How do you unhose Security Center [Solved]

Have XP Pro SP2.

I get an error in Windows firewall under the advanced tab:

"The Network settings have become corrupted. To fix this, click Restore Defaults. This will delete all your settings for the Windows firewall. It might cause some programs to stop working."

So I hit the restore defaults, Well, I can't get into Network configuration properties, I can't use the "Set up a home or small network option" The link is dead. I can't browse my own network.

I can however get internet through my broadband, I can Connect to my other computers on my LAN. ICS works just fine, I can browse from other computers to this one just not vise versa.

How can I fix this? are there any proggies out there so i can browse my network configuration that come with XP? Is there a reason I need to go in and reinstall TCP/IP? or is this SP2 issue.

How do I fix it, any idea's?

You could try uninstalling and reinstalling your network adapter first. That would fix network settings that do get corrupt.

This doesn't sound like a TCP/IP issue because you can communicate with the rest of the computers on the local area network. Since restoring did not work, you could try repairing the Windows installation.

repairing the windows installation.... everytime I have done that in the past I always end up destroying every thing I did for the environment for that system. OR I would just end up formatting it. this is not an option, but i will pull my nic and reinstall it and get back to on that.

The real issue I am having is that somehow The network configuration utility that sets the perimeters for my network connection through My network places has turned itself off. The other accounts on this computer also cannot print from the network printer. My account and the Administrator account are the only ones that can print from this system.

I have tried backing up the accounts and deleting them and then re-doing them with no such luck.

Could it be a Rights Assignment? There is no group for the Network Print Queue, nor is there any rights to set for them to access the network printer that I am aware of.

Could it be possible for a setting inside Group Policy editor? I take great caution when using this powerful program, Its a real nightmare if you don't know what your doing in there. I watched one of my users play around in there and he hosed everything. His system went from great to **** in the matter of hours. I have great respect for that editor. Regedit is more forgiving than that program lol.

I think it is unlikely a Group Policy setting. Are all computers running Windows XP Pro? If not what other operating systems are you running?

I suspect you have more than one problem but I'm not sure. Try testing the connectivity and name resolution between the computers and report back the exact message following after each one.

1) Ping itself by computer name
2) Ping itself by ip address
3) Ping the other by name
4) Ping the other computer by ip address
5) Ping 127.0.0.1

:confused: Yes, all computers are running XP pro. None. You are correct I am having issues with the network printer and the other accounts. The other accounts are limited in respect, previous to this snaphoo they had shared access to the printer queue now it keeps resetting all the settings I make as the Administrator for those accounts on One machine. Services also are resetting themselves, turning themselves back on after a shutdown. When I know they are disabled or should be.
1) Pinging itself by computer name results:
1 POS-1 56 17 Success
2 POS-1 56 0 Success
3 POS-1 56 0 Success
4 POS-1 56 0 Success
5 POS-1 56 0 Success
--------------------------------------------------------------
2) Ping itself by IP address:
1 192.168.1.2 56 0 Success
2 192.168.1.2 56 0 Success
3 192.168.1.2 56 0 Success
4 192.168.1.2 56 0 Success
5 192.168.1.2 56 0 Success
----------------------------------------------------------------
3) Ping the other by name:
1 POS-2 56 0 Success
2 POS-2 56 0 Success
3 POS-2 56 0 Success
4 POS-2 56 0 Success
5 POS-2 56 0 Success
----------------------------------------------------------------
Ping the other computer by IP address:
1 192.168.1.3 56 0 Success
2 192.168.1.3 56 0 Success
3 192.168.1.3 56 0 Success
4 192.168.1.3 56 0 Success
5 192.168.1.3 56 0 Success
----------------------------------------------------------------
5) Ping 127.0.0.1 - Establishing if TCP/IP is installed.
1 127.0.0.1 56 0 Success
2 127.0.0.1 56 0 Success
3 127.0.0.1 56 0 Success
4 127.0.0.1 56 0 Success
5 127.0.0.1 56 0 Success
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Additional Information:
Winsock Description: WinSock 2.0
Winsock Status: Running
Winsock Version: 1.1 / 2.2
Winsock MaxSockets: 32767 (UDP:65467)
Local Hostname: POS-1
Local IP Address: 192.168.1.2
Domain:
Name Server(s):
Free memory: 523,492 KB
Disk space on C: 1,665,744 KB Free
Disk space on D: 947,492 KB Free

=============
Ok an update as of 1:05 AM - I yanked out the NIC and put it back in with no result. I still cannot see it when viewing my Network Connections Nor can I see my 1394 connector even though I can see them as connected to my puter while viewing Dev manager They are working fine.

