Stripped down Gamer PC needs Firewall re-added

[nikonf5]

Hi all,

I made a perfect stripped-out gaming-only image for my gaming rig using nLite and its been humming along fine until "Medal Of Honor: Airborne" came out and it wont install unless the firewall is enabled.

I dont mind enabling the firewall except I stripped all that functionality out and I dont know what to put back.

I have tried putting back firewall.cpl but it gives an error when you try to run it.

My Last_Session.ini file from when I created the ISO for XP SP2 is listed below.

I have removed the keyboard and language sections to make it faster to read.

Any and all help is very much appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[Main]

Env = 1.3 RC 2 - 2.0.50727.42.Microsoft Windows NT 5.0.2195 Service Pack 4

Target = Windows XP Professional SP:2 - 5.1.2600.2180 - English (United States)

[Tasks]

Remove Components

Unattended Setup

Integrate Drivers

Hotfixes and Update Packs

Tweaks

Create a Bootable ISO

Options

[Components]

;# Applications #

Accessibility Options

Briefcase

Charmap

ClipBook Viewer

Defragmenter

Games

Internet Games

NT Backup

Paint

Pinball

Screensavers

Wordpad

;# Drivers #

Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM)

Cameras and Camcorders

Display Adapters

Display Adapters (old)

Ethernet (LAN)

IBM PS/2 TrackPoint

IBM Thinkpad

ISDN

Logitech WingMan

Microsoft SideWinder

Modems

MultiFunctional

Portable Audio

Printers

Scanners

SCSI/RAID

Serial Pen Tablet

Sony Jog Dial

Sound Controllers

Tape drives

Toshiba DVD decoder card

Wireless Ethernet (WLAN)

;# Hardware Support #

ALI 1535 SMBus Host Controller

ALI IDE Controller

ATM Support

Battery

Bluetooth Support

Brother Devices

CPU AMD

CPU Transmeta Crusoe

Firewire (1394) Support

Firewire Network support

Gravis Digital GamePort

InfraRed

Iomega Zip drive

Joystick Support

Modem Support

Multi-port serial adapters

PCMCIA

Secure Digital host controller

Sony Memory Stick

Teletext codec

Toshiba PCI IDE Controller

USB Audio support

USB Ethernet

USB Video Capture devices

VIA PCI IDE Controller

Video Capture

Windows CE USB Host

;# Multimedia #

AOL ART Image Format Support

Images and Backgrounds

Luna desktop theme

Media Center

MIDI audio support

Mouse Cursors

Movie Maker

Music Samples

Old CDPlayer and Sound Recorder

Speech Support

Tablet PC

Windows Media Player

Windows Media Player 6.4

Windows Picture and Fax Viewer

Windows Sounds

;# Network #

Active Directory service

Client for Netware Networks

Communication tools

Comtrol Test Terminal Program

Connection Manager

Dial-up and VPN support

FrontPage Extensions

H323 MSP

Internet Connection Wizard

Internet Explorer

Internet Information Services (IIS)

IP Conferencing

MAC Bridge

MSMail and MAPI

MSN Explorer

Netmeeting

Network Monitor Driver and Tools

NWLink IPX/SPX/NetBIOS Protocol

Outlook Express

Peer-to-Peer

Synchronization Manager

TAPI Application Support

TCP/IP Version 6

Vector Graphics Rendering (VML)

Web Folders

Windows Messenger

;# Operating System Options #

.NET Framework

Administrative Templates

Administrator VB scripts

Auditing Resource Dlls

Blaster/Nachi removal tool

Certificate Management

Color Schemes

Desktop Cleanup Wizard

Disk and Profile Quota

Disk Cleanup

Document Templates

DR Watson

Extensible Storage Engine (Esent97)

Extra Fonts

File and Settings Wizard

File System Filter Manager

Group Policy Management Console

Help and Support

Help Engine

Input Method Editor

Jet Database Engine

Local Security Settings

Logon Notifications

Manual Install and Upgrade

MS Agent

Out of Box Experience (OOBE)

Private Character Editor

Remote Installation Services (RIS)

