Windows firewall is broken and can't run anti-virus

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G

Google

When I try to open the firewall settings I get the error message:
"Due to an unidentified problem, Windows cannot display Windows
Firewall settings"

I have merged the "sharedaccess.reg" many times. Each time it
works on the first restart, but the next time I restart I get the same
error "...cannot display Windows Firewall settings".

Also I can't get any anti-virus software to work correctly. I have
tried Norton, Zone Alarm and McAfee.

Here is the history of the problem:

I have Windows XP Media Center with SP2. I have been using Norton
Internet Security 2005 (NIS) since July 2005 with no problems, using
their firewall and running daily virus scans, etc.

On 4/18/06 NIS/NAV virus scan showed a threat, which isn't unusual, I
have had them before with no problems, NIS just took care of them. But
this time was different: From within the Norton Virus scan screen, I
viewed the info about the threat and then the Norton screen suddenly
disappeared. And ever since then I can not bring up any Norton
screens.

I have UNinstalled and re-installed NIS several times using the CD.
When I install, everything seems fine, but when I place my mouse over
the NIS icon in the system tray, it disappears. I try running NIS from
the start menu and from shortcuts, but nothing happens. I had the Task
Manager open when I tried to run NIS and the Task Manager shows
NMain.exe briefly but then it disappears again. So I UNinstalled NIS
again.

I tried Symantec's online virus scan, but it wouldn't run. I tried
Symantec's online "fixit" tool, but it wouldn't run either.
They both said they needed ActiveX, but I was allowing ActiveX,
installing them and everything.

I tried McAfee's online virus scan and it worked! It used ActiveX
and it worked fine. But it didn't find any viruses. I tried ZA's
online virus scan too, it worked but again, no viruses found.

Then I tried to install Zone Alarm Security Suite 6 (ZA) from a
downloaded trial. The first time I installed it finished ok. But it
would do the same thing as NIS: It would show the "trial"
beginning screen then when I click to continue it would disappear and
nothing else would happen. I noticed that zlclient.exe would be in the
Task Manager but nothing would show on screen. So there would be no
User Interface showing at all.

ZA wouldn't UNinstall either. It would say that it couldn't login
to the TrueVector service. I had a hard time uninstalling it. I had
to delete everything manually and even had to reboot with the Windows
CD to get to a command prompt to delete vsmon.exe because I couldn't
delete it, even with HijackThis.

I tried the free ZA basic firewall and it wouldn't even finish
installing. It would copy the files and then just stop. I found the
files in the temp folder so I ran setup.exe. Then it would seem to
install. But it wouldn't actually run, it would do the same thing as
the first ZA.

I tried to install McAfee's trial anti-virus. It would show the file
copy but then wouldn't finish installing. So there was no way to
even try to run it.

Now I have no anti-virus software and no firewall, except for the
Windows firewall, but that is broken: I keep getting "...cannot
display Windows Firewall settings" that I mentioned above. And it
works the first time I restart, but after that I keep getting the
message again.
I have tried:
"sharedaccess.reg" (many times),
NETSH FIREWALL RESET (many times),
regsvr32 c:\windows\system32\atl.dll, regsvr32
c:\windows\system32\hnetcfg.dll,
reinstalling SP2 (twice),
Spybot S&D several times.

Do I have a virus that defeated Norton, ZA and McAfee? Has anyone else
had this? Does anyone have any suggestions that I haven't already
tried?

Thank you in advance for any help.
 
My reply is at the bottom of your message :


:
< The message is too long to be quoted >


Panda_man:
Wow , really nasty things . From what you write , it seems you have one of
those nast worms/trojans that can disable and fully destroy security
softwares . Well , it took it so much time .


First , I suggest you disconnect from the internet and
Start-Run , now type
regedit.exe

CAREFULLY navigate to
HKEY_Current user\Software
and
HKEY_Local Machine\Software

and carefully delete all tracks of ZoneAlarm , McAfee ,Norton and any other
security software you have installed/uninstall and any other security
software you had problems with.

