Security Center Notifications Not Working

[Tarus]

.

Malwarebytes detected that the alert settings in the security center had been changed. They were then reset but the security center is not working correctly.

O/S is WinXP SP3.

If the anti virus, firewall or automatic updates are disabled, the security center does not show the icon in the system tray or the message that pops up with it telling you that something is disabled.

The security center itself - when opened from the control panel - shows a red "off" for any items that are disabled, and they will immediately turn to a green "on" when they are enabled.

In the "change the way security center alerts me" window all three items are checked, and In the "recommendation" window it is not checked to discontinue monitoring.

Task manager does not show "wscntfy" running when an item is disabled. A search shows only one wscntfy.exe on the computer, it is located in C:\WINDOWS\system32. If I double click it, the icon shows up in the system tray along with the message pop-up.

When the item is enabled "wscntfy" disappears from task manager and the icon disappears from the system tray. Disabling an item again will not produce an alert unless I click wscntfy.exe.

Other than this problem the computer seems to be running normally.

Any help that is offered will be deeply appreciated. Thank you.

- Bob

Win XP SP3, 2.27 GHz Pentium 4, 1 GB RAM.

Avast Free Antivirus

Zone Alarm Free Firewall

Malwarebytes Free

SuperAntiSpyware Free

SpywareBlaster

Sandboxie

Opera, Firefox, IE8

[Firefox]

Just a thought, in your Services, is the service "Security Center" enabled and set to Automatic?

[Maurice Naggar]

In addition to what Firefox notes, Go to Control Panel Security Center.

What does it show for Firewall, antivirus , and automatic updates ?

Download >> Farbar's Service Scanner utility << and Save to your Desktop.

If using Windows 7 or Vista, Right-Click on fss.exe and select Run As Admisnitrator.

If using XP, double-click to start.

Answer Yes to ok when prompted.

If your firewall then puts out a prompt, again, allow it to run.

Once FSS is on-screen, be sure the following items are checkmarked:

• Internet Services
  
• Windows Firewall
  
• System Restore
  
• Security Center/Action Center
  
• Windows Update
  
• Windows Defender
  

Click on "Scan".

It will create a log (FSS.txt) in the same directory the tool is run.

Copy & Paste contents of FSS.txt into your reply.

imho, I would not recommend any ZoneAlarm firewall on your system. The past experience here with ZA is such that I do not recommend it.

[Tarus]

Thank you for the responses -

Firefox - the Security Center service is started, startup type is automatic.

Maurice - Control Panel>Security Center shows firewall, automatic updates and anti virus all on

(green).

Results of FSS scan:

Farbar Service Scanner Version: 06-08-2012

Ran by Owner (administrator) on 17-09-2012 at 18:01:42

Running from "C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Desktop\FSS"

Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition Service Pack 3 (X86)

Boot Mode: Normal

****************************************************************

Internet Services:

============

Connection Status:

==============

Localhost is accessible.

LAN connected.

Google IP is accessible.

Attempt to access Google.com returned error: Google.com is offline

Yahoo IP is accessible.

Yahoo.com is accessible.

Windows Firewall:

=============

Firewall Disabled Policy:

==================

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile]

"EnableFirewall"=DWORD:0

System Restore:

============

System Restore Disabled Policy:

========================

Security Center:

============

Windows Update:

============

Windows Autoupdate Disabled Policy:

============================

File Check:

========

C:\WINDOWS\system32\dhcpcsvc.dll => MD5 is legit

C:\WINDOWS\system32\Drivers\afd.sys => MD5 is legit

C:\WINDOWS\system32\Drivers\netbt.sys => MD5 is legit

C:\WINDOWS\system32\Drivers\tcpip.sys => MD5 is legit

C:\WINDOWS\system32\Drivers\ipsec.sys => MD5 is legit

C:\WINDOWS\system32\dnsrslvr.dll => MD5 is legit

C:\WINDOWS\system32\ipnathlp.dll => MD5 is legit

C:\WINDOWS\system32\netman.dll => MD5 is legit

C:\WINDOWS\system32\wbem\WMIsvc.dll => MD5 is legit

C:\WINDOWS\system32\srsvc.dll => MD5 is legit

C:\WINDOWS\system32\Drivers\sr.sys => MD5 is legit

C:\WINDOWS\system32\wscsvc.dll => MD5 is legit

C:\WINDOWS\system32\wbem\WMIsvc.dll => MD5 is legit

C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuauserv.dll => MD5 is legit

C:\WINDOWS\system32\qmgr.dll => MD5 is legit

C:\WINDOWS\system32\es.dll => MD5 is legit

C:\WINDOWS\system32\cryptsvc.dll => MD5 is legit

C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe => MD5 is legit

C:\WINDOWS\system32\rpcss.dll => MD5 is legit

C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe => MD5 is legit

Extra List:

=======

Freedom(8) Gpc(6) IPSec(4) NetBT(5) PSched(7) Tcpip(3)

0x0A00000004000000010000000200000003000000050000005A00000056000000060000000700000008000000

IpSec Tag value is correct.

**** End of log ****

[Maurice Naggar]

That report is ok, except for the notation on Google.

Can you access Google.com via Internet Explorer ?

ditto www.bing.com ?

ditto www.yahoo.com ?

[Tarus]

Yes, I can access Google, Bing and Yahoo via Internet Explorer.

[Maurice Naggar]

ok. Good.

[Tarus]

Before posting here I went through this post:

"Windows Security Center not working"

http://forums.malwarebytes.org/index.php?showtopic=108070&st=0

it was continued here:

http://forums.malwarebytes.org/index.php?showtopic=108202&hl=security+center&fromsearch=1

Unfortunately it was terminated due to lack of feedback. Since the problem the poster was having is the same as the one I currently have, I ran the scans to obtain the log files that were requested.

Dial-a-fix - no restrictive policies were found.

I have the DDS and OTL logs and will post them if they will be of use in this case.

[Maurice Naggar]

You ought not to look at other members' threads & use their fixes on your system. Different systems are just that....different conditions.

If you are still having an issue, then post your (new) DDS logs.

[Tarus]

Didn't mean to ruffle your feathers. Goodby.

[Maurice Naggar]

I am not easily ruffled. I was frank and offered help to you if you just had posted DDS logs.