How to Fix Windows Firewall Can’t Change Settings Error 0x8007042c

When enabling the Windows Firewall, the error 0x8007042c occurs with the error message “Windows Firewall can’t change some of your settings error code 0x8007042c.” This error indicates a problem with the Firewall services that might have stopped running in the background, preventing the Windows Firewall from starting.

The most common services that often stop and cause this error are the Base Filtering Engine (BFE) and the Windows Defender Firewall service. Both services are essential for the Windows Firewall to function properly. If one of these services is not running, it will prevent the firewall from being initiated. Additional factors include interference from other security software and unregistered or corrupted firewall DLL files.

Let’s proceed to the solutions for this issue.

1. Ensure Windows Firewall and Related Services Are Running

The Base Filtering Engine (BFE) service manages the firewall and internet protocol security policies and implements user-mode filtering. Meanwhile, the Windows Defender Firewall service is a crucial part of the Windows Defender Firewall that helps protect the system by preventing unauthorized access by untrusted or malicious programs. Therefore, ensuring these services are running is essential to resolve this issue.

Note: The “Windows Defender Firewall” service may appear under different names depending on your Windows version. It has evolved over time as part of broader security updates and may be referred to as “Windows Security” in some versions.

1. Launch the Run Program using the Win + R keys.
2. Type services.msc and click OK to launch the Services Window.
   
3. Locate the Base Filtering Engine and double-click on it to open its properties.
4. In the properties window, ensure the startup type is set to Automatic and the service is running. If the service is stopped, click the Start button, then click Apply and OK to save the settings.
   
5. Repeat the same process with the Windows Defender Firewall service.
6. Check if this resolved the error.

2. Re-register Firewall Components

Re-registering the Windows Firewall DLL files will reset the registry entries associated with them, ensuring that any corrupt or misconfigured files are restored, allowing the firewall service to function properly.

1. To re-register the Firewall Components, press the Win key and type Command Prompt.
2. Right-click the Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.
   
3. Type the following commands one by one and hit Enter to re-register the firewall components.

   regsvr32 firewallapi.dll
   regsvr32 hnetcfg.dll
   regsvr32 netshell.dll
   regsvr32 netcfgx.dll
   regsvr32 netman.dll

   

4. Check if the error persists.

3. Uninstall or Disable Third-party Antivirus Software

If you have any third-party antivirus software running in the background, there is a high chance that the antivirus program stops the firewall services since you are primarily using the third-party antivirus. After uninstalling it, you will be able to start the Windows Firewall without any issues. However, if the error persists, ensure the firewall services are running before proceeding to further steps.

1. Click the Start Menu, type appwiz.cpl, and hit Enter to open Control Panel Program and Features.
2. Double-click the antivirus program that you want to uninstall.
   
3. Check if the error is resolved by turning on the firewall.

4. Reset Firewall Settings

Resetting the Firewall will revert all the configurations to default, eliminating any incorrect rule or misconfigured policy that can cause this issue. If the issue is still not fixed, it might be due to misconfigured settings or incorrect policies. Therefore, try resetting the firewall settings if you haven’t done so already.

1. Click the Start Menu and type Control Panel.
2. Open the Control Panel and navigate to System and Security\Windows Defender Firewall.
3. Click Restore Defaults from the left sidebar to navigate the settings.
   
4. Click Restore Defaults again to complete the restoration process.
   
5. Verify if this resolves the problem.

Lastly, if the problem is still not fixed, try running the sfc /scannow command with administrative privileges in the Command Prompt. This will restore the corrupted files, including the ones associated with the firewall.

However, if this also fails, your only option may be to either restore your Windows to a previous state, which will require a restore point from before you encountered this issue, or reset your PC without losing data.