Error Message: Generic Host Process for Win32 Services

This usually has to do with your firewall. Firewalls need to be configure before first use. Do you have Zone Alarm? If so, you need to configure it so that it allows Internet Connections. If you have another firewall, you'll need to configure it properly, so check Help or the manufacturer's web site. To check this, disable your addon firewall, remove it from startup and reboot. If the message goes away, you know that the firewall is the problem.

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Message Edited by redwolfe_98 on 01-16-2004 10:17 PM

I appreciate your response.  How do I get ZoneAlarm?  Is it a commercially available product?

 

 

Also, I am not sure how to remove the firewall from Start-Up.  What I have now is the standard Windows XP firewall protection.  How do I remove it?

 

 

Thanks

Don't disable the XP firewall until you've installed another one. For how to disable, try start, help and support, type 'XP firewall' in the search box, click the green arrow. Under suggested topics on the left you'll see an entry 'enable or disable the internet connection firewall. click on that and detailed instructions will come up in the right part of the window.

Zone Alarm is from http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/home.jsp

The free version (for home users) is very good and easy to use (it's what I have). The pro ($$) version has a few more options, bells and whistles, not usually necessary for home computing, but you can download a free trial version if you like.

BTW I do not think that this will necessarily solve your problem. If you only have only the XP firewall and no other (e.g. Norton, McAfee). The XP firewall only stops incoming traffic, it does not prevent or block applications (IE) from accessing the internet.

Post back if using Zone Alarm does not resolve the issue. It would be useful in that case if you could give more detailed information about the error message.

Message Edited by JRosenfeld on 01-17-2004 05:18 PM

Message Edited by JRosenfeld on 01-17-2004 05:20 PM

yobuzz, the problem that you cited is usually associated with using the zone alarm firewall. if you don't already have zone alarm installed, something else must be causing the problem..

Message Edited by redwolfe_98 on 01-17-2004 09:52 PM

Jay-

I appreciate your reply.

I downloaded the ZoneAlarm 30-day free trial as you suggested. Messages then came up asking if I wanted to allow Generic Host Process for Win32 Services to open up my Internet connection.  Regardless of whether I clicked no or yes, I was not able to get on to the Internet at all.  I deleted ZoneAlarm.

I then subscribed to Norton AntiVirus 2004 and have that running now as well as all the XP firewalls.

The Generic Host Process error message has the following files listed:

C:\DOCUME~1\ROBERT~1LOCALS~1Temp\WER1.tmp.dir01\svchost.exe.mdmp

C:\DOCUME~1ROBERT~1LOCALS~1Temp\WER1.tmp.dir01\appcompat.txt

The dell rep wants me to delete and reinstall Windows XP.  Is that a possible solution?  Other solutions?

Thanks!

 

Robert Reinhardt

 

 

 

 

 

It could be a virus, as Dell suggested. Although svchost.exe is a genuine XP system file, there are viruses that create a file of the same name.

http://search.symantec.com/custom/us/query.html

I suggest that you make sure that your virus definitions are up to date (if you can get connected long enough for that) and do a virus scan. Or do an online scan from

http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/

click on check for security issues and select virus scan.