WinXP SP2 and ZoneAlarm

[Steve]

Too All:

I am reposting this as apparently, I discovered another problem with SP2
involving reformatting in Outlook Express. Hopefully, I have it fixed now.

I just installed WinXP SP2 by way of the CD that I ordered for free from MS.
So far, the only problem that I have is with ZoneAlarm.

I am running ZA 4.5.594.000 as the reviews that I have read on the latest
version are unfavorable. I have been using ZA for about 3 years.

I am also behind a hardware firewall, so ZA is mainly for monitoring
programs (or adware/spyware/trojans) that are trying to phone home (which
has helped me in the past). From what I have read the WinXP SP2 firewall
does NOT have this capability.

Following instructions from my PC manufacturer (Dell):

Turn Windows Firewall Off
http://support.dell.com/support/top...document?dn=1090192&c=us&l=en&s=gen&cs=#step1

and

How Do I Prevent Microsoft® Security Center® from Giving Me Warnings When it
Doesn't Recognize My Firewall Software?
http://support.dell.com/support/top.../kb/en/document?dn=1089839&c=us&l=en&s=gen&cs


I have done the following:

Control Panel -> Security Center -> Firewall -> OffandControl Panel ->
Security Center -> Firewall Recommendations -> I have a firewall solution
that I'll monitor myself

NOW THE PROBLEM

The Security Center is NOT remembering this setting and ever time that I
start my PC:

1) I get a warning balloon message from the Security Center

2) ZA's startup hangs until I dismiss this message

3) Control Panel -> Security Center -> Firewall Recommendations -> I have
a firewall solution that I'll monitor myself - is unchecked and I have to
check it again.

NOW THE QUESTIONS:

1) Does anyone know how to fix this problem by the GUI?

2) Does anyone know how to fix this problem by editing the
Registry?Thanks,Steve

 

[Vinay Sastry]

Try adding the following reg entry under:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Security Center

DWORD: FirewallDisableNotify
Value: 1

 

[Donald McDaniel]

Too All:

I am reposting this as apparently, I discovered another problem with SP2
involving reformatting in Outlook Express. Hopefully, I have it fixed now.

I just installed WinXP SP2 by way of the CD that I ordered for free from MS.
So far, the only problem that I have is with ZoneAlarm.

I am running ZA 4.5.594.000 as the reviews that I have read on the latest
version are unfavorable. I have been using ZA for about 3 years.

I am also behind a hardware firewall, so ZA is mainly for monitoring
programs (or adware/spyware/trojans) that are trying to phone home (which
has helped me in the past). From what I have read the WinXP SP2 firewall
does NOT have this capability.

Following instructions from my PC manufacturer (Dell):

Turn Windows Firewall Off
http://support.dell.com/support/top...document?dn=1090192&c=us&l=en&s=gen&cs=#step1

and

How Do I Prevent Microsoft® Security Center® from Giving Me Warnings When it
Doesn't Recognize My Firewall Software?
http://support.dell.com/support/top.../kb/en/document?dn=1089839&c=us&l=en&s=gen&cs
I have done the following:

Control Panel -> Security Center -> Firewall -> OffandControl Panel ->
Security Center -> Firewall Recommendations -> I have a firewall solution
that I'll monitor myself

NOW THE PROBLEM

The Security Center is NOT remembering this setting and ever time that I
start my PC:

1) I get a warning balloon message from the Security Center

2) ZA's startup hangs until I dismiss this message

3) Control Panel -> Security Center -> Firewall Recommendations -> I have
a firewall solution that I'll monitor myself - is unchecked and I have to
check it again.

NOW THE QUESTIONS:

1) Does anyone know how to fix this problem by the GUI?

2) Does anyone know how to fix this problem by editing the
Registry?Thanks,Steve

Instead of turning off part of the Security Center's facilities,
consider upgrading to ZoneAlarm Pro 5.1.011.000, which works very well
with the Windows Security Center right out of the box.

Donald L McDaniel
Keep the thread intact
Post reply to original newsgroup
=======================================================

 

[Barbara]

Instead of turning off part of the Security Center's facilities,
consider upgrading to ZoneAlarm Pro 5.1.011.000, which works very well
with the Windows Security Center right out of the box.

Donald L McDaniel
Keep the thread intact
Post reply to original newsgroup
=======================================================

I also have ZoneAlarm Pro and upgraded to the latest version (5.1.011.000)
before going to XP SP2 and it works fine for me. There's a new checkbox
in the newest ZA that works with the XP firewall so I'm assuming that is
done automatically instead of the checkbox you describe.
I did have to add the windowsupdate.microsoft.com site to the trusted
URLs in ZoneAlarm in order to use the online Windows Update service.,
That's the only glitch I've seen so far.
I did defrag after the install and do notice slower startup while
waiting for ZA to load before my cable connection kick on. I've read that
as XP learns which programs run most frequently, it will shuffle them to
run faster.

Barbara

 

[Torgeir Bakken \(MVP\)]

I am running ZA 4.5.594.000 as the reviews that I have read on the latest
version are unfavorable. I have been using ZA for about 3 years.

