SP2 Firewall will not turn off due to group control

[Guest tj]

I have read a hundred webpages and searched his site - I just can't figure it

out

 

I just updated to Windows XP home - SP2

When I went to fire up my McAfee firewall it failed because the Windows

firewall was ON

When I went to turn off the windows firewall - the ON and OFF buttons are

greyed out and the message at the top of the screen indicates a group policy

may be in effect.

 

This is a stand alone PC - tied through a router to a cable modem

 

I am the only user on this sytem - and have administrative rights

 

How do I get access to this group setup? Some posts suggest logging in as

the administrator - how do I do this. The only option at startup is my own

user name. (this isn't like my work computer where cntl-alt-del brings up a

login window. When Windows starts it brings up a page with my user name and a

picture on it)

 

I'd appreciate any direct responses or leads to sites with answers

 

Thank You

[Guest Alias]

Re: SP2 Firewall will not turn off due to group control

 

tj wrote:

> I have read a hundred webpages and searched his site - I just can't figure it

> out

>

> I just updated to Windows XP home - SP2

> When I went to fire up my McAfee firewall it failed because the Windows

> firewall was ON

> When I went to turn off the windows firewall - the ON and OFF buttons are

> greyed out and the message at the top of the screen indicates a group policy

> may be in effect.

>

> This is a stand alone PC - tied through a router to a cable modem

>

> I am the only user on this sytem - and have administrative rights

>

> How do I get access to this group setup? Some posts suggest logging in as

> the administrator - how do I do this. The only option at startup is my own

> user name. (this isn't like my work computer where cntl-alt-del brings up a

> login window. When Windows starts it brings up a page with my user name and a

> picture on it)

>

> I'd appreciate any direct responses or leads to sites with answers

>

> Thank You

 

Reboot the computer and when it goes "beep" start hitting F8 until you

get a list of choices. Choose safe mode. Log in as Administrator. Once

in, you should configure a password for Administrator.

 

Alias

[Guest PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Re: SP2 Firewall will not turn off due to group control

 

What anti-virus application or security suite is installed? What

anti-spyware applications (other than Defender)? What third-party firewall

(if any)?

--

~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)

MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Desktop Experience - since 2002

AumHa VSOP & Admin http://aumha.net

DTS-L http://dts-l.net/

 

tj wrote:

> I have read a hundred webpages and searched his site - I just can't figure

> it out

>

> I just updated to Windows XP home - SP2

> When I went to fire up my McAfee firewall it failed because the Windows

> firewall was ON

> When I went to turn off the windows firewall - the ON and OFF buttons are

> greyed out and the message at the top of the screen indicates a group

> policy

> may be in effect.

>

> This is a stand alone PC - tied through a router to a cable modem

>

> I am the only user on this sytem - and have administrative rights

>

> How do I get access to this group setup? Some posts suggest logging in as

> the administrator - how do I do this. The only option at startup is my own

> user name. (this isn't like my work computer where cntl-alt-del brings up

> a

> login window. When Windows starts it brings up a page with my user name

> and

> a picture on it)

>

> I'd appreciate any direct responses or leads to sites with answers

>

> Thank You

[Guest tj]

Re: SP2 Firewall will not turn off due to group control

 

Thank you for how to get to admin.

 

After more research it is clear that the tools normally used to manage this

are not available on XP home. I find lots of people with this problem, but

no-one with a solution. And no idea how I got in this mode.

 

I am running McAfee tools for everything but the firewall(because it won't

start until I can get windows turned off) - I have run a scan and am clean

 

tj

 

"PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote:

> What anti-virus application or security suite is installed? What

> anti-spyware applications (other than Defender)? What third-party firewall

> (if any)?

> --

> ~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)

> MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Desktop Experience - since 2002

> AumHa VSOP & Admin http://aumha.net

> DTS-L http://dts-l.net/

>

> tj wrote:

> > I have read a hundred webpages and searched his site - I just can't figure

> > it out

> >

> > I just updated to Windows XP home - SP2

> > When I went to fire up my McAfee firewall it failed because the Windows

> > firewall was ON

> > When I went to turn off the windows firewall - the ON and OFF buttons are

> > greyed out and the message at the top of the screen indicates a group

> > policy

> > may be in effect.

> >

> > This is a stand alone PC - tied through a router to a cable modem

> >

> > I am the only user on this sytem - and have administrative rights

> >

> > How do I get access to this group setup? Some posts suggest logging in as

> > the administrator - how do I do this. The only option at startup is my own

> > user name. (this isn't like my work computer where cntl-alt-del brings up

> > a

> > login window. When Windows starts it brings up a page with my user name

> > and

> > a picture on it)

> >

> > I'd appreciate any direct responses or leads to sites with answers

> >

> > Thank You

>

>

[Guest PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Re: SP2 Firewall will not turn off due to group control

 

Unexplained computer behavior may be caused by deceptive software

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/827315

 

Run a /thorough/ check for hijackware, including posting your hijackthis log

to an appropriate forum.

 

Checking for/Help with Hijackware

http://aumha.org/a/parasite.htm

http://aumha.org/a/quickfix.htm

http://aumha.net/viewtopic.php?t=5878

http://wiki.castlecops.com/Malware_Removal_and_Prevention:_Introduction

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://defendingyourmachine2.blogspot.com/

http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Removing_Malware

 

When all else fails, HijackThis v2.0.2

(http://aumha.org/downloads/hijackthis.exe) is the preferred tool to use.

It will help you to both identify and remove any hijackware/spyware with

assistance from an expert. **Post your log to

http://forums.spybot.info/forumdisplay.php?f=22,

http://castlecops.com/forum67.html,

http://forums.subratam.org/index.php?showforum=7,

http://aumha.net/viewforum.php?f=30, or other appropriate forums for review

by an expert in such matters, not here.**

 

If the 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

AumHa VSOP & Admin http://aumha.net

DTS-L http://dts-l.net/

 

tj wrote:

> Thank you for how to get to admin.

>

> After more research it is clear that the tools normally used to manage

> this

> are not available on XP home. I find lots of people with this problem, but

> no-one with a solution. And no idea how I got in this mode.

>

> I am running McAfee tools for everything but the firewall(because it won't

> start until I can get windows turned off) - I have run a scan and am clean

>

> tj

>

> "PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote:

>

>> What anti-virus application or security suite is installed? What

>> anti-spyware applications (other than Defender)? What third-party

>> firewall

>> (if any)?

>> --

>> ~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)

>> MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Desktop Experience - since 2002

>> AumHa VSOP & Admin http://aumha.net

>> DTS-L http://dts-l.net/

>>

>> tj wrote:

>>> I have read a hundred webpages and searched his site - I just can't

>>> figure

>>> it out

>>>

>>> I just updated to Windows XP home - SP2

>>> When I went to fire up my McAfee firewall it failed because the Windows

>>> firewall was ON

>>> When I went to turn off the windows firewall - the ON and OFF buttons

>>> are

>>> greyed out and the message at the top of the screen indicates a group

>>> policy

>>> may be in effect.

>>>

>>> This is a stand alone PC - tied through a router to a cable modem

>>>

>>> I am the only user on this sytem - and have administrative rights

>>>

>>> How do I get access to this group setup? Some posts suggest logging in

>>> as

>>> the administrator - how do I do this. The only option at startup is my

>>> own

>>> user name. (this isn't like my work computer where cntl-alt-del brings

>>> up

>>> a

>>> login window. When Windows starts it brings up a page with my user name

>>> and

>>> a picture on it)

>>>

>>> I'd appreciate any direct responses or leads to sites with answers

>>>

>>> Thank You