Cannot configure windows xp firewall settings in a sbs 2003 network...

we've recently taken over the IT support for one of our clients and noticed a problem with all of the workstations (xp pro).

We can't modify any of the firewall settings or configure the security center because all of the options are dimmed.

A quick check on the internet gave us this link http://support.microsoft.com/kb/872769 about an update for sbs 2003 which we've installed.

The xp machines are still however not letting us change the security settings (still dimmed out).

Has anyone encountered this before? - is there a way of forcing the firewall on the workstations on/off via group policy?

 

group policy?

It sounds like these are being contoled from a group policy in which case you could not modify these, or they would be greyed out. Try disableing or not configureing the policy, or just adjust them from there.

 

we'd already fixed it actually - it was documented on the microsoft website - the sbs 2003 machine neeeded a couple of hotfixes.