12 replies to this topic

[banality]

After I had to re-install windows, I could not get ZoneAlarm to work again. I couldn't uninstall it or re-install over the old version. I searched the ZoneAlarm forum for similar problems, and none of the suggestions worked. No one on the forum would answer my call for help. Meanwhile my anti-virus blocked a series of worms, making it clear that my computer needed to be protected.

I've now switched to Kerio. Perhaps there's something better than Kerio, but at least I have a firewall for the time being.

I also intend to let as many people as possible know how ridiculously difficult ZoneAlarm is to work with. This is not the first time ZoneAlarm has messed up my computer. A few months ago I went through five different forms of tech support because I couldn't connect to the Internet. After a lot of trial and error I figured out that ZoneAlarm was blocking me even though it was *turned off*. Last year I needed to uninstall ZoneAlarm, and I couldn't do it. And now this Validation cr*p, and I can't even uninstall again.

ZoneAlarm ought to qualify as malware for all the trouble it causes.

[macaroo]

I ran into a " vsinit.dll can't be validated" problem on a customer's machine yesterday and, like you, tried all the known fixes to no avail. Apparently a virus wiped out the certificates file in IE and you cannot reinstall ZoneAlarm because they check the root certicate file before they will allow you reinstall. I also tried all the lengthy manual file removal techniques without success. Ended up reinstalling Windows 98SE and reinstalling the root certificates from https://getca.verisign.com before I was able to get the system straighten out again. No, I don't know which virus did the dirty work as the customer did not have a valid Anti-Virus package installed...Will they ever learn!!!!!!

[banality]

My original problem was caused by a virus as well. I got rid of the virus, re-installed Windows, re-imported the verisign certificates, made sure the certificates were all re-imported on the ZA executables, republished all the relevant dlls as given for a solution on the ZA forum, and went through all these (except re-installing Windows again), a couple of times. Nothing works, and I can't uninstall or re-install ZoneAlarm. I can't believe how much time I've spent on this when there is a lot of other things I need to be doing, like making sure my other apps still work.

Kerio seems to be working fine, though, and I'm going to read more about it. What I most need help with right now is getting ZA the heck off my machine. I want to get it all off and never look at anything to do with ZA again. I'd appreciate any help anybody can give me with this.

I ran into a " vsinit.dll can't be validated" problem on a customer's machine yesterday and, like you, tried all the known fixes to no avail.  Apparently a virus wiped out the certificates file in IE and you cannot reinstall ZoneAlarm because they check the root certicate file before they will allow you reinstall.  I also tried all the lengthy manual file removal techniques without success. Ended up reinstalling Windows 98SE and reinstalling the root certificates from https://getca.verisign.com before I was able to get the system straighten out again.  No, I don't know which virus did the dirty work as the customer did not have a valid Anti-Virus package installed...Will they ever learn!!!!!!

[macaroo]

I should have added that I did a complete format and clean install of Windows 98SE instead of a more simpler re-install of the system files. I know, it is a pain as all the device software drivers have to be re-installed. This reinitialized the Registry and blows everything away.

[LostAccount]

Sometimes Zonealarm is like that. I wouldn't call it bad for everyone, but for me, it slowed down the computer to a halt. After uninstalling, it was still slow, so I used System Restore on XP. Now I use Kerio.

[banality]

ZoneAlarm is still taking up space on my computer, and I can't uninstall it. :-(

Is there anyone who can help me kick the darned thing to the curb once and for all?

Sometimes Zonealarm is like that. I wouldn't call it bad for everyone, but for me, it slowed down the computer to a halt. After uninstalling, it was still slow, so I used System Restore on XP. Now I use Kerio.

[countryboy123]

[quote name='banality' date='Mar 7 2005, 10:28 PM']
ZoneAlarm is still taking up space on my computer, and I can't uninstall it. :-(

Is there anyone who can help me kick the darned thing to the curb once and for all?

Hi,
I would like to say I am not a ZoneAlarm user first. I did some research on it. Try doing a search on "Google" for ZoneAlarm Home Page or similar. Go to the forums and put "uninstall" or "reinstall" in the forum search engine. It will give you instructions to remove approximately 10 or 12 registry entries and certain file folders after the uninstall. I do not remember the rest. If you are uncomfortable with the registry I would consider using the restore disk that should of come with your computer.A good registry cleaner like the trial version of RegSupreme might help but I would use it as a last resort before I broke out the restore disks.

Please be warned a 2nd firewall might cause problems, until you remove ZA. I read it some where.

I like Kerio 2.1.15 and the Sygate 5.5 , both freeware, help forums and a good reputation among Spywareinfo forum users.

I hope I helped.

[banality]

Thank you for responding. I was hoping there was something I could do besides deleting the registry entries, because I am nervous about that. But if there's nothing else to do, I guess I have to try it. :-/


[quote name='countryboy123' date='Mar 8 2005, 11:39 PM']
[quote name='banality' date='Mar 7 2005, 10:28 PM']
ZoneAlarm is still taking up space on my computer, and I can't uninstall it. :-(

Is there anyone who can help me kick the darned thing to the curb once and for all?

Hi,
I would like to say I am not a ZoneAlarm user first. I did some research on