I am also behind a hardware firewall, so ZA is mainly for monitoring
programs (or adware/spyware/trojans) that are trying to phone home (which
has helped me in the past). From what I have read the WinXP SP2 firewall
does NOT have this capability.

Following instructions from my PC manufacturer (Dell):

Turn Windows Firewall Off
http://support.dell.com/support/top...document?dn=1090192&c=us&l=en&s=gen&cs=#step1

and

How Do I Prevent Microsoft® Security Center® from Giving Me Warnings When it
Doesn't Recognize My Firewall Software?
http://support.dell.com/support/top.../kb/en/document?dn=1089839&c=us&l=en&s=gen&cs


I have done the following:

Control Panel -> Security Center -> Firewall -> OffandControl Panel ->
Security Center -> Firewall Recommendations -> I have a firewall solution
that I'll monitor myself

NOW THE PROBLEM

The Security Center is NOT remembering this setting and ever time that I
start my PC:

Hi

If upgrading to ZoneAlarm Pro 5.1.011.000 as Donald McDaniel
recommended is not an option, try this:


Control Panel/Security Center, click on the "Change the Way Security
Center Notifies Me" link in the left pane.


If this setting is reset at each reboot, do the following:

Someone in another newsgroup thread indicated that a Symantec service
was the cause for this behavior on his computer (I can't remember in
what newsgroup though).

To "solve" this problem, disable the Security Center service:


Start/Run --> services.msc

Find "Security Center" in the list, double click on it, set
"Startup type" to Disabled.


There is also a Group Policy setting available to disable the
Security Center (Start/Run--> gpedit.msc).

Take a look at the chapter for the Security Center in
06_CIF_Maintenance.DOC

What settings are added or changed in Windows XP Service Pack 2?
Group Policy settings (page 26 for me)


06_CIF_Maintenance.DOC ("Changes to Functionality in Microsoft Windows XP
Service Pack 2, Part 6: Computer Maintenance") can be downloaded from here:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...d7-b791-40b6-8364-685b84158c78&DisplayLang=en

Note: WinXPSP2_Documentation.zip contains all the .doc downloads...

 

[Steve]

Instead of turning off part of the Security Center's facilities,
consider upgrading to ZoneAlarm Pro 5.1.011.000, which works very well
with the Windows Security Center right out of the box.

Donald L McDaniel
Keep the thread intact
Post reply to original newsgroup
=======================================================

Don:

So what has been your experience with ZA 5.1.011.000 to date?

As I said in my earlier post post, I have been running ZA for about 3 years
and from the reviews (users) that I have read (at CNET), it sounds like I
should stick with 4.5.594.000. In the time that I have used ZA, I have seen
when then come out with a new version that has lots of bugs.

Any additional comments are appreciated.

Thanks,

Steve

 

[Han]

(only to alt.privacy.spyware)

Don:

So what has been your experience with ZA 5.1.011.000 to date?

As I said in my earlier post post, I have been running ZA for about 3
years and from the reviews (users) that I have read (at CNET), it
sounds like I should stick with 4.5.594.000. In the time that I have
used ZA, I have seen when then come out with a new version that has
lots of bugs.

Any additional comments are appreciated.

Thanks,

Steve

I've had no problems with ZA free 5.1.011.000. either before or after
upgrading to SP2 (XP Home on a Dell desktop and laptop).

 

[Glen]

I too have no problems with ZA 5.1.011. I kept using ZA 4.5 because of the
problems I read about version 5 but the latest version is fine. I have XP
Pro with SP2.

Glen

 

[Bob Smith]

Don:

So what has been your experience with ZA 5.1.011.000 to date?

As I said in my earlier post post, I have been running ZA for about 3 years
and from the reviews (users) that I have read (at CNET), it sounds like I
should stick with 4.5.594.000. In the time that I have used ZA, I have seen
when then come out with a new version that has lots of bugs.

Any additional comments are appreciated.

Thanks,

Steve

How old are those reviews? I've been using ZA Pro 5.1.011.000 since it was
released. I seem to recall that this most recent version came within a week
or two after 5.0 was released, so Zonelabs might have fixed a bug or two.

I'm using Win 2K, and ZA is working perfectly on my laptop, and my
daughter's laptop with XP running on that one.

Bob

 

[Far Canal]

Steve wrote ..

So what has been your experience with ZA 5.1.011.000 to date?

As I said in my earlier post post, I have been running ZA for about 3 years
and from the reviews (users) that I have read (at CNET), it sounds like I
should stick with 4.5.594.000. In the time that I have used ZA, I have seen
when then come out with a new version that has lots of bugs.

Any additional comments are appreciated.

You'll need to cut and paste this link -

http://www.bnr2.org/forums/index.php?act=ST&f=4&t=1049&s=
5703bbcc2a6516bd74325a2fead991b3

 

[Russ]

Don't listen to all the crackpots on CNET, Microsoft have declared there is
a problem with early versions of ZoneAlarm in conjunction with Win SP2 and
advise updating to ZoneAlarm 5.1 but if you want to stick with an outdated
FireWall then don't complain when the bottom drops out of your World.