Firewall is turned off and unable to turn back on!

[Quacker]

Ok a pop up in Windows 7 has advised of 4 problems, - 1 important.

 

Turn on windows firewall (important)

 

Solve a problem with windows live messenger - I never use it - or very, rarely

 

check backup systems - which windows details am I backing up and to where?

 

Address a problem for auto update with Divx - I folloed a link and it seems to have removed the problem.

 

How to I check the firewall or find out if I have another?

 

Any pointers appreciated.

 

Steve

[RandyL]

Control Panel Home.

Under System and Security click Review your computers status.

Security.

[Quacker]

Thanks Randy - that just confirms the forewall is not turned on. When I attempt to turn on said firewall it won't allow me - it won't allow me to switch to user settings and comes up with the following error code:

 

0x8007042c

 

Any ideas or is there an alternative? - can I find out if there is another firewall in place? - is it possible to find out what, if anything is conflicting with the firewall?

 

Just bought this end of May and tried to keep it clean with regular scans with Microsoft Essentials and Super Anti Spyware evey week. I think the whole thing is related as unable to open Windows Live Messenger - and although I don't use it it should still be available.

 

Similarly, there's a message advising

 

"Windows cannot find the disk or network locations where your backups are being saved" - presumably this is advising me to put a portable drive in for backup purposes?

 

Anyone any idea what's going on and how I can put this right?

 

It has got me beat as I have made a conscious decision not to fill this one with junk lol.

 

Thanks

[RandyL]

If you clicked Review your computers status. Control Panel\System and Security\Action Center

 

Then used the drop arrow next to Security it should show you all your programs and security settings. So if you had a different firewall it would be listed along with your antivirus.

 

Check to see that the Windows Firewall Service is set to Automatic.

 

Start

Search

Type services

Click Services or Local Services

Scroll down to Windows Firewall

 

If it's not right click it and select properties to change it.

[Quacker]

Thanks again Randy - now I am truly confused. I've just logged on tonight (after work) and everything is in order! - well, almost everything. I wonder if when I try to restore stuff it doesn't take effect until after reboot or an overnight reboot!

 

Is that possible? - the only message showing now is the "check backup settings" and folllowed still by the words "Windows cannot find the disk or network locations where your backups are being saved"

 

Is this because the system is trying to make a backup to an external drive and is looking for somewhere to keep these? I very occasionally use a separate drive.

 

Any further comment as to what's happening here? More importantly, shoul I plug in the extern drive and allow it to make backups?

 

Steve

[Plastic Nev]

Hi Quacker, this message that you are getting "Windows cannot find the disk, etc" is this message appearing at every start up or are you referring to the message in "Back up and Restore" which is in Control panel?

If it is a pop up message, I seem to remember when I got it, there was a tick box for "Do not show this message again" which I ticked. It is only a silly nag thing that Microsoft has lumbered us all with, rather than leaving it to our own discretion as to whether to perform a backup or not.

You can of course plug in your external drive and then let the system do a backup onto the drive, it is compressed so doesn't take up much room if there is space to spare on the drive.

There is the advantage of knowing there is a backup should you need it at some time .

I no longer get the pop up message, but I have just now looked in backup and restore and the same message is there, which it will be as my external hard drive isn't connected at the moment. I only do connect it when storing video I have finished editing, it is all I use the drive for, but did let the system do a complete backup onto the drive some time since.

Hope that didn't confuse you any more!!

Nev.

[Quacker]

Hi Nev, thanks - yes it is at startup - and I wasn't sure whether to tick the ignore thing - I guess it is ok to do so lol.

 

A couple of things though, why is windows live messenger unable to connect? why is it showing off line? - how can I get it back online (not as simple as it sounds) clicking the go online don't do it - as you say it might be nothing but its nags me that something is causing a problem at some level - failing all of that, can it be removed altogether as I hardly ever use it.

 

Are there any other checks I can perform to diagnose any possible problem?

 

Steve

[Plastic Nev]

Hi, for the windows live messenger have you tried the fix button? if so what did it tell you was wrong, if you can get us a screen shot of that it may help.

Nev.

[Quacker]

Hi, for the windows live messenger have you tried the fix button? if so what did it tell you was wrong, if you can get us a screen shot of that it may help.

Nev.

 

Well I am now more confused than ever. Just now when I tried it, it offered me a link to "fix this problem" - it is a known problem with the latest version etc. etc. it now appears to be working (I still don't use it) - this option was not there in the past week or so!

 

Obviously it IS a known issue and they've put in a fix.

 

Hopefully this may just help someone else with a similar issue!

 

Thanks guys