Zone Alarm is killing XP!

I used to love Zone Alarm but they have made some changes, what I don't know but for the 2nd time I tried to add it and it completely sent my system into melt down. All I can say is that they took a great product and made some serious errors to it. I WON'T be trying to use it again, ever. It took me 2 days to straighten out the mess it made of my system....you have been warned!!!

 

I have no idea what you're talking about. ZoneAlarm runs fine on my XP system.

 

Humm?
More details?


There were a couple crappy versions, caused me to switch to Sygate and I never looked back....
Now I dont use software firewall, I'm behind my router..

 

Perhaps a ugly on your computer is not letting it install correctly? I've used it for years with no problem.

 

ZA (for that matter, all security software) has to interact with Windows drivers, networking drivers, other security programs and much more. It only takes one misbehaving driver to bring it all crashing down.

ZA is usually no worse than any other software firewall on a fully functioning system. Recently, many security programs have taken to complaining during install about the presence of some other security software - to the extent that some will silently disable other software. This seems to be because more and more security software is trying to compete to give the broadest range of protection, thus creating overlaps and duallity of cover in some areas which may lead to conflicts, rather than better protection.

A few times, it's taken me several attempts and many hours to find the best combination of firewall, antivirus and antimalware for a particular system, that's just the way it is and it's often made worse by the owners of the systems having used so-called 'tweaking' and registry 'optimising' or 'cleaning' programs without having any clue about what they're actually tampering with.

I consider it bad form for someone to join a forum just to complain about a piece of free software without first having looked for answers and fixes from the makers. Had you gone to the ZA forum (or asked here) about the best method to fully clean out ZA, you'd have been directed to tools that would have saved you 2 days work.

 

Satrow, Would that mean if he had windows firewall enabled. A conflict. Un-knowingly to him a prob? I do agree. Joining the sight to rip on a free program without asking why 1st here. Very knowalagable ppl here could help. Or as you mentioned. Go to the sight to hunt down a problem.

 

Hi. I've found using zone alarm in xp one must not only turn off the windows firewall, but also open the firewall dialogue, advanced tab, unclick the wireless network connection box in the little window at the top (or the relevant setting) before all the conflicts will end. After that ZA is wonderful for me.

Majorgeeks! What better place to void my warranty! I use Avast & windows defender, spybot, puran boot defrag, browse with Opera without conflicts or events. I'm experimenting with Sandboxie now, although my current configuration seems to run smooth as long as I avoid the odd link. And I wish to add, as always-

 

And when I installed ZA in my Windows XP I didn't have to do anything, other than teach it what is allowed to go in and out.

Every system is different, which is why posts like the one that started this thread are so pointless to people who actually know what they're doing. Because the first thing they are going to ask is, "so what did you do?", and if you can't answer that, you're going to be ignored.

 

ZA is so "Yesterday".
Back in its day, I too used it because it was suggested to me by the county's IT specialist.
But it seemed like there was always some issue with it. At least once a week I was having some issue with ZA.
I was elated when MS came out with SP2 for XP, and it had it's own Firewall.
That day that I upgraded my system to SP2, ZA took a ride to the old Bit Bucket and I've not had it in my house since.

Now I have a cable ISP and I use a router with a Hardware Firewall. So I have double firewall protection. I need no more than that.

I'm actually surprised that some folks are still using that dinosaur. (ZA).

 

I, too, used ZA Free version for years. I now use Comodo as it rates a lot better than ZA Free.

Check out Proactive Security Challenge at http://www.matousec.com/projects/proactive-security-challenge/results.php for their results in checking out Security products.

These results are around 2 years old, so may have altered with later product releases, but are an indicator of Firewall performances.

Make sure you also check out MG's list of Firewalls at http://www.majorgeeks.com/downloads34.html for many FREE and Shareware products.

Bazza

 

MS firewall. Bought a new computer for the wife a few years back. XP on it. Enabled the MS firewall and made shure it was enabled. Went online to download Z/A. AVG at the time. I use Avira now.

2 ppl hacked the computer, I saw their IP address in history. Turned them in, one was a computer at a bank, called the bank up to let them know. Other was a computer that went to so many diffrent places I couldn't find out where. Lot easyer years ago on finding IP addys on where. Yuked it up so bad I did a system restore with the restore disks. Took it off line, downloaded the same programs to a USB stick on my computer and installed them on hers. You trust MS firewall? I don't. Do a search on it.

To each their own on what they are comphy with.