Windows Firewall keeps turning itself off

I'm running Win 7 HP (64-bit) SP1 on a Hewlett-Packard x64-based PC (model: s5770uk-m). My firewall is Window's own firewall.

Every time I switch the PC on there's a warning that the firewall is off. I go in to Control Panel and sure enough it is switched off so I switch it on. But, the next time I switch on the PC the firewall is off again.

What might be causing this problem?

 

Have you installed any other 3rd party antivirus software and uninstalled it if so there could be files still on your computer which could be affecting the windows firewall.

 

Yes. Comodo Internet Security Free 7. I uninstalled it following Comodo's instructions, i.e. because I have Windows 7 (64-bit) to uninstall it using Add/Remove Programs.

Subsequently, I have searched for all folders left on the machine called "Comodo". There are none. Next, I went in to Regedit. Before, I explain any further I want to make clear and emphasise that in Regedit I ONLY looked; I did NOT change anything. I went in to each of Regedit's main headings (I'm sure the wrong technical term) and in each one looked under Software for anything called "Comodo". As with the search for folders there was nothing called "Comodo".

That's as far as my abilities go in determining whether or nor anything is leftover. Although I want to emphasise I followed Comodo's instructions.

 

Have you tried doing a system restore?

I initially did the same thing you did and it didn't quite work, then i did a system restore followed by ccleaner and the program ( comodo) was no longer interfering.

I was looking for a free firewall to put in my other laptop and comodo was mentioned frequently, as soon as i installed it the thing severely made my laptop as slow as useless even with messing with the settings.

 

No, I haven't. I'll certainly think about it. I shall have to look for a suitable restore point. I've just removed a few programmes from my PC and if I can avoid it I don't want to restore back to a point where one of them was still installed.

I'm certainly going to try CCleaner first. I think I've done that but it might be worth doing again. It could just get rid of any file that might be causing the problem.

I'll post again with what I've done if anything works so that other people may find a solution to a similar problem.

 

I ran CCleaner to see if that would alone resolve the issue but it didn't.

I then did a System Restore and afterwards I ran CCleaner. I noticed that some of the files CCleaner removed were Comodo files.

Unfortunately, these two steps have not resolved the problem. When I switch Window's Firewall on it stays on whilst I'm using the PC; however, it is turned off whenever I turn on the PC even though it was on prior to the computer being turned off.

 

What firewall ( not windows based) are you currently running if any at all?

I believe you said that you deleted comodos' folder, uninstalled it using the recommended way along with checking to see if any leftover folders were left in the registry ( which you couldn't find).

Something else you can try is installing another firewall ( like AVG) , which will have to overwrite whatever comodo seems to be currently doing. if it fixes it you can then uninstall it and hopefully everything will be back to ''normal''.

I doubt Avg firewall will give you same problems as comodo when uninstalling as i only EVER had problems with comodo when uninstalling.

 

None I removed Comodo and it's Window's own firewall that I want to use.

That's correct.

I shall try that. I just hope I don't end up with more junk on the PC

 

I'm having problems finding a firewall. I can't find one by AVG unless I'm missing something glaringly obvious. I tried ZoneAlarm but they want me to make changes to my browser which I do not want to make and because I won't agree to them it won't install. Then I tried Outpost but that only works with PCs with x86 architecture. I infer Win 7 doesn't have that architecture. I don't know of any other free firewalls.

 

Avg has the free edition and trial here:
http://free.avg.com/us-en/free-antivirus-download

Since you are probably going to remove it just get the one that says ''free trial'' and make sure you select customize and PICK what you want installed ( as there are things you do not want it to install).

Also if you are getting add ons on your browser among other features when installing a firewall i am going to assume you are choosing the ''easy'' installation where firewalls install the rest of its ( somewhat useless) trash that hogs more computer resources.

I ALWAYS choose the ''customize'' option when installing a firewall or basically any other program because i don't like the default installations programs like to pick. I suggest you do the same so you won't get any add ons.

I really only choose email protection and firewall , everything else i don't use like firewalls add on browsers, back it up features, site advisors, language packs etc..


I personally like AVG and mcafee as firewalls , in fact you can get them for free ( FULL VERSION) through rebates from frys.com or newegg.com they have been going for like a couple of months now.

I never had any problems with either of them but of course i know most of the peopel that do are the ones that let the program pick default settings and install all those add ons with the firewalls ( all people really need are the email protection and firewalls themselves).

