Topic: is it firewall or antivirus????

[Simon]

If the pair of you had mentioned that, it would have been a step in the right direction.

We did!  

[chorleydave]

If you're going to try Zona Alarm, Lona, you might want to visit www.oldversion.com and have a look at ZA 2.0.  It will do what a firewall is supposed to do.but isn't full of other stuff that should be left to your web browser, anti-virus etc to deal with.  I have had it for a fortnight now, and haven't had to format c: yet (touch wood).  It works with 98SE and ME and I am just about to try it with 2000 Pro, but I won't be using XP for a couple of years yet, so I don't know if it's compatable with that.

[Lona]

If the pair of you had mentioned that, it would have been a step in the right direction.

We did!  

Yes at the last minute

Anyway did what you advised, installed sygate, norton antivirus and disabled xp firewall.  Still no joy. I'll just have to keep my money under the bed.

[Simon]

How very strange.  Don't know what else to suggest, apart from change your bank!    

[Lona]

Well Simon and Tony, I am completely at a loss.  I have now installed norton antivirus and firewall but still cannot logon using firefox or ie6.

I'm beginning to think that maybe Joudi had a point about uninstalling software. I have maybe taken away files that were needed but can't think where to start.

Is there a repair feature with xp?

[Tony]

Just recently I have been unable to connect to my internet bank account logon page.

Simon learn by Lona's mistake, it's another glaring example of the wisdom of making an image of C:Drive when its running sweet as a nut [or before installing MS SP's or security updates]

Lona could have pressed the restore C:Drive button, then gone into the garden for a ciggy. Come back rebooted her PC and Bobs your Uncle.......all sorted. But will you lot listen ? no chance.

One day you will be sat there pulling your hair out .......there again.   You'll spend hour upon hour trying to sort out a problem. Because you don't want to face the hours reinstalling the OS, the updates, the programs, the program updates. But in the end thats what you will have to do.    

 :'(

That was a worst case scenario example of course.

[joudi]

Yes Lona! better to use the restoration CD to restore your system, if it doesn't solve the problem then you'll absolutly need to reinstall window from the start (not repair).

I have confidence that everything will be ok after that (probably even with or without firewall).

[Lona]

For the benefit of Tony and Simon.

When I disabled xp firewall my network connection went. Tried installing it again 4 times and eventually put xp firewall back on and network connection worked again.

So it would appear if you have a home network with xp and winme you can't disable xp firewall without causing problems.

At least I can get into the bank with the Winme pc so I will leave it up to the clydesbank to come up with a solution. I'm not alone here, they have lots of customers in the same predicament.

[Simon]

I wouldn't like to suggest that it could be ME causing the problems, but when you get new furniture, do you always still keep the old stuff, Lona?  

[Lona]

I wouldn't like to suggest that it could be ME causing the problems, but when you get new furniture, do you always still keep the old stuff, Lona?  

Why do you think I do so well on ebay, Simon.

[Tony]

For the benefit of Tony and Simon.

Sez her who cannot reach the log in page...yet me and Simon can

Thats the trouble with old trouts, XP is just one step to far in new fangled thingimebods for them to cope with.  

Lona, I don't have a network, so had no need to know bugger all about them. But maybe changing the firewall, may need it rejigging abit thats all. How do you connect to the net, via a router or a bog standard USB BB modem?

For test purposes just forget the network for now [disable it] Try connecting your XP PC direct to the net using your 56K internal modem, or a bog standard BB USB modem if you have one.  And either Sygate or ZoneAlarm firewall with XP's FW disabled.

What I'm saying is both me and Simon can connect to the login page. And I believe he connects his PC, like me direct to the web with a bog standard modem.

If it works, then it is definately a XP Firewall problem, meaning the settings on your network router just need tweaking to accomodate the new firewall. If it doesn't work, then the problem lies elsewhere, fault finding is just a process of elimination.

For instance, got up this morning and the gas boiler was not working, no hot water or central heating, bloody freezing it was. Turns out I found two faults, the connections to the vent fan resistor were corroded. And the thermocouple sensor was not opening the gas valve to the boiler burner. Turns out it was not seated properly on the boiler burner gas valve activation unit. As a sparky in a mung, I've install and fault found on factory boilers. I once worked a full 24 hour shift commissioning one of two new boilers at Johnson and Johnson's factory in Gargrave....Ah happy days.

You'll tell me if I digress wont you?

   

[Lona]

You'll tell me if I digress wont you?

Consider yourself told Tony.

This old boiler was able to set up my network with an ethernet connection using asdl modem with the assistance of the real techie on this forum. I don't need to name names, Tony.

Everything worked orginally even with xp firewall enabled.  I got into bank on both pc's. I am still working on solutions but won't give up until I find the correct one.  It can't be XP firewall that's the cause as it worked initially.

[Tony]

I've just disabled Zonealarm, and enabled the XP firewall.....felt nevous about trusting MS   I can connect to the log in page OK. So  it cannot by the site where the problem lies, it's got to be your end somewhere.


I take it you have tried an XP restore back to a date you know it worked at? Of course doing a clean reinstall using your Rescue Disks supplied with the PC would no doubt fix it. But you would have to set up all your peripherals and internet connections again, plus backing up all your data.

Mmmmmmmmmmmm wouldn't a "Drive Image" image of C:Drive come in handy right now. Considering you had partitioned your hard drive so all your imputted date was on drives other than C:Drive

Theres always something of value to be learnt out of every crisis....thats if your bright enough to recognise it

Edit: I ain't being clever Lona, I'm only trying to prode you and Simon into improving your computing experiance. I mean I could take the attitude....I don't give a sh*t if  fellow members fail to cover themselves, but I care about you both
 :whistle: