Windows XP + Parallels: Complains about no firewall

[wrldwzrd89]

I'm running Parallels 6 right now - this happened in Parallels 5 too, in my Windows XP virtual machine. Windows XP refuses to connect to any network until it's "warned" me about no firewall being active, which goes away on its own after about 3-5 minutes, and everything starts working again. If I try to view Windows Firewall settings via Control Panel, Windows tells me: "Due to an unidentified problem, Windows Firewall settings cannot be displayed." This happens every time Windows XP is started or restarted. Is this a Parallels issue, and if it is are there any known workarounds?

I have 1 out of 2 cores devoted to the VM, and I've given it 1GB of RAM (out of 4GB on the physical hardware). I'm running Service Pack 3 with pretty much every update released post-SP3.

 

[Grannyville7989]

Do you have any security software installed on your Windows XP VM that could be causing the problem with firewall?

 

[wrldwzrd89]

Do you have any security software installed on your Windows XP VM that could be causing the problem with firewall?

I use Microsoft Security Essentials on my Windows XP VM, which doesn't have a firewall module of its own, and thus relies on Windows Firewall.

 

[Grannyville7989]

Have you had problems with the firewall since day one of using Windows under Parallels?

 

[Grannyville7989]

I've just fired up my Windows XP VM on my Windows 7 PC just to see if I can provide anything that might help.

If you fire up the Services app in Windows, does it state that the Windows Firewall service is activated?

If you don't know how to check:

Start > Run... > type "services.msc" > scroll down to find the "Windows Firewall/Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) service > double click on that service to open the Properties windows > under the General tab, check the service status just under half way down.

Looking at my Windows Firewall service, it states that the service has "Started" with the option to stop it.

 

[wrldwzrd89]

Have you had problems with the firewall since day one of using Windows under Parallels?

Yes, ever since I (re-)installed Parallels it has given me this problem.

I've just fired up my Windows XP VM on my Windows 7 PC just to see if I can provide anything that might help.

If you fire up the Services app in Windows, does it state that the Windows Firewall service is activated?

If you don't know how to check:

Start > Run... > type "services.msc" > scroll down to find the "Windows Firewall/Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) service > double click on that service to open the Properties windows > under the General tab, check the service status just under half way down.

Looking at my Windows Firewall service, it states that the service has "Started" with the option to stop it.

Thanks, I will check this later, when I am at my Mac.

 

[willieva]

I just started getting this same problem with xp on fusion. Been using this vm for years without seeing this. A few weeks ago the problem started. It doesn't always happen so troubleshooting is proving difficult. XP sees the speakers on my local network, but when I try to connect to them I sometimes get the problem. The second time I try to connect to them everything works fine.

 

[wrldwzrd89]

I've just fired up my Windows XP VM on my Windows 7 PC just to see if I can provide anything that might help.

If you fire up the Services app in Windows, does it state that the Windows Firewall service is activated?

If you don't know how to check:

Start > Run... > type "services.msc" > scroll down to find the "Windows Firewall/Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) service > double click on that service to open the Properties windows > under the General tab, check the service status just under half way down.

Looking at my Windows Firewall service, it states that the service has "Started" with the option to stop it.

Just checked, mine says it is started, and gives the option to stop it. Odd.

 

[Grannyville7989]

I suppose you could install a third-party firewall.