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        New Message Board Archives >> 2004 Posts >> Zone Alarm 5 Beware! (Long post.)
        
(Message started by: firebrix on Jun 3^rd, 2004, 2:03am)

Title: Zone Alarm 5 Beware! (Long post.)
Post by firebrix on Jun 3^rd, 2004, 2:03am

I recently received an update window from Zone Labs offering me the new free firewall Zone Alarm Version 5.I've happily run their free product since version 2 with no probs.
Because I am paranoid about virii, worms and trojans etc. and Sasser was doing the rounds, I accepted the offer.
Stoopid, silly girl.
It seems that Zone Labs have included a virus scanner in the new version, and it has conflicted with NAV2003 - indeed I read on Zone Lab's support pages, that it has caused chaos around the world conflicting with many virus programs and even disabling them. The new version is giving probs with both XP systems and
2000, but has also affected some putas running '98.
I can open only 3 web pages and then get the old "cannot connect to server" error. Outgoing mail is not scanned as it usually is by NAV. And its not just conflicting with NAV - many anti virus programs are affected.
Computer experts will have no problem uninstalling Zone Alarm cleanly, but the instructions look far too scary for me. I've booked the puta in to be fixed on Tuesday - a 2 hour drive to get it there and a 2 day wait for the fix.
Lets hope Zone Labs bring out a fix soon.
Meanwhile, be warned. This is not a good firewall.
In fact I'll never trust them again and will look for another. BTW, it WAS tested.
Back on the laptop.
happy days to all
firebrix

Title: Re: Zone Alarm 5 Beware! (Long post.)
Post by Opus on Jun 3^rd, 2004, 7:37am

Sygate (http://smb.sygate.com/products/spf_standard.htm)

Opus/Paul

Title: Re: Zone Alarm 5 Beware! (Long post.)
Post by Opus on Jun 3^rd, 2004, 10:15am

I just checked and the zone alarm 5 is the pro version, it includes email attachment blocking as does the freeware. The freeware version is 4.5.x. It sounds like they tricked you into the free trial for the pro version. No big deal, just uninstall and get sygate. Sygate has less issues with it conflicting with other programs such as bit torrent. Zone alarm is better with controlling access computers on your network, so if you have a network you may want to try to get back to the free version.

Opus/Paul

Title: Re: Zone Alarm 5 Beware! (Long post.)
Post by Ueli on Jun 3^rd, 2004, 11:55am

The same old story, each new version of an utility has some more frills that nobody needs nor wants. I bet the next version of ZoneAlarm can say Mama and Papa.
I'm still using ZoneAlarm 2.6.362 and get all I want from a fire wall: blocking of unwanted inbound traffic and a warning if a new or changed program wants to access the internet. I once updated to version 3, but didn't like it so I went back.
Viruses in mails are caught by the guard of AntiVir (free from http://www.free-av.com/). (BTW AntiVir is faster by hours in updating the signature files than the "big ones".)
I never had an active virus, worm or trojan on my machine. But that could be because I don't use the browser from the last millennium nor LookOut.

Ueli [smiley=smokin.gif]

Title: Re: Zone Alarm 5 Beware! (Long post.)
Post by firebrix on Jun 3^rd, 2004, 5:58pm

Good to hear from you both!
Thanks for the input.
No Opus, it was the free version - it offered me the pro version, but I declined cos I don't like going backwards again when trials end. Ihad previously run Version 4.5 with no probs, and their earlier versions too. I should've done what Ueli did and stuck with the "oldie but goodie".
And its no picnic to uninstall either. I can't just go to control panel and remove - it leaves fragments behind which lead to more conflicts later. Or so the gurus on Zone Labs support forums tell me.
Thank you Opus for your recommendation on Sygate.
Thank you, too, Ueli for the links - NAV is a bit of a hog although it has kept me problem free for 3 years.
Which Mail program (other than Lookout Express) do you recommend, please?
Many thanks to you both and happy days to you.
firebrix

Title: Re: Zone Alarm 5 Beware! (Long post.)
Post by jonny on Jun 3^rd, 2004, 7:15pm

on 06/03/04 at 17:58:09, firebrix wrote:

Which Mail program (other than Lookout Express) do you recommend, please?

Me thinks the U-MAN was talking about Opera, its what I use and he turned me on to it years ago.

http://www.opera.com/

The free version.......Tell me if im wrong..Ueli ;;D

......................................jonny

Title: Re: Zone Alarm 5 Beware! (Long post.)
Post by Opus on Jun 3^rd, 2004, 7:51pm

Hmmm, I just upgraded ZA and the version I have is 4.5.something. Anyway, I will be removing it if I can find another one that specifies certain IP address only. I use Norton clean sweep to log all the garbage that most programs put in windoze. I use the old Mozilla 1.4 package right now. I have heard good things about the new Mozilla thunderbird email client. It is stand alone and should replace OE well.

Opus/Paul