You never want to install the site advisor add on on basically any firewall program they are utter trash and block alot of things.

 

OK, thank you for that.

I'm afraid I'm one of those people who doesn't customise installs. The primary reason being that I often don't know what the options mean. Consequently even if a programme had easy options I won't know about them because I choose the default settings. I've always assumed that the default installation will be the one that gets the application to do the key thing for which I chose it.

This time I'm going to install AVG from the link you provided and customise the install you recommend. I'm glad I can install AVG because if I remember correctly they provide a little application you can run to ensure all parts of AVG have been removed from your PC.

 

My problem is not fixed.

I couldn't install AVG Free because it doesn't have a firewall.

Therefore I installed the full AVG on a 30 day free trial basis. I went through the custom installation and only selected the firewall. After installing AVG I restarted my PC.

Then I cleaned the PC using CCleaner. After which I uninstalled AVG using Add/Remove Programs. It required me to restart my PC in order to complete the uninstall process.

After Windows restarted I cleaned my PC using CCleaner.

Then I turned on Windows Firewall. After I'd done that I shut down the computer because it's only on a reboot that I find Windows Firewall has been turned off. Anyway I turned the computer off, left it a minute and turned it back on. I checked Windows Firewall and it was turned off.

I don't know what's turning it off. I don't know how to find out what's turning it off.

 

As this is a problem that is affecting Windows I have just searched for a solution at Microsoft's web site. I found this web page and I have looked at the advice in the section, "Another program is stopping Windows Firewall". I've looked at the Event Log and cannot find anything that says Windows Firewall has been turned off so there is nothing to say what is turning it off. I found some logs that had the value range mentioned, i.e. 4900 to low 5000s. I clicked on Event Log Online Help for these and was taken to Microsoft's web site but each one said, "No results were found for your query."

 

Sorry to hear you are still having trouble

I replicated your issue in a spare laptop i had and it did work for me how i explained.

Do you really just plan on using the windows firewall as a main firewall?


On the advanced tab in the control panel there doesn't show a message stating '' this firewall is being mananged by a program called xxx''?

I assume you already put to restore to defaults in the firewall control panel?

 

How? As my problem persists I can only infer that the cause isn't the one we've being trying to resolve.

Yes, I do. Why do you ask? Based on advice I've read here on Majorgeeks it was not advisable to rely on Windows Firewall in the earlier versions of Microsoft Windows. The more recent versions of Windows, e.g. version 7, have a firewall that is good enough to use on it's own. I'd be interested to know why you appear to consider this is not so.

I'm not sure what you mean but I'm going to look and see what I can do. I might come back and ask you to explain this in a little more detail.

As with your previous statement, I'm not sure what you're saying. I went to Control Panel. Then I clicked on (guessing the exact words from memory because I'm on a different machine at the moment) Security and then on Firewall. I clicked in the menu on the left hand pane the option to turn Windows Firewall on or off. It asked me if I wanted to use the recommended settings which I did. I can't recall seeing anything about restoring to defaults. I'm assuming you're saying use the recommended settings. Anyway I shall look for such an option.

I have a feeling I'm going to be back again. I just have a feeling this is some deep seated problem that's going to take some time to resolve.

There is an option on the PC to restore to factory settings. I don't know if this comes with this version of Windows or if it's something the manufacturer has put on this model. I'm sure it'd solve my problem but I fear I'd lose all my stuff on the PC. I've got an external hard drive I could put it on but I have never got my head round where Windows 7 puts everything so am not sure I'd save all my stuff before restoring the PC to its factory settings.

 

Following my previous post I went to have a look at the things you suggested.

Do you mean the advanced tab in the menu in the left hand pane when you go into Firewall or do you mean an advanced tab in the main Control Panel? I went in to the advanced tab in Firewall which opened a control pane in which there was a great deal of information. I couldn't see anything that said "this firewall is being managed by a program called xxx". Could you please direct me to where it might say this.

I now know what you mean as I've found the method of restoring Windows Firewall to its default settings. It warned me a couple of times that it would change settings and that it could affect some programmes. I carried on because I've (1) never selected particular settings in Firewall and (2) I've never configured a programme so that Firewall would allow it to access the internet. I was hoping it might change whatever was turning the Firewall off.

Anyway I restored to the defaults. Turned the PC off because Firewall only gets turned off when the PC is turned back on. Unfortunately, when I turned the PC back on Firewall was turned off so restoring it to the default settings has not resolved the problem.