BitDefender Forum > Bitdefender Is 2008 Firewall Blocks Everything

vbit

Nov 2 2007, 10:27 PM

I just installed Bitdefender Internet Security 2008 on my Windows XP and another install on a Windows 2000.

The Win2000 install went well, but on WinXP, the firewall causes headaches.

It seems impossible to show the Bitdefender Firewall Alert. So if I start a program which is not in the list, the alter pops up for a fraction of a second, but then disappears. I cannot tell Bitdefender to Block or Allow access for the specific application.
The result is that even Firefox or Internet Explorer get blocked. Nice

I found a 'workaround' on the forum :
http://forum.bitdefender.com/index.php?sho...firewall+driver
but that didn't help.
Now the firewall is disabled, and I cannot even enable it. I just get the message :
"Failed to initialize Bitdefender Firewall drivers. Firewall disabled"

Is there any solution to this ?

thanks,

vBit

vbit

Nov 2 2007, 10:53 PM

I also read the instructions on sending the sysdump and fileinfo log files.
There ready to be sent, but where should I send them to ?

vBit

rudihaus

Nov 3 2007, 12:43 PM

I have exactly the SAME problem!!!
The firewall AND registry window were shown for one second and disappeared then. no window was shown after the first window...
So it is impossible to configure something... just by going to the settings and make it manually... thats really annoying.

What system are you using? I use Windows Tablet PC 2005.

I already contacted the Support one month before but it seems that they can't help. I mailed one week with an employee but he could not help me

My solution was to switch back to version 10
I installed and removed BD maybe 5 times. Also with the official removal-tool. No chance

Cris

Nov 3 2007, 02:12 PM

QUOTE (vbit @ Nov 2 2007, 10:53 PM)

I also read the instructions on sending the sysdump and fileinfo log files.
There ready to be sent, but where should I send them to ?

You can send them to support@bitdefender.com. Please write in your e-mail a full description of your problem. Also write a link to this topic. If you get any answer, please let us know.

Cris.

Kloune

Nov 4 2007, 01:51 PM

Hi,

Exactly the same problem here too. It is really annoying.

BTW, the new interface is really not nice.

Thanks for a fast solution,

kloune

Kloune

Nov 4 2007, 01:55 PM

I forgot to add that exactly the same thing happens with the program installation on my machine. When i try installing a program, bd flashes a window to ask if it can write to registry, but much to fast to be able to click on anything. So each time i want to install something that writes to the run folders in the registry, i have to disable the antivirus first, else it just does not work.

I hope a solution will be found really fast for this problem.

rudihaus

Nov 4 2007, 10:39 PM

Yes, the Registrywatcher has the same problem such as the firewall window.
Which Operating System do you use?

vbit

Nov 6 2007, 10:14 PM

QUOTE (rudihaus @ Nov 4 2007, 09:39 PM)

Yes, the Registrywatcher has the same problem such as the firewall window.
Which Operating System do you use?

I'm using Windows XP 2005 Tablet Edition, just like you.

I will send my logfiles to support, will see what becomes of them. I'll let you know if I get a solution.

vBit

rudihaus

Nov 7 2007, 12:44 PM

seems like bitdefender wasn't tested very well on tablet pc editions...
ok, please inform me about any news. My contact to the support in this case wasn't very successful

they get 2 reports (before the firewall window appears and after the firewall window disappears) but the error wasn't found...

Richard Frost

Nov 10 2007, 05:15 AM

QUOTE (rudihaus @ Nov 7 2007, 08:14 PM)

seems like bitdefender wasn't tested very well on tablet pc editions...
ok, please inform me about any news. My contact to the support in this case wasn't very successful

they get 2 reports (before the firewall window appears and after the firewall window disappears) but the error wasn't found...

I have the same problem - its basically made the entire product worthless !

I cant believe this was never tested!

I want this fixed!! Has anyone lodged an official bug report?

Thanks

Niels

Nov 10 2007, 06:11 PM

Hello Richard Frost

I already contacted someone of Softwin (BitDefender) and he will place a bug list. But he didn't specify when that will happen.

