"Windows cannot display Windows Firewall settings" error while accessing Firewall settings in Windows XP Service Pack 2

Symptoms

1 When you open Services.msc applet, the Windows Firewall/Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) service may not be available in the listing

2 Windows Firewall/Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) service is available in Services listing, but you are unable to start the service

3 You receive the following error message while accessing the firewall settings (firewall.cpl)



Cause

This happens due to missing or corrupt SharedAccess reg key, which represents the Windows Firewall Service.

Resolution

Download sharedaccess.reg (only for systems running Windows XP Service Pack 2) and save to Desktop. Then double-click the file to merge the contents to the registry. The Services entry will be created. Restart Windows (mandatory step, otherwise the following NETSH command will display an error message).

After restarting Windows, run this from Command Prompt (cmd.exe)

NETSH FIREWALL RESET

Launch firewall applet from Control Panel, and then configure your Windows Firewall settings.

If nothing helps, as a last-resort solution (before reinstalling Windows XP Service Pack 2), give these two commands a try. Click Start, Run and type:

rundll32 setupapi,InstallHinfSection Ndi-Steelhead 132 %windir%\inf\netrass.inf

Restart Windows, and then run this command (from Command Prompt):

NETSH FIREWALL RESET

Attempt to start Firewall applet. Start the Windows Firewall service if prompted.