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I've recently installed the shield pro firewall and antivirus and ever since strange things have been happening to my computer. I can't access windows update, use MSN explorer or MSN messenger. The firewall does not allow for adding exceptions manually it only prompts the user wether to allow applications to connect or not. I was using MSN explorer to check my emails and the service stopped since i installed this program, I removed MSN explorer and tried to reinstall it but it says the following file is missing and it can not be installed 'cinfo.xml' does anyone know where I can recover this file? it's supposed to be in 'c:\windows\ServicePackFiles\i386' I bleive it's part of the XP SP2 package. I get a prompt to insert the SP2 cd, but I got the SP2 by downloading it from the windows update site, and accessing the SP2 from windows update is now impossible since the firewall has blocked the site. If anyone has had problems with this firwall or knows how to resolve any of these issues your help would be greatly appreciated.

Have you tried uninstalling the firewall, and replacing it with a copy of ZoneAlarm or Sunbelt's Kerio?

I was able to resolve most of the problems with the help of the Shield's customer service people. I didn't know it but they offer free customer service and they even called me back to help. I still can't access the windows update site or find the missing SP2 files. If anyone knows how to help please let me know.

Have you tried disabling the Shield firewall and just using the XP firewall to access the update site ?

There`s a similar problem here - http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winxp/t1114183468

Spikes suggestion about Zone Alarm,Kerio or Sygate,might be something to think about.