Best regards
Niels

Andrei Dumitru

Nov 14 2007, 12:07 PM

I didn't know that BD ran on Windows XP 2005 Tablet Edition.
Did you check on the site the list of supported operating systems?

rudihaus

Nov 14 2007, 02:24 PM

Windows Tablet PC Edition is officially Windows XP Professional with some Add-On Applications for Pen Input. So it should work...

vbit

Nov 27 2007, 11:09 PM

I received a request to upload some log files, but that's about two weeks ago.
Since then, no reaction anymore.

Bitdefender support is a bit disappointing, I must say.

vbit

rudihaus

Nov 27 2007, 11:32 PM

as I told you... I didn't get a response too!
I described my problems, sent logfiles and a movie from the screen. nothing.

First I thought that my windows installation is bad.
But this weekend I've formatted my harddisc and installed Windows XP Tablet Edition too.
The very first software I installed was Bitdefender. Same Problem as before.
Version 10 works.

I'm a software developer. It can't be so hard for the Bitdefender developers to get a Tablet PC Edition from MSDN and to debug the application on this system. unbelievable...

I think the problem is in the new GUI (some parts are invisible in this second when the window is shown). Unfortunately it is a new trend in software development to improve design, handling etc. and not to improve features, performance etc.
See Vista, Norton, Office and and and.....

vbit

Dec 22 2007, 12:03 AM

I'm giving up.

I hardly get any response. When, after I keep asking for updates (in an increasingly frustrated way) they do give a sign of life, my ticket always seems to given to a new support engineer. This new support engineer of course asks for the same files that I've already sent previously.

Even sales doesn't react to my questions.
So, I'm going to get rid of it.

thanks for the responses in this forum anyway.

vBit

Cris

Dec 22 2007, 02:53 PM

Hello vBit,

I contacted TechSupport about your TicketID. This is their response:

QUOTE

Jeff: We have received the files that were sent, and they were submitted for analysis. Recently (couple of days ago) we have released an update meant to fix such issues.

Jeff: Does the issue persist?

Cris: The user that reported this issue says that it persists. Yesterday he sent me this TicketID to ask about it.

Jeff: Dues to the connectivity issue I assume the product was not updated, correct?

Cris: I don't have this information. But as far as I understood, the firewall blocked only new connections. The already created rules were working (and BD has rules for its own modules)

Cris: Am I wrong?

Jeff: So the user is able to connect to the internet using or connexion or another?

Jeff: In any case, as the issue persists, we shall send the files to analysis again. We will ask the customer to update the product first (or to tell us if he already did).

Jeff: In case he cannot update for connectivity reasons, we shall send the manual update link.

Cris: OK. I will tell him this.

Cris: I just read again the topic. The problem was also about the Registry Monitor module of BD

Cris: When an application wants to connect to the internet or to modify the Startup registry, the pop-up appears only for a moment and dissapears

Cris: this was the problem

Jeff: So it could not allow registry modifications either, correct?

Cris: Correct

Jeff: In that case, this may be a Real-time protection issue.

Jeff: We shall get back to him by e-mail, as soon as possible.

Cris: OK.

Cris.

vbit

Dec 22 2007, 05:09 PM

Hi Cris,

thanks for your effort.
To make things clear about the connection : after installation, I cannot make any connection to Internet, not even with programs that are on the white list.
I have to disable the Firewall to make a connection.

As such, I have updated Bitdefender to the latest version, I have downloaded and installed the manual patch that is mentioned somewhere on the forum, but no cure.

As rudihaus shows in his replies to this topic, it could be related to Windows XP 2005 Tablet edition, but it cannot be that hard for Bitdefender support to build such a testcase ?

Just curious about their further reaction now. It's frustrating though that one action from a person like you seems to move much more than repeated demands from my side.

thanks again,

vBit

QUOTE (Cris @ Dec 22 2007, 01:53 PM)

Hello vBit,

I contacted TechSupport about your TicketID. This is their response:
Cris.

Cris

Dec 22 2007, 07:13 PM

Hello vbit,

Thanks for the clarifications you made.
Now you have to wait for the e-mail from them and see what they tell you. Also, try again to update to the latest version (it should be 11.0.15) and post if it works.

I'll contact them again to tell them your answer. Unfortunately, this won't happen sooner then Monday, because on SUndays is hard to catch someone on TechSupport (because they're not working).

I'm waiting for your answer.
Cris.

vbit

Dec 26 2007, 09:17 PM

Hello Cris,

I've reinstalled Bitdefender, disabled the firewall, and performed an update. But the problem remains.
In the mean time, I'm still waiting for a reaction from Bitdefender support.

