"Group policies"

A5H · 24 Jan 2006 at 19:44

Hey all,
In XP home, how do I edit the group policies?
It's not under admin tools, I can't use the MMC panel maker to get it and it's not gpedit.msc...

Seems pretty idiotic that I can't even enable a firewall when I'm the only user...

Edit: Looking around the MS site... I can't change it?! WTF... I can't run without a firewall...

benjo plz. · 24 Jan 2006 at 19:46

Erm, to put it simply, you probably can't. Only way you could is if you edit the registry. Why aren't you an administrator anyway?

A5H · 24 Jan 2006 at 19:49

Phnom_Penh said:
Erm, to put it simply, you probably can't. Only way you could is if you edit the registry. Why aren't you an administrator anyway?

I am... I am THE ONLY user... Hence my frustration at lack of options

benjo plz. · 24 Jan 2006 at 19:51

To run the firewall, open up services.msc and enable it if it isn't enabled, then start it.

A5H · 24 Jan 2006 at 19:54

I 'started' the 'firewall and internet sharing thing... Did nothing...
I think I've found a registry entry that will change it... But what changed it so that I couldn't edit it?

> Navigate to the subkeys:
>> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsFirewall\
>> DomainProfile
>> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsFirewall\
>> StandardProfile
>> In the right pane, reset the value:
>> "EnableFirewall" = "0x00000000"

So I'd have to change it to 0x00000001 ?

benjo plz. · 24 Jan 2006 at 19:57

Are you logged on as a user or as the admin?

Whitewater · 24 Jan 2006 at 19:57

Have you installed SP2? This might help explain the firewall problem. There's also a Windows Firewall link/icon in the Control Panel (if SP2's installed) where it can be switched on/off.

A5H · 24 Jan 2006 at 20:05

Phnom_Penh said:
Are you logged on as a user or as the admin?

I'm logged on as an admin... There's only one account on the computer...

A5H · 24 Jan 2006 at 20:07

Whitewater said:
Have you installed SP2? This might help explain the firewall problem. There's also a Windows Firewall link/icon in the Control Panel (if SP2's installed) where it can be switched on/off.

Yeah SP2 installed... This computer has never been on the internet before, and I tried to hook it up to my router and the connection through IE is stupidly slow... Then it won't work for ages, but it will ping sites and my other computer so I figured it must have been something to do with me connecting to the net with no firewall... Went to turn it on and couldn't...

benjo plz. · 24 Jan 2006 at 20:07

Nope, there's an inbuilt admin account (hidden unless in safemode), as well as any users on top of that.

Main reason it could be going slow is if there are pointless protocols selected for the network connection.

A5H · 24 Jan 2006 at 20:11

Phnom_Penh said:
Nope, there's an inbuilt admin account (hidden unless in safemode), as well as any users on top of that.

Main reason it could be going slow is if there are pointless protocols selected for the network connection.

How would I sort that out?
I have no idea about network stuff... I called up netgear and they just said it was a problem with my PC... Helpfull...

benjo plz. · 24 Jan 2006 at 20:16

Goto My Network Connections, and then open the properties for the network connection, will be titled something like "Local Area Connection Properties". Then where it says "this connection uses the following items", untick everything except:
Client for Microsoft Networks
File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks
Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).

You could just try unticking all except TCP/IP and see whether it improves, but you will need Client for Microsoft Networks and File and Printer Sharing for MS Networks to allow you to share files etc with other computers on your network.

A5H · 24 Jan 2006 at 20:31

Phnom_Penh said:
Goto My Network Connections, and then open the properties for the network connection, will be titled something like "Local Area Connection Properties". Then where it says "this connection uses the following items", untick everything except:
Client for Microsoft Networks
File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks
Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).

You could just try unticking all except TCP/IP and see whether it improves, but you will need Client for Microsoft Networks and File and Printer Sharing for MS Networks to allow you to share files etc with other computers on your network.

Nope, no luck... It has gone off again...
I guess I'm gonna have to format... I don't understand what's up with it...

benjo plz. · 24 Jan 2006 at 20:33

It could be the Rwin or MTU at a stupid setting, (which isp you with?)

A5H · 24 Jan 2006 at 20:34

Phnom_Penh said:
It could be the Rwin or MTU at a stupid setting, (which isp you with?)

NTL...

What's Rwin and MTU?

benjo plz. · 24 Jan 2006 at 20:37

MTU is the maximum transmission unit, and Rwin is the default recieve window. Run this and see what it says - http://www.dslreports.com/tweaks and also, how many other pcs are on your router?

A5H · 24 Jan 2006 at 20:40

Phnom_Penh said:
MTU is the maximum transmission unit, and Rwin is the default recieve window. Run this and see what it says - http://www.dslreports.com/tweaks and also, how many other pcs are on your router?

Just one...

I can't run that thing as the net on the PC im havign trouble with has gone off... Well I can't access any sites... Page cannot be displayed... Yet I can still ping them... Wierd...

benjo plz. · 24 Jan 2006 at 20:41

Could be dns, could be other things. Worth trying a format tbh.

A5H · 24 Jan 2006 at 20:44

Phnom_Penh said:
sounds like DNS tbh.

Way to fix it?

benjo plz. · 24 Jan 2006 at 20:45

Have a look at the network settings on the working pc, will be under network connection status, support, details, and see if they differ any differently from the problematic pc.