Firewall warning balloon

Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security
1

I recently updated from Windows ME to XP and installed Avast! My computer did have an out-of-date McAffee program and I deleted what I could find of this after the update. Now I am plagued by a warning balloon at end of boot-up saying my firewall is turned off when Security Centre says it is not. Can you suggest why this is and how to sort it, please? Am I safe even when I get this warning?
Is it Avast! which is interferring with the security warning or firewall or is it the probability that I was unable to fully uninstal the McAffee software?

Many thanks for your help

Roger

2

Did you use McAfee firewall?
Avast does not have a firewall so, your Security Center could be relating that just your Windows Firewall is activated… Can you check?
Can you post the exactly sequence that you’ve followed: you have ME and McAffe, then upgrade to XP, then…

3

You can disable the warning balloon by going to Start\Control Panel\Administrative Tools\Services\Security Center
In the General Tab, Startup Type, choose Disable

In doing this you are disabling Microsoft Security Center, something which should be only a temporary thing. If you are looking for an excellent firewall, try Kerio Personal Firewall. I installed it in the Advanced mode with no problem. This firewall is recognized by Windows Security Center.

http://www.kerio.com/us/kpf_download.html

4

Does anybody know how to configure or tweak the Security Center?
I mean, how to set up how many days is an antivirus considered non-updated, etc.
In off-line computers the time is too short for this warning… :stuck_out_tongue:

5

I think my friend Google does, a search for ‘configure or tweak the Security Center’ without the quotes returns thousands of hits. This is the first in line - http://www.tweakhound.com/xp/securitycenter/ but I didn’t see anything on setting the duration.

6

Some useful links.
A lot of bla, bla, bla.
No one has tweaks or configurations for the Security Center. :frowning:

7

Thanks for your interest.
My computer (HP Pavillion - Pentium 4 1400MB) came with Windows ME and McAfee virus software, no firewall. The McAfee program became out-of-date 2 or 3 years ago. I then updated to Windows XP. I kept getting warnings that there was no virus software. I tried to uninstal McAfee but there was no entry for it in the Control Panel so I simple deleted all the bits of it I could find. I then installed Avast! Avast! seems to work well and it updates automatically but on starting up the computer I get a warning balloon from the Security Centre saying there is no firewall. When I go to the Security Centre, it says the firewall is on.

8

avast does not have a firewall… Do you mean that each boot you’re alerted that the firewall is off?

9

I find that the Windows Security Centre is not the most intelligent thing on the planet. Your best bet is to disable the windows firewall and get yourself a personal firewall. Take your pick:

10

Thanks, Technical. No it varies but the warning comes up 9 times out of 10 boot-ups to say the firewall is turned off and it is wrong. The firewall is on.