Search Assistant

Security Center

Service Pack Messages

Shell Media Handler

Tour

User account pictures

Visual Basic Scripting support

Web View

Zip Folders

;# Services #

Alerter

Application Layer Gateway

Automatic Updates

Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS)

Beep Driver

Distributed Link Tracking Client

Error Reporting

Fax Service

HTTP SSL

IMAPI CD-Burning COM Service

Indexing Service

Message Queuing (MSMQ)

Messenger

Network DDE

Performance Logs and Alerts

Protected Storage

QoS RSVP

Quality of Service (QoS)

Remote Registry

Removable Storage

Secondary Logon

Service Advertising Protocol

Shell Services

System Monitor

System Restore Service

Telnet

Terminal Services

Text Services Framework

Uninterruptible Power Supply

Volume Shadow Copy

Windows Time

;# Directories #

DOCS

SUPPORT

VALUEADD

;# Compatibility #

Compat01

Compat02

Compat09

[KeepFiles]

msconfig.exe

[RemoveFiles]

clock.avi

yahoo.bmp

swtchbrd.bmp

[Options]

CABNoHigh

ClassicSetup

BlackSetupBack

DisableFreereq

DisableMinMem

DupeFiles

ProfilesDir = "%SystemDrive%\Documents and Settings"

TargetPath = "WINDOWS"

temp_dir = %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Temp

NoWmpComp

NoKeepCp

RemoveMUI

AdvTweaks

[Patches]

TcpIp = 50

UsbPoll = 500

DoSFC

[services2]

AppMgmt,4

Browser,4

CryptSvc,4

DHCP,4

Eventlog,4

PolicyAgent,4

NLA,4

NtLmSsp,4

RemoteAccess,4

ScardSvr,4

Schedule,4

LMHosts,4

WebClient,4

SharedAccess,4

StiSvc,4

winmgmt,4

Wmi,4

WZCSVC,4

WmiApSrv,4

[Tweaks]

Boot and Shutdown-Ctrl-Alt-Del at logon-Disabled

Boot and Shutdown-Disable automatic restart on System Failure

Boot and Shutdown-Disable saving Last Good state at boot

Boot and Shutdown-Do not Parse Autoexec.bat

Boot and Shutdown-Logon Page-Classic

Boot and Shutdown-Numlock-Off

Boot and Shutdown-Setup Prefetch-Cache-Disabled

Boot and Shutdown-Status Messages-Default

Desktop-My Computer icon-Hide

Desktop-My Documents icon-Hide

Desktop-My Network Places icon-Hide

Desktop-Recycle Bin icon-Hide

Explorer-Add 'Command Prompt' to folder context menu

Explorer-Change Explorer Folder View to: details

Explorer-Classic Control Panel

Explorer-Disable Autorun

Explorer-Disable Beep on errors

Explorer-Disable Prefix: Shortcut to

Explorer-Display the contents of system folders

Explorer-Launch folder windows in a seperate process

Explorer-Recycle Bin: allow to rename and delete

Explorer-Recycle Bin: delete files directly

Explorer-Remove Back Button

Explorer-Remove Send To on context menu

Explorer-Show Drive Letters in front of Drive Names

Explorer-Show extensions of known file-types

Explorer-Show hidden files and folders

Explorer-Show protected operating system files

Explorer-Show Statusbar in all windows

Explorer-Show the full path in the Title Bar

Explorer-Use small icons in Explorer bar

Internet Explorer-Disable Download Complete notification

Internet Explorer-Disable Go Button

Internet Explorer-Disable Internet Explorer link creation

Internet Explorer-Disable Market Place bookmark

Internet Explorer-Disable Password-Caching

Internet Explorer-Disable sound when popup is blocked

Internet Explorer-Keep IE URL-History for-0 Days

Internet Explorer-Set Homepage-about:blank

Internet Explorer-Set IE-Cache limit to-1 MB (min)

