Windows 8 Can't turn on the Windows Firewall?

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

My first post about needing help with my new computer.

As it says in the title I can't turn on the Windows Firewall.

I looked online and this seems to be a common Windows 8 problem but I didn't find any good answers.

I'm not ready to run refresh yet.

Anyone have any information about this, Windows Defender is up and running and I'm using Malwarebytes and SuperAntiSpyware every day.

Any idea appreciated.

Mike

 

[Joe S]

Mike
Was it working before you installed the other security software? Maybe you need to create an exception or permission for it in one of those.
Joe

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

I'm not sure, but I uninstalled SuperAntiSpyware and rebooted and it still won't start.
I tried to start it manually in services but it just keeps saying it can't start it.

Mike

 

[Medico]

Did you install any other software firewalls? Generally 3rd party security apps disable the built in MS security apps. Some of the 3rd party Security Suites include a S/W firewall as well. Most of the paid security suites do.

 

[kemical]

Hi

I'm not sure, but I uninstalled SuperAntiSpyware and rebooted and it still won't start.
I tried to start it manually in services but it just keeps saying it can't start it.

Mike

What about trying system restore Mike?

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

I'll give that a try sometime today.
Weird I looked online and a lot of people seem to be having this problem but no idea why.

I didn't install any other firewalls before it quit working, but I have installed Zone Alarm since then so that I have a firewall in place.

I've run scans with Defender, Malwarebytes, and SuperAntiSpyware and they all came up clean as did Zone Alarm when I put it in.

Mike

 

[Saltgrass]

You might check this thread. The OP here found he had the Windows Firewall service disabled in services.msc

Windows 7 Fire Wall

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

I'm back again, I've had no luck so far.
I uninstalled Zone Alarm, it was to big a hit on system performance caused some programs to just stop running, and it took over everything.

It replaced Windows Defender and I couldn't get it to run just the firewall alone.
In the past I was always able to run it just as a firewall, I used it a lot at one time.

I've tried every way I know to turn the Windows Firewall on, including in Services.

I've disabled it, restarted it, and I've run SFC /scannow.

It didn't find any errors.

My restore points seem to have all disappeared, except for one from a couple of days ago.
Probably because my constant installing stuff made then unusable.

I tried the one from a couple of days ago and it didn't succeed.

Right now I'm running Windows Defender and only the firewall built into my router.

Does anyone know a good stand alone firewall that will just run in Windows 8 and leave everything else alone?

Otherwise I'm going to just run without it until I find a solution to this.

Everything else is running great.

I suppose that I could try running Refresh, but I don't want to do that until I know there's no other way.

You never know what will happen the first time you try these things.
And I hate to do it just because of this one issue.

If I have a comment relating to Windows 8, it is that it is kind of vague about errors, just telling me over and over that such and such won't start with no clue as to why isn't a lot of help.

I went to Event Viewer and didn't really find anything, I may not be looking at the right thing it's different then the one I remember from beta.

There was a very clear graph like thing that showed all the actions and errors over a period of time.
You just clicked on the error and it told you about it.

I can't find that now, does anyone know how you get there?

Mike

I found the Reliability thing, it has no references to the Windows Firewall in it.

 

[davehc]

Have you tried looking in the GP, Mike?

Type gpedit.msc , enter.

In the left pane, click on to expand User Configuration, Administrative Templates, Windows Components, Microsoft Management Console, then, Restricted/Permitted snap-ins.

Scroll down till you see windows firewall with advanced security, double click this and select enabled apply,- ok out.

The go back to services and see if you can restart the Firewall.

I feel for you, it is annoying when something standard is not working, but, fwiw, your router Firewall is probably doing a better job.

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

I may have a clue about what caused this.

I installed software that required Net Framework 1.1 (Lord of the Rings Online).
So in installed it on my computer. It told me there were compatibility issues but I installed in the the beta versions and it worked OK.

This may have been when the firewall stopped but I'm not sure.

Net Framework 1.1 adds another User Account. ASP.NET Machine Account.
This is a non Administrator Account.

I read someplace else that the Windows Firewall doesn't like you to have an account that doesn't have certain privileges so if it see one it doesn't turn on.

At this point I'm not certain if I can delete this account safely or not.

There is a registry fix for this at Microsoft but it's for Windows XP so I don't want to use that.

