Advice Request Windows Firewall won't start

Please provide comments and solutions that are helpful to the author of this topic.

RoboMan

Level 34
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Jun 24, 2016
2,399
Windows Firewall is broken! It wasn't before, but I decided to uninstall Kaspersky Internet Security (which handled its own firewall) and now Windows' one is disabled and I can't manage to turn it on again. I am now using Windows Defender.

1630179575379.png


Whatever option I use it never turns on.

Issue: Windows Defender can't be enabled
Symptoms: Event Viewer drops several messages, including "access denied, not enough permissions".
I tried:
  • System reboot
  • SFC and DISM scans
  • Malware scan (anyways I know it's not)
  • Windows Troubleshooter
  • Restart WF service
  • Deleted temp windows update folders
  • Net commands to strart and restart services such as WF, Windows Update
  • Enabling from CMD with elevated privileges
Any ideas?
 

valvaris

Level 6
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Jul 26, 2015
263
Hello @RoboMan

it could be that there are some things left behind from Kaspersky and that Windows thinks the Firewall needs to be disabled.


Kaspersky Removal Tool


For the GPO / Group Policy use GPO-Search and search for "Windows Firewall"


Sincerely
Val.
 

kC77

Level 5
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Aug 16, 2021
230
againts my better judgement on a laptop i tested out Bitdefender last week and a similar thing happened to me....

bit defender found some "vulnerability" which it removed.... but then windows firewall wouldn't start, so I went to quarantine and it couldn't restore the item it removed
first thing i tried was dism/sfc etc...

easiest fix is remove the trash BD/KAV products....
grab the latest iso/install media (in my case 21h1) and run an install from windows, keeping your settings

next step once completed run disk cleanup to remove the old install (to free up space)

next download windows defender configurator, set to high mode.... and forget all about kav and BD products
 

SeriousHoax

Level 47
Well-known
Mar 16, 2019
3,630
It could be due to the known issue of Kaspersky's broken uninstaller that I have talked about in the forum a couple of times. It's an old issue by now but they haven't fixed it yet (n)
Try the solution I suggested here:
 

RoboMan

Level 34
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Jun 24, 2016
2,399
Thanks for all tips!

FYI:
  • I already uninstalled Kaspersky
  • I did use Defender Control to disable Defender, but used it again to re-enable it
I am now trying Kavremover to delete any remnants and Farbar Recovery Tool...
 

valvaris

Level 6
Verified
Well-known
Jul 26, 2015
263
Of course allot of install / uninstall mishaps can be solved with a fresh / repair install of windows - But sometimes there is no room for that and is up to the user how they want to solve there issue.

I find it disrespectful @kC77 towards others that try to help - Because posts like this tend to scare ppl off trying to help others

Sincerely
Val.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

pxxb1

Level 9
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Well-known
Jan 17, 2018
436
NOTHING WORKED!!!

Ah shoot.. here we go again... *grabs a Windows 10 copy*

PS: @oldschool I miss you guys too, I've just been buried in work

You should have installed Kaspersky again and then removing it, with it`s own tool. Should most likely worked. But first activate WD with Defender control, a tool that is not necessary at all because Kaspersky takes care of that.
 

Zartarra

Level 7
Verified
Well-known
May 9, 2019
312
againts my better judgement on a laptop i tested out Bitdefender last week and a similar thing happened to me....

bit defender found some "vulnerability" which it removed.... but then windows firewall wouldn't start, so I went to quarantine and it couldn't restore the item it removed
first thing i tried was dism/sfc etc...

easiest fix is remove the trash BD/KAV products....
grab the latest iso/install media (in my case 21h1) and run an install from windows, keeping your settings

next step once completed run disk cleanup to remove the old install (to free up space)

next download windows defender configurator, set to high mode.... and forget all about kav and BD products
I had the same problem with Bitdefender. After uninstalling it, I couldn't start the WIndows Firewall service.

I solved it by adding the mpssvc account to the regkey Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\SharedAccess.
 

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