I have inbound and outbound filtering enabled in the firewall. But now vista's network diagnostic tool nor windows updates seem to be working. I can get it to work by disabling outbound filtering for my public profile!What are the services/programes i need to create rules for, to run the tools without disabling outbound filtering?

Hi LoRd.VoODoOChilD, By default, Windows Update is allowed in Windows Firewall. Was any rule created before the issue occurs? Meanwhile, please check the Windows Firewall settings using the following steps: 1. Open Windows Firewall with Advanced Security, right-click the Windows Firewall with Advanced Security on Local Computer node within the WFAS Console and select Properties. 2. In the Properties dialog, select Public Profile tab and confirm the setting of Outbound connections is Allow (default). If not, please change it back to default. 3. Click Customize button in the Settings section, and then confirm the setting of Display a notification is Yes (default). If not, please change it back to default. After that, please manually perform Windows Update and check the result. Hope it helps.

Well as i said earlier i know i can use windows update & network diagnostic tool once i have "disabled" outbound filtering. AmI to disable outbound filtering EVERYTIME i wish to update or run NDT !? : | argh! ppl over here miss the point very easily ... i wish to know the services/apps which i need to make exceptions for inorder to make the updates and ndt work WITHOUT disabling OUTBOUND filtering!! And in regards to the notification why isn'ta notification displayed when an outbound conenction is blocked?! just to sell OneCare, which is as ugly as the makebelief 2wayfirewall being advertised by microsoft ..