I also have the impression that they don't consider the option of testing Bitdefender on Windows XP Tablet Edition very seriously.

vBit

Cris

Dec 27 2007, 12:01 AM

OK, vbit. I'm sorry to hear that it still doesn't work. I'm going to contact them again and let them know. Hopefully, this will get fixed.

Cris.

DSoffner

Jan 4 2008, 09:07 AM

Hi,

any news on this ? I am experiencing the same problem.

I installed BitDefender Total Security 2008 and get the response "Failed to initialize Bitdefender Firewall drivers. Firewall disabled". And yes, my Windows Firewall is inactive and I deinstalled my former firewall (Kerio PF) and Norton AntiVirus.

What struck me was that it does not seem to recognize my network although my XP SP2 box is located in a network.

Please help quickly. It is more than disappointing to experience these issues with a rather expensive product right from the first minute.

Regards, Daniel.

vbit

Jan 4 2008, 10:09 AM

Hi Daniel,

you'd better give up, as I have.
The support from Bitdefender is non-existing. I know you cannot expect heaven from support, but the way those guys handle issues is incredible.

I have reported my issue, but they didn't get any further than asking to describe the problem and sending log files. From that point on : nothing.

I've complained using replies to their mails and using the web form. The only thing you get is another ticket with the same old questions : "can you describe your problem, what platform are you using, what version of Bitdefender are you running ?".
Apparently they have never heard of an issue database, or if they have, they can't query it.
(I even contacted sales and press using this web form. Silence all over, what would you guess)

The only form of support I can think of is the reaction from Cris, above. And he doee not even work for Bitdefender.
You can read the discussion he's had with one of Bitdefender. That Jeff seems like a marketeer to me : promised to contact me by mail, but didn't.

My license ends within 2 weeks. I'm certainly NOT going to renew it.

If you can, get rid of it too !

vBit

QUOTE (DSoffner @ Jan 4 2008, 08:07 AM)

Hi,

any news on this ? I am experiencing the same problem.

I installed BitDefender Total Security 2008 and get the response "Failed to initialize Bitdefender Firewall drivers. Firewall disabled". And yes, my Windows Firewall is inactive and I deinstalled my former firewall (Kerio PF) and Norton AntiVirus.

What struck me was that it does not seem to recognize my network although my XP SP2 box is located in a network.

Please help quickly. It is more than disappointing to experience these issues with a rather expensive product right from the first minute.

Regards, Daniel.

studleylee

Jan 5 2008, 01:16 AM

Hi Cris,
I updated from version 10 to internet security 2008. At home it
works fine 192.168.1.xxx network. At work it blocks everything 192.168.2.xxx If I disable the FW it works. I've tried adding ports manually and used an "ActivePorts" utility to monitor what ports and process are open and being used. As soon as I enable the FW, port 80, 138,139 and others are blocked even though they have been added to the rules. Version10 worked fine. Very odd. WinXP sp2.
Thanks,
-Lee

QUOTE (Cris @ Dec 27 2007, 12:01 AM)

OK, vbit. I'm sorry to hear that it still doesn't work. I'm going to contact them again and let them know. Hopefully, this will get fixed.

Cris.

studleylee

Jan 5 2008, 03:47 AM

I just did a clean install back to V10 and all works fine again. I'll stick with it until enough momentum builds about the 2008 issue.

-Lee

QUOTE (studleylee @ Jan 5 2008, 01:16 AM)

Hi Cris,
I updated from version 10 to internet security 2008. At home it
works fine 192.168.1.xxx network. At work it blocks everything 192.168.2.xxx If I disable the FW it works. I've tried adding ports manually and used an "ActivePorts" utility to monitor what ports and process are open and being used. As soon as I enable the FW, port 80, 138,139 and others are blocked even though they have been added to the rules. Version10 worked fine. Very odd. WinXP sp2.
Thanks,
-Lee

MickeyG

Jan 6 2008, 12:36 AM

I think I had a similar situation on a 32 bit XP machine. I went into settings>Firewall>Traffic>Edit Profile. I found internet explorer and made the action "Allow" for both the inbound and outbound rules. After that I was able to use my internet explorer normally.

garot

Jan 6 2008, 03:46 AM

hey vbit, I found this article on the net, i had the exact same problem as you, and it works perfectly. There is a part where it says update BD, and my update found nothing, so dont worry if it doesnt update anything. And YES, you do need to do that many restarts

ok

heres the link, hope it helps:

http://www.astatalk.com/viewtopic.php?p=461604#461604

Umm i had to become a member to read the info, so i'll just paste it here as well so you dont have to become a member...