My Computer-Add Control Panel to Context Menu

My Computer-Add Device Manager to Context Menu

My Computer-Add Services to Context Menu

My Computer-Remove Search from Context Menu

My Computer-Remove Shared Documents

Network-Allow Network Logins without passwords

Network-Disable administrative shares

Network-Disable automatic search for network folders and printers

Network-Disable DNS failure cache

Network-Disable LM HOSTS lookup

Network-Disable restoring mapped network drives on logon

Network-Disable Simple File Sharing

Performance-Disable Info Tips on Files and Folders

Performance-Disable Last accessed Timestamp on files

Performance-Disable Optimize harddisk when idle

Performance-Disable paging of kernel and core-os

Performance-Disable Tracking of Broken Shortcut Links

Performance-Disable Warn on low disk space

Performance-Disable WBEM logging

Performance-Do not cache thumbnails

Performance-Processor scheduling-Programs

Performance-Run 16-bit Windows applications in a separate process

Performance-Use Windows classic folders / No Tasks Sidepanel

Privacy-Disable Driver Update Internet prompt

Privacy-Disable File MRU-List

Privacy-Disable Tracking of most used programs

Privacy-Remove Alexa

Security-Disable DCOM

Security-Disable Screensaver

Security-Disable Web Open With prompt

Security-Re-Enable user:pass URLs

Security-Screensaver Password-Protection-Disabled

Start Menu-Clear most recently opened documents list on logoff

Start Menu-Control Panel-Display as a menu

Start Menu-Disable and Remove Documents List from Start Menu

Start Menu-Disable Highlight newly installed programs

Start Menu-Disable popup on first boot

Start Menu-Do not use Personalized Menus

Start Menu-Expand Network Connections

Start Menu-Hide Run button

Start Menu-Hide Search button in Start Panel

Start Menu-My Computer-Don't display this item

Start Menu-My Documents-Don't display this item

Start Menu-My Music-Don't display this item

Start Menu-My Network Places-Don't display this item

Start Menu-My Pictures-Don't display this item

Start Menu-Network Connections-Don't display this item

Start Menu-Number of programs on Start menu-10

Start Menu-Printers and Faxes-Display as a menu

Start Menu-Reduce popup delay

Start Menu-Remove Logoff User

Start Menu-Remove Pinned Apps List from Start Panel

Start Menu-Remove Search the Internet from Search

Start Menu-Remove Set Program Access and Defaults

Start Menu-Remove User name

Start Menu-Remove Windows Catalog shortcut

Start Menu-Use small icons in Start Panel

Taskbar-Disable Balloon Tips

Taskbar-Disable Group similar Taskbar buttons

Taskbar-Disable Hide inactive icons

Taskbar-Lock the Taskbar-No

Visual Effects-Active window tracking-Disable

Visual Effects-Animate windows when minimizing and maximizing-Disable

Visual Effects-Combo box animation-Disable

Visual Effects-Cursor shadow-Enable

Visual Effects-Fade out selection-Disable

Visual Effects-Gradient captions in windows-Enable

Visual Effects-Keyboard shortcut underline-Enable

Visual Effects-Menu animation-Disable

Visual Effects-Menu shadows-Enable

Visual Effects-Menu style-Flat

Visual Effects-Show translucent selection rectangle-Enable

Visual Effects-Show window contents while dragging-Disable

Visual Effects-Slide taskbar buttons-Enable

Visual Effects-Smooth edges of screen fonts-Disabled

Visual Effects-Smooth-scroll list boxes-Disable

Visual Effects-Tooltip animation-Disable

Visual Effects-Use a background image for each folder type-Disable

Visual Effects-Use drop shadows for icon labels on the desktop-Enable

[unattended]

ComputerType = Default

HibernationNo

AutoLogon = Administrator

FirewallOff

Resolution = 1024x768

BitsPerPel = 32 bit (True Color)

Vrefresh = 85 Hz

MaximumDataStorePercentOfDisk = 12

RestorePointLife = 30

DesktopTheme = Default||

DataExecProt = 4

AutoUDay = 5

AutoUHour = 15

ProgFilesPath = "\Program Files"

CustomNetwork

NOMS_PSched

[GuiRunOnce]

[Drivers]

D:\nLite-1.3.rc2\20378raid\WinXP\fasttx2k.INF,FastTrak_TX2K_xp

[Hotfixes]

D:\nLite-1.3.rc2\RVMAddonsDX9_1.2.7z

D:\nLite-1.3.rc2\RVMUpdatePack2.1.7.7z

[Vel Straty]

What you should do is re-nlite with all the settings you've done in the settings file except, don't remove the firewall section.

