when i go to the properties of my network settings and click on the advanced tab to get access to XP firewall i get a message saying that the Windows Management Instumentation information might be currupted. it suggest a resotre but as i dont use the restores can anyone suggest a way round this?

Please try the solutions offered HERE or HERE Good luck, please let us know if this helps or not.

After you read Bear's links you might also consider this:

Prior to having to run a repair install you might try this:

Go to Start/Run/CMD and type in: net stop winmgmt. Then delete
the %windir&\system32\wbem\repository directory. Once done go back to
Start/Run/CMD and type in: net start winmgmt

If that doesn't help, try this:

Open a Command Prompt and type "winmgmt /clearadap" to clear prior WMI
/resyncperf information from the registry.

Then type "winmgmt /resyncperf" to register the system performance
libraries with WMI again.

Group: microsoft . public . windowsxp . wmi

Did you read the second link jephree? I think we are close to on the same page lol

RESOLUTION
To resolve this issue, delete and then re-create the files in the %SystemRoot%\System32\Wbem\Repository folder. To do this, follow these steps:
Click Start, and then right-click My Computer.
On the shortcut menu, click Manage.
In the left pane of the Computer Management console, double-click Services and Applications.
Under Services and Applications, click Services.
In the right pane of the Computer Management console, locate and then right-click Windows Management Instrumentation.
On the shortcut menu, click Stop.
Start Windows Explorer, and then locate the %SystemRoot%\System32\Wbem\Repository folder.
Delete all of the files in the %SystemRoot%\System32\Wbem\Repository folder.
Restart the computer.

The files that were deleted are re-created when the computer restarts.

NOTE: The Windows Management Instrumentation service starts automatically when you restart the computer.

Copied from http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=319101

thanks for the replies guys. unfortunatly it looks like a repair install
i had tried deleting the repository directory and that didnt work, tried the command line prompts and they dont seem to have helped either. this machine has caught a ton of spyware recently and a couple of trojan horses. they should all be removed now. i have already had to replace my autoexec.nt file earlier today!! i only found this problem out when i installed black ice defender firewall and went to turn off the XP one. Oh well, off i go....

scott: If you need a good guide for a repair install here is one:

http://michaelstevenstech.com/index.html


bear: Sorry I didn't recognise the fix was the same , I was thinking elsewhere

No problem jephree

thanks jephree, thats a really useful link. wish me luck for the repair!

Good Luck scott