There has to be something hiding them, some global setting that allows them to manifest themselves. I just have to find it. :mad:

If you do not see the Local Area Connection icon in the Network Connections folder or if you cannot view the properties then there may be a problem with the driver for the network adapter. Find out the make and model of your network card installed and see if you can get the latest compatible drivers from the manufacturers website.

Also see:
How to troubleshoot missing network connections icons in Windows Server 2003 and in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;825826

Ok, I did that already. So i am guessing that it is the new driver update that is causing the problem there. I was hoping that wasn't the answer. But, I wanted to "X" out all remaining problems before I did that.

My NIC is the Intel PRO 100+ managment adapter, I tried to re-install the Intel 10.0 drivers which is the latest and greatest as of 5/4/05 for the updated driver. I have no problem rolling back to last years update. I'll let you know how it goes.

BTW: I got it to print from the other accounts using GPO and created a Security policy through the MMC, then applied it to the machine. Now the all accounts on this machine limited or not can use both the network print shares.
==========================
***UPDATE***
OK, I rolled back the driver to no succession. Still cannot create, view, or look into the properties of my Network connection.

This is a real bear.

Also, Why would it be the driver? I cannot see my 1394 connection to my firewire drive either but it still functions and that has nothing to do with my Network drivers; Yet they fall into the same category under device manager "Network Adapters". I'm telling you its a global setting that has some how been shut off.

Work with me here: This it what we know.
The connection works, my firewire works.
There are no skips or blips or loss of connectivity.
nothing in my network configuration is visible except the network shares.
The print queue is working because of a GPO edit.
I have a strong feeling that its probably in there somewhere, but I am not going to go and turn on everything relates to the network involving GPO. I just want to know the exact setting and change it.

So this weekend, if i have time I am going to experiment on another computer with the GPO and hopefully I can find the setting that turns that SOB on and off.

If you find it before me, then shoot it my way.

Thank you for all your help.

Is there book on GPO that elxplains all the fucntion of it? Like Group Policy editor in detail for dummy's?

You said you yanked out the NIC and put it back in with no result and you didn't see it in the Network Connections. But there isn't any policy setting that I found that prevents the Local Area Connection to be created in the Network Connection folder.

However, there is a Group Policy setting that can prevent you from adding components and viewing the properties of a network connection. Open the Group Policy Editor, under User Configuration, expand Administrative Templates, expand Network, and then click Network Connections. You can have a look for yourself. I'm not aware of any books that explains all of the Group Policy stuff. I imagine if you look around you might find something.

When you install a 1394 adapter, Windows XP creates the connection in the Network Connection folder and is also listed under Network adapters in the Device Manager. That's how Windows XP works. For more details, see the following link.

Description of 1394 Connection in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;307736

Quote:

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You said you yanked out the NIC and put it back in with no result and you didn't see it in the Network Connections.

---

Answer: Yes.

Quote:

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When you install a 1394 adapter, Windows XP creates the connection in the Network Connection folder and is also listed under Network adapters in the Device Manager. That's how Windows XP works

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Answer: (as polite as possible) I know that. :)

This is what it looks like in MMC:
Console

This is what it looks like in my shared folder - the reason some say Unknown is cuz they are turned off.
Shares

This is my LAN connection area where my 1394 adapter and my Pro100+ usually show up.
LAN Connection

I was just looking over the GPO and I noticed I have enabled the "prohibit access to the new connection wizard" DOH!

Well, that should refresh in about 60 minutes. I'll keep you posted on the changes. Although it should refresh immediately or even on reboot. But, I need this system this morning anyways and rebooting it will take tha tmuch longer for it too warm up.

***UPDATE*** 4:14pm
It didn't help :confused:. I still can't see or create a new connection. I think I am going to just re-image this thing with the unattended back up I made couple months ago when everything was working good.

Windows Installer been giving problems and for the last few weeks saying it not working cuz windows is in safe mode or some crap like that and its very annoying, I might have some new virus as well that no virus scanner can detect because they don't have it signature. Us being a small firm here we typically get hit with allot of Echo requests and they are conitnual from europe and crap and its bogging down my network bandwidth. Maybe someone got in and thrashed the network, it seems unlikely because this system is the only system that is affected.

I fixed it!

I love the system restore! I forgot all about it. I was out mowing my lawn, and it hit me!

Thanx for all you help it was undoubtly better (working together) then doing it by myself.

:D :D :D

You're welcome! :)

I'm glad you were able to get it fixed.

In response to the original posting about the Firewall problem. In my investigation I saw the following error in the Event Viewer: "WinMgmt could not open the repository file. This could be due to insufficient security access to the "<%SystemRoot%>\System32\WBEM\Repository", insufficient disk space or insufficient memory."

The solution is to rebuilt the WMI repository:

a. net stop winmgmt
b. delete or rename the "C:\windows\system32\wbem\repository" directory
c. net start winmgmt
d. wmi should recreate the repository