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Daniele BrunengoFlag for Italy

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Windows 7 Firewall rules not working anymore

I'm using Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit with its firewall.

The firewall's advanced rules all of a sudden don't work anymore. The firewall works, because if I disable it and do a port test the ports are closed and not stealth.

If I tell the firewall to block all incoming connections it does, and Windows says the firewall is working.

But all rules, old and new, regarding a particular application, don't work anymore. If I tell the firewall to block incoming connections on a particular executable with tcp ports, for instance, it doesn't anymore. Until yesterday it did.

Is there some service closely related to the firewall, maybe something a software has disabled?
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senad
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I forgot to ask .
Do you have another antivirus (security suite of some sort) on your PC ?
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Oh yes, I've already tried that, but nothing changed.
After reverting to defaults, the firewall asks if it should allow connections or not for applications, but then it allows the connection no matter what.
Yes I have Gdata Antivirus, but it has no firewall. It's just an antivirus software, and it was there when the firewall was working fine.
Try this.... it might save you a lot of time. Create a new profile and test if the firewall rules are working.... if they are, just copy your data over from your old profile...
Bits...
Windows firewall is a strange thing indeed...
It is very basic in it's functions and it offers no real protection against
hackers.Believe me....
If you want the best protection i. e best firewall then buy all means
get Comodo.It is free for home use.

http://personalfirewall.comodo.com/download_firewall.html

Is the problem you are having with Adobe Acrobat Pro?
Since GData manages :
# AntiSpyware
# AntiPhising
# AntiRookit

it is probably disabling your firewall settings.
So check GData (settings) ....
No, the problem is with all software. No firewall rule works.

I don't want to change firewall, I would like this one to work as it did until yesterday.

I have tried totally disabling Gdata but the problem is still there.
Ok ... try login in as administrator an test... if the rules work... then you probably will need to create a new profile... this would be the fastest way ...
Now I have also tried with another, new, user account but the problem is still there...
The new account was admin, by the way.
The next step I would reccomend is that you went to a point in time before this started using Windows System Restore.... If you have any doubts on how to use it... Please let me know.
Bits.
I've tried but I have no system restore points from yesterday, only from today, and the first one still doesn't make the problem go away.
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BitsBytesandMore
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Am trying it now, will report back.
Nope, no rootkits. Neither hitman nor my g-data reveal any.
Could you try temporarily uninstalling GData just to see how it goes ?
Ok, I will try it tomorrow and report back.
Uninstalling GData didn't change anything, I guess I'll have to go for a repair install.
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The repair install got it fixed, and was quite smooth. Still don't know what caused it, but you can't win them all I guess.

Thanks guys I'll split points between you two for your dedication.
Hello Maioneis ... I'm so glad to hear you fixed it.... Can you post, just for people to be able to know what to do... a very simple and basic procedure of how you did the repair install.... (Choose this one as the accepted answer with 0 points - Unfortunately you can't assign yourself points).... and then select the others as "Assisted"..... Thank you for the feedback..
Bits.
I didn't post in time... I am attaching a pdf with the instructions for the "Windows 7 Repair Install" in case any future asker needs guidance on how to do it. This is the link I got it from:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html
 

Repair-Install---Windows-7-Forum.pdf
Yes, that's exactly the procedure I followed. Thanks.