Cannot establish connections since installing XP SP2

Attempts to connect to any of my ftp hosts returns the message "An established connection was aborted by the software in your Host Machine." This started since I installed SP2 on my XP. I am specifying Port 21. Windows firewall does not provide a notice of any blocked program; nor does turning off the firewall help.

Same problem here! Disabled all firewalls, still no luck.

Any ideas? 8O

The following kb article may help:
https://www.smartftp.com/support/kb/58

No connection could be made because the target machine actively refused it.

sorted the settings in zonealrm but still no connection. So what is the cure for this.

No connection could be made because the target machine actively refused it

zone alarm (firewall) is causing this some how. When zone alarm is turned off ftp works ok. Even though zone alarm settings have been changed as suggested in https://www.smartftp.com/support/kb/58 FTP only works when zone alarm is switched off.

Zone alarm not only blocking smatftp it also blocks ws_ftp pro as well.

I shutdown ZA and turned off WinXP firewall. and it still does not work.

My solution: Shutdown Zone Alarm and make sure no other users are logged in. (Win XP Home, Fast User Switching)