Then exit. Goto C:\Program files
or in Documents and Settings\{user}\

and manually delete all the files and folders which you can find connected
to ZoneAlarm , McAfee ,Norton .......

Then:
Start -> Settings- > Control Panel -> Internet Options

There ,on the General Tab you will see where you can delete

• internet temporary files
• cookies
• history
Delete them all.

@ Run Disk clean-up with all checked:
Goto Start -> Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> Disc Cleanup


Then make sure you have turned System Restore off.
http://vil.nai.com/vil/SystemHelpDocs/DisableSysRestore.aspx

Connect to i-net but be fast :
Now download and use this multi Antivirus tool created by David Lipman.
I suggest you first scan with Kaspersky module
then scan with McAfee module. FIRST , UPDATE THESE MODULES !!!!!!!

Download MULTI_AV.EXE from the URL --
http://www.ik-cs.com/programs/virtools/Multi_AV.exe


To use this utility, perform the following...
Execute; Multi_AV.exe { Note: You must use the default folder C:\AV-CLS }
Choose; Unzip
Choose; Close

Execute; C:\AV-CLS\StartMenu.BAT
{ or Double-click on 'Start Menu' in C:\AV-CLS }

NOTE: You may have to disable your software FireWall or allow WGET.EXE to go
through your
FireWall to allow it to download the needed AV vendor related files.

C:\AV-CLS\StartMenu.BAT -- { or Double-click on 'Start Menu' in C:\AV-CLS}
This will bring up the initial menu of choices and should be executed in
Normal Mode.
This way all the components can be downloaded from each AV vendor's web site.
The choices are; Sophos, Trend, McAfee, Kaspersky, Exit this menu and Reboot
the PC.

You can choose to go to each menu item and just download the needed files or
you can download the files and perform a scan in Normal Mode. Once you have
downloaded the files needed for each scanner you want to use, you should
reboot the PC into Safe Mode [F8 key during boot] and re-run the menu again
and choose which scanner you want to run in Safe
Mode. It is suggested to run the scanners in both Safe Mode and Normal Mode.

When the menu is displayed hitting 'H' or 'h' will bring up a more
comprehensive PDF help
file. http://www.ik-cs.com/multi-av.htm


Download Ad-Aware SE Personal
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware

Install and update it !!! Scan in Safe Mode.


When the whole scan is finished , turn ON System Restore (set it to
"Monitoring"!!! )
http://vil.nai.com/vil/SystemHelpDocs/DisableSysRestore.aspx

Immedialtely goto ZoneAlarm's official site and download/install the latest
version of the free Zone Alarm
http://www.zonelabs.com/store/conte...list_za.jsp?dc=12bms&ctry=&lang=bg&lid=nav_za

Download antivirus:
30 day free trial of NOD32:
http://www.eset.com/download/index.php

Learn how to protect your PC:
http://pandaman.my.contact.bg/Protect_your_pc.htm



Regards ! :-)

Panda_man
 
Panda_man:
Thank you for all your help. I started to go thru your suggestions and
I stumbled across:
http://www.pandasoftware.com/
I figured with a name like that how could I go wrong. So I tried it.

It worked! It installed fine. I can see the UI. I can run virus
scans. It even fixed the Windows Firewall! I don't get that message
anymore.

So thank you and keep up the good work,
Scott
 
My reply is at the bottom of your message :

[email protected] said:
Panda_man:
Thank you for all your help. I started to go thru your suggestions and
I stumbled across:
http://
I figured with a name like that how could I go wrong. So I tried it.

It worked! It installed fine. I can see the UI. I can run virus
scans. It even fixed the Windows Firewall! I don't get that message
anymore.

So thank you and keep up the good work,
Scott
Click to expand...


Hi . Great to hear my instructions helped you fix your problems and clean
your computer :)
Learn how to protect your PC:
http://pandaman.my.contact.bg/Protect_your_pc.htm

Feel free to contact the Community again !

Panda_man
 
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