XP pro sp2 firewall corrupt. Need advise.

[Banditman]

One day all was well, the next, I cant access my local lan due to Window's firewall is corrupt. I have tried to ping other computers but failed. I rechecked all IP settings. It won't even let me in to the firewall properties. It just tells me that it is corrupt. I have tried the solution explained here "Windows cannot display Windows Firewall settings" error while accessing Firewall settings in Windows XP Service Pack 2 . Didn't work. I have repaired XP hoping that it would fix it but did not as well. I have tried restoring registry to a week ago but that didn't work either. I am down to thinking I will have to format and reinstall unless you guys have any other ideas/theories. I have not installed any new apps in a month. I have checked for viruses and spyware. All clean. I'm stumped. This happend to me 2 years ago but I just can't remember how I fixed it.

[Lead Head]

Originally Posted by Banditman

One day all was well, the next, I cant access my local lan due to Window's firewall is corrupt. I have tried to ping other computers but failed. I rechecked all IP settings. It won't even let me in to the firewall properties. It just tells me that it is corrupt. I have tried the solution explained here "Windows cannot display Windows Firewall settings" error while accessing Firewall settings in Windows XP Service Pack 2 . Didn't work. I have repaired XP hoping that it would fix it but did not as well. I have tried restoring registry to a week ago but that didn't work either. I am down to thinking I will have to format and reinstall unless you guys have any other ideas/theories. I have not installed any new apps in a month. I have checked for viruses and spyware. All clean. I'm stumped. This happend to me 2 years ago but I just can't remember how I fixed it.

Check Add & Remove programs, it might let you remove SP2, unless your CD came with SP2 pre-installed.

[Banditman]

SP2 is preinstalled :(

[PrOLifIC_onE]

Did you try just disabling the the windows firewall? There are other viable firewall solutions out there.

[screwballl]

try this:
XP TCP/IP Repair

hopefully it will help... otherwise you could try installing a 3rd party firewall like zone alarm that disables the windows firewall... of course everything will have to be imported via thumb drive or other means

[Banditman]

Yes I have tried turning off the firewall and disableing it but didn't work. And yea bud, I tried the TCP/IP repair tool after last post. Didn't work either.

This is a really strange problem. In the Firewall properties it says

"The network connection settings have become corrupt. To fix this, click Restore Defaults. This will delete all of your settings for Windows Firewall and might cause some programs to stop working". (I have click on restore defaults but didn't work).

But in the network connection properties under ADVANCED tab it says

"Windows cannot display the properties of this connection. The Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) information might be corrupt. To correct this, use System Restore to restore Windows to an earlier time.". (tried it already).

After first post, I deleted the Network connection in device manager and rebooted so it would reinstall the NIC. didn't work either. I then went online via secandary PC, and searched for WMI problems. I found this page Repairing and re-registering the WMI and tried to follow the commands but kept getting errors with the commands.

Very stumped in Texas

[Banditman]

I just remembered something. A few days ago the Windows File Protection box popped up asking me if I wanted to replace non-original files. I clicked on NO because I have the Vista Transformation Pack installed and I figured that it was from an update. That was a day or two before this problem happend. I am re-running the WFP to try and restore files. But I think it is pointless because I did a total repair on the OS so it should have done it already. I'm just wondering if I have a nasty little rootkit or something. I have 3 rootkit detectors and none of them are showing anything.

[Banditman]

Well, I have tried everything I could find on the net and none of it worked. I am going to try one more full OS repair. If that don't fix it then I guess my only option is to format and fully reinstall. Thanks for your thoughts and opinions.