Windows cannot start the Windows Firewall/Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) service.

Windows XP SP3. Can’t get Windows Firewall to fire up. I get “Windows cannot start the Windows Firewall/Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) service.” and Windows Firewall/Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) is displayed in the Services list, but I cannot start this service.

Here’s the fix:
From http://support.microsoft.com/kb/920074

Call the “Setup API InstallHinfSection” function to install Windows Firewall

To install Windows Firewall, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK.
2. At the command prompt, type the following command line, and then press ENTER:
   Rundll32 setupapi,InstallHinfSection Ndi-Steelhead 132 %windir%\inf\netrass.inf
3. Restart Windows,
4. Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK.
5. At the command prompt, type the following command, and then press ENTER:
   Netsh firewall reset
6. Click Start, click Run, type firewall.cpl, and then press ENTER. In the Windows Firewall dialog box, click On (recommended), and then click OK.

Still not working…

Then from http://forum.oscr.arizona.edu/showthread.php?t=2284

1. From the Command Prompt, enter:

netsh winsock reset

2. After receiving a confirmation, reboot

I can start the service and firewall now.