Its because this is the easiest thing that you could do.

Or would adding a 3rd party firewall be of any use?

Like try installing outpost 1.0 that is free of use and is very lite to your system not ike the norton stuff.

[anonymous_user]

Look on the bright side of recreating your Windows CD, you can use teh much newer nLite 1.4 RC2.

Also the issue between Medal Of Honor: Airborne and the Windows Firewall seems known. Dont know if there will be a fix or workaround though.

Edited October 17, 2007 by anonymous_user

[nikonf5]

Hi all,

Th re-install from scratch of the OS WILL fix the problem and I did do a quick-and-dirty about a month ago to make sure that the absence of the firewall was the issue and it WAS.

Therefore, I know that will work but its a royal pain to do all the settings again, etc, etc and thats why I was hoping someone would be able to answer this question.

There will probably never be a FIX for the MOH: Airborne "feature" because its part of the installation source and not a bug with the game that can be fixed after the fact unless they re-ship a DVD out to me with corrected installation files.

In any case, if anyone else has any suggestions, let me know.

[Legolash2o]

There will probably be a registery entry i.e. EnableFirewall = 1 (DWORD) which is how it checks if its enabled or not so you might be able to get away with just adding the one entry but will have to find out what to add

Pretty much the same way Security Center detects if its on or not (correct me if im wrong), this link might help, you will have to add the missing keys.

HKLM,"System\CurrentControlSet\Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile","EnableFirewall",0x00010001,1

- EnableFirewall = Enable Firewall? Values: 0 = Firewall Off, 1= Firewall On (default)

To safe time just download the reg file below, if it dont work then you can just delete it using regedit (location same as quote).

Lego

Edited October 17, 2007 by legolash2o

[Camarade_Tux]

How do you know you need to enable the firewall ?

If you want you can use regmon or filemon to find which object (file or reg entry) is used to check that and then restore the file or add /set the reg thing by hand.

[Madhav]

Just Curious How much was the size of your Windows ISO after nliting?

I have never tried remove that much

and don't you think removing Windows Media Player 6.4 will mess up a few games, since some of them might need it......not sure though

and one suggestion when you have removed Internet Explorer you need not apply these tweaks

Internet Explorer-Disable Download Complete notification

Internet Explorer-Disable Go Button

Internet Explorer-Disable Internet Explorer link creation

Internet Explorer-Disable Market Place bookmark

Internet Explorer-Disable Password-Caching

Internet Explorer-Disable sound when popup is blocked

Internet Explorer-Keep IE URL-History for-0 Days

Internet Explorer-Set Homepage-about:blank

Internet Explorer-Set IE-Cache limit to-1 MB (min)

[Camarade_Tux]

Just Curious How much was the size of your Windows ISO after nliting?

The point is not there : mine can be 120 to 130MB without any problem showing up.

I have never tried remove that much

and don't you think removing Windows Media Player 6.4 will mess up a few games, since some of them might need it......not sure though

Games just need the codecs : no matter how they are provided (official wmp, unofficial one, codec packs)

and one suggestion when you have removed Internet Explorer you need not apply these tweaks

Internet Explorer-Disable Download Complete notification

Internet Explorer-Disable Go Button

Internet Explorer-Disable Internet Explorer link creation

Internet Explorer-Disable Market Place bookmark

Internet Explorer-Disable Password-Caching

Internet Explorer-Disable sound when popup is blocked

Internet Explorer-Keep IE URL-History for-0 Days

Internet Explorer-Set Homepage-about:blank

Internet Explorer-Set IE-Cache limit to-1 MB (min)

Didn't take the time to look at the lastsession.ini but if he really removed IE then there's chance some games won't run (think valve games need it because of steam).

