# Solved: XP claims Firewall is "off" briefly after startup



## DocStrange (Apr 30, 2010)

A few hours ago, I installed Windows Updates, which my computer installs at shutdown (I haven't been on my computer since Monday, which is why I didn't get them on Tuesday). When I turned my computer on again, everything seemed normal, as it should. But a couple minutes after startup, XP claimed in my icon bar in the bottom right that my firewall was turned off (the text was "Your computer might be at risk. No firewall is turned on. Click this balloon to fix this problem". It went away quickly. I restarted and it happened again. When I clicked on the balloon this time, the red-x shield was gone by the time that the balloon's action (which brought me to Security Center) said my firewall was on.

I can confirm with scans from MSE, Malwarebytes and Spybot that I have no problems with my PC right now, and I did not see this brief firewall notification before I installed Windows Updates. Right now, I can confirm that my Firewall is definitely on. What is causing this? Is this a known problem to Microsoft?

EDIT: It seems that, upon a dip through my post history here at TSG, I seem to have experienced this problem before after installing Windows Updates, but it went away on its own. However, if it does not, i'd still like to know why it does this and how I can get it to stop.


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## Phantom010 (Mar 9, 2009)

Try resetting the *Windows* *Security Center*.

1. Click on Start > Run > type *services.msc*

2. Locate and stop *Windows Management Instrumentation & Security Center*. By default, the *Startup Type* on both should be *Automatic*.

3. Go to C:\WINDOWS\system32\*wbem*.

4. Only delete the *Repository* folder.

5. Reboot your computer.

This will rebuild the deleted folder and the database. Now the Windows Security Center should show the correct info for antivirus and firewall.


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## DocStrange (Apr 30, 2010)

I restarted my computer and it did not happen again. I think it might have fixed itself.


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## Phantom010 (Mar 9, 2009)

DocStrange said:


> that option is only called *"Windows Management Installation for Me"*.
> 
> I don't feel comfortable deleting anything in system32.


I have no idea what that is. Look carefully in the *Services* list.

Locate these two services:

*Windows Management Instrumentation*

*Security Center*


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## DocStrange (Apr 30, 2010)

yeah, I mistyped that. There's no "for me" at the end of that ("for me" referred to "my computer").

Also, as I mentioned before, I guess this fixed itself.


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## gatorboi352 (May 20, 2011)

I too am suffering from this issue, also after recent Windows Updates. However it's been 3 or 4 start ups now with no luck. I too remember this happening before around the same time that I had Windows Updates. Hopefully it goes away... I really need to upgrade to 7.


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