but no effect on my problem. Also, yes, I AM logged in as administrator. So, what do you suggest? Thanks! -- tom c
Are you on a network controlled by domain controllers?
ASKER
No. This client usually runs standalone, but at the moment I have it connected to my local peer-to-peer windows network.
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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Just try to start the services "application layer gateway, Windoes Firewall" goin to "services.msc"...
Open "run" then type services.msc then you can see weather these services are started or not...
Open "run" then type services.msc then you can see weather these services are started or not...
ASKER
Posting the final answer here in abbreviated form so you don't have to wade through all the other stuff:
Answer:
Delete the following key:
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Mic
The source material referenced says to rename key, but you can just delete it (after exporting it of course in case things go south).
As it turns out, this key does NOT exist on other XP machines I looked at that were functioning normally as far as the firewall was concerned.
Answer:
Delete the following key:
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Mic
The source material referenced says to rename key, but you can just delete it (after exporting it of course in case things go south).
As it turns out, this key does NOT exist on other XP machines I looked at that were functioning normally as far as the firewall was concerned.
Excellent. Thanks for the feedback!