[nikonf5]

Yes, the XP ISO size was around 1##MB after nliting.

I have used nlite only with XP.

Before XP, I used 98lite [http://www.litepc.com] for ME which I used for years without a single problem and then XP2000lite from the same company for Win2K.

The excellent MaximumPC mag had a small sideline on this software and my home OS'es havent been the same since.

My stripped ME and stripped Win2K builds on a PIII CPU ran about as fast as stock XP does on the latest P4s so I was pretty happy at the time and still am.

I was going to go with the same program for XP but I found nlite by then and it worked before installation which I found to be a lot more in synch with my thoughts on how stripped/tweaked builds should actually be created.

IE core DLL/engine was retained in my gamer image {I think} and my surfer image {I know} but no games [that I play] have needed IE.

HL2 and its 2 episodes definitely dont need it and I just finished EP2 two days ago so trust me on that one.

I removed IE so I wouldnt have to worry about anti-virus/spyware/adware issues.

I have not used any anti-virus/spyware/adware/ANYTHING programs EVER in any of the 15 PCs at home for the last almost 10 years and have never had any virus issues even with the 9x OS'es.

It becomes a royal pain when someone asks me to suggest a good anti-virus program as I am in IT so I have to give them an answer.

99% of viruses are written to take advantage of "features" tied in to IE.

I have downloaded and run viruses and they just sit there in the TaskManager and dont do anything.

In fact, some of them have even crashed themselves.

Instead of IE, use Firefox, or my favorite which is Opera as I am a keyboard guy and try to minimise my mousing.

Instead of Explorer, use Total Commander which is an absolute godsend for hardcore file stuff

PowerDVD is a great player instead of Windows Media Player which you cant keep when you remove IE anyway.

Outlook Express is a virus magnet and I couldnt keep it after taking out IE anyway so I just use Thunderbird.

I will try the registry key and see if that works, otherwise it will be time to re-build an ISO so I can shoot the Garand again.

Thanks and keep it coming.

Back to work.

[Camarade_Tux]

I removed IE so I wouldnt have to worry about anti-virus/spyware/adware issues.

If you just removed the interface but kept the core then you won't have any compatibility problem I think.

I have not used any anti-virus/spyware/adware/ANYTHING programs EVER in any of the 15 PCs at home for the last almost 10 years and have never had any virus issues even with the 9x OS'es.

It becomes a royal pain when someone asks me to suggest a good anti-virus program as I am in IT so I have to give them an answer.

99% of viruses are written to take advantage of "features" tied in to IE.

I have downloaded and run viruses and they just sit there in the TaskManager and dont do anything.

In fact, some of them have even crashed themselves.

Instead of IE, use Firefox, or my favorite which is Opera as I am a keyboard guy and try to minimise my mousing.

Instead of Explorer, use Total Commander which is an absolute godsend for hardcore file stuff

PowerDVD is a great player instead of Windows Media Player which you cant keep when you remove IE anyway.

Outlook Express is a virus magnet and I couldnt keep it after taking out IE anyway so I just use Thunderbird.

All the virus I know are for windows, let's remove windows : some times even though they are bad, there are things we need.

[Legolash2o]

I have not used any anti-virus/spyware/adware/ANYTHING programs EVER in any of the 15 PCs at home for the last almost 10 years and have never had any virus issues even with the 9x OS'es.

Same here, everything has worked great, havent had a single virus/spyware/adware, etc... To me Antivirus are useless and slow down the computer for no reason at all.

Then again i know what to download and what not to go on, where as normal everyday home users just dont know what to look out for (no offence to any 'everyday home users') and techies (IT Professionals, etc..) know what to look out for and know how to fix a problem without a need of an antivirus.

It becomes a royal pain when someone asks me to suggest a good anti-virus program as I am in IT so I have to give them an answer.

I know the feeling

All the virus I know are for windows, let's remove windows

Haha, but then the virus would be made for the next popular OS

P.S. Hope the reg thing works

Edited October 17, 2007 by legolash2o