QUOTE

1. Run the following patch:

CODE

http://www.bitdefender.com/files/KnowledgeBase/file/Step_A.bat

2. Restart the computer.

3. Perform a product update (important) - From the Security Center hit Update now

4. Restart the computer.

5. Run the second patch:

CODE

http://www.bitdefender.com/files/KnowledgeBase/file/Step_E.bat

6. Restart the computer.

I'm not sure if it will work, but it's worth a try.

Thank Doctor Mechanic - a PC genius

PS: this is for 2008 version on WinXP

studleylee

Jan 6 2008, 07:00 AM

I tried that and every permutation also. no joy, and I tried the stepA.. batch files method too: That was to solve an issue earlier this year with a bad update that lock things out. I just downloaded the version of 2008 and it's way beyond the issue. Out of desperation I tired it anyway. No joy. I finally uninstalled 2008 and re-installed V10 and all works fine now. I'm not
a newbie and know how to setup the rules. It's definitely a program goof up. I'm sure it works fine for some setups, but not all.
Funny thing is it worked fine for home, but not at work. I'll wait a few months and try again. I've got 460 days on my v10 license, so I'll wait. I chalk it up to early adopter caveats.

I have to say that V10 has been awesome after the hassles I had with CA antivirus and ZoneAlarm Pro. It made other solutions look like amateurs.

QUOTE (MickeyG @ Jan 6 2008, 12:36 AM)

I think I had a similar situation on a 32 bit XP machine. I went into settings>Firewall>Traffic>Edit Profile. I found internet explorer and made the action "Allow" for both the inbound and outbound rules. After that I was able to use my internet explorer normally.

rico35

Apr 10 2008, 09:46 PM

Hello !
I have the same problem with XP Tablet PC (the firewall and registry window were shown for one second and disappeared then. no window was shown after the first window...).

Any news ?

vbit

Apr 12 2008, 05:35 PM

I'm a happy user of Avira Premium Security.

Bitdefender just did nothing to help. I tried to wake up support using the forum, using the web contact forms, ... whatever.
They requested the same crap for about 5 times : to describe the problem, to send certain log files.
I did that every time, but I never got any useful reaction, or even any sign that they had investigated the log files.

You can read that a friendly guy named Cris offered some (much appreciated) help, and even managed to talk to someone from develoment. But this developer Jeff never tried to contact me, although he said he would.

Bitdefender Support is just too louzy to be true. I'm glad I got rid of them.

mannaia

Aug 1 2008, 08:20 PM

QUOTE (vbit @ Apr 12 2008, 05:35 PM)

I'm a happy user of Avira Premium Security.

Bitdefender just did nothing to help. I tried to wake up support using the forum, using the web contact forms, ... whatever.
They requested the same crap for about 5 times : to describe the problem, to send certain log files.
I did that every time, but I never got any useful reaction, or even any sign that they had investigated the log files.

You can read that a friendly guy named Cris offered some (much appreciated) help, and even managed to talk to someone from develoment. But this developer Jeff never tried to contact me, although he said he would.

Bitdefender Support is just too louzy to be true. I'm glad I got rid of them.

No way, I will soon follow vbit and try something else than BD 2008. After a tremendous number of attempts, I feel hopeless ....
After installing xp sp3, BD 2008 started blocking internet, as long as I kept firewall enabled. I tried to reinstall xp with BD register control enabled and antivirus off, but now that I have xp udpated, BD does not react anymore. When I open Firefox, I don't get the usual prompt asking for "allow" or "deny", Firefox is just barely blocked. No way to enter an allow rule in the Firewall/traffic tab and make Firefox working.
What kind of a firewall is that if you are forced to disable it to get Internet working.
I tried to implore the support, but still no news from them after sending the files requested. well, it's time to move to something that works, I've wasted so much time behind this tool, that's really annoying, although i still have 310 days left of license.....The first year was promising, but apparently it was too nice to be true that we would together and happily come to an end.
Anyway, have someone of you experienced this problem and found a solution ?
Thanks four your help,
Mannaia