if this looks like maybe you, see the rest of the extensive article about the Windows Firewall in XP sp2 and how it affects some programs and how to fix them. www.support.microsoft.com mskb article 84242
Some programs seem to stop working after you install Windows XP Service Pack 2
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SUMMARY
After you install Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2), some programs may seem not to work. By default, Windows Firewall is enabled and blocks unsolicited connections to your computer. This article discusses how to make an exception and enable a program to run by adding it to the list of exceptions. This procedure permits the program to work as it did before the service pack was installed.
INTRODUCTION
To help provide security for your Windows XP SP2-based computer, Windows Firewall blocks unsolicited connections to your computer. However, sometimes you might want to make an exception and permit someone to connect to your computer. For example, the following scenarios describe occasions when you might want someone to be able to connect to your computer:
You are playing a multiplayer game over the Internet.
You are expecting to receive a file that is sent through an instant message program.
After you install Windows XP SP2, client applications may not successfully receive data from a server. Following are some examples:
An FTP client
Multimedia streaming software
New mail notifications in some e-mail programs