Windows XP Common Issues > What is the ASP.NET Machine Account?

I suppose that if I delete this account then Lord of the Rings Online will quit working, that's probably why it wanted Net Framework 1.1 to start with so that it doesn't connect through an Administrator account.

Well I'll think about this tomorrow.

I'm still looking for suggestions for an alternate firewall that will run along with Defender?

Mike

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi Dave

You may be on to something I received an error message about Security Snap In.
but I didn't know what it was talking about.



It's getting late I'll go through this tomorrow.

Thanks for the help.

Mile

 

[Joe S]

Hi

I may have a clue about what caused this.

I installed software that required Net Framework 1.1 (Lord of the Rings Online).
So in installed it on my computer. It told me there were compatibility issues but I installed in the the beta versions and it worked OK.

This may have been when the firewall stopped but I'm not sure.

Net Framework 1.1 adds another User Account. ASP.NET Machine Account.
This is a non Administrator Account.

I read someplace else that the Windows Firewall doesn't like you to have an account that doesn't have certain privileges so if it see one it doesn't turn on.

At this point I'm not certain if I can delete this account safely or not.

There is a registry fix for this at Microsoft but it's for Windows XP so I don't want to use that.

Windows XP Common Issues > What is the ASP.NET Machine Account?

I suppose that if I delete this account then Lord of the Rings Online will quit working, that's probably why it wanted Net Framework 1.1 to start with so that it doesn't connect through an Administrator account.

Well I'll think about this tomorrow.

I'm still looking for suggestions for an alternate firewall that will run along with Defender?

Mike

Mike
Did you try deleting the ASP user account? I remeber some version of .Net creating the asp account and it alwys irritated me.
Joe

 

[Adamsappleone]

Just a thought here Mike, have you tried the "Advance Settings" in "Control Panel\System and Security\Windows Firewall"?

 

[Drew]

Mike,

I will advise we get the OS Firewall going, not install some other.

1. Let's remove the stuff, for now, for LoftheR, including .NET 1.1; can always redo later.
2. Since, I lost track in your writings... In Services find Windows Firewall, check that it is set to auto run.
3. Cmd, Run as Admin, type netsh winsock reset, hit Enter. Reboot
4. Go to the Microsoft Fix-it Tool. See if it fixes this.
5. Do a Sys Restore, keeping data.
OR
6. Ring Microsoft, WU or OS Firewall issues are N/C. Here is the #... 1-866-727-2338

Cheers,
Drew


PS: Currently we are at .NET 4.5

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

I've removed the Net framework User account and I've uninstalled Net Framework 1.1

I have to go now and I'll be gone all day but I'll get into the rest of what you have suggested tonight or tomorrow.

Thanks for the help.

Mike

 

[Drew]

You're welcome, Mike. Look forward to an update...

Cheers,
Drew

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

I'm back and I have a new error message when I try and start the Firewall now.

Here it is, I don't know if this is progress or not but it is at least giving a reason it won't start now.



I may just try the Refresh option tomorrow if I can't get past this.

It's my own fault, I knew that I shouldn't install Net Framework 1.1 but I got away with it in the beta.

This has been a problem with Lord of the Rings Online going back to Windows 7 which didn't like 1.1 either.

I don't know why the game company hasn't done something about it.

Anyway, here are the properties for the firewall in Services...



The next one is the one I think is relevant...







Any ideas how it should be set up?

Mike

 

[Drew]

Ok, 1 of mine is different because my Firewall is running. The other, well, you can see the difference. Compare to yours, please.



Cheers,
Drew

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

Mine looked like that the first time I saw it only where yours says "Local Service" mine said my account name "Jking1234".

And a bunch of dots where the password goes just like yours.

I have no idea what the password would be if there is one.
I don't have a login password on my computer.

I tried putting the account name back the way it was.
If I hit the Browse button it shows my account name in the window.



I put it back in but it keeps asking me for a password I never created.

Do you know what password the dots in your window represent?

Mike

PS. I went through and looked at the login for other services and thay all say Local System Account.

 

[Saltgrass]

What happens if you type local service in the window then select Check Names? If it comes back with LOCAL SERVICE hit OK, maybe it will take.

And the location should be the computer name.

Edit: And if Local Service does not work, try:

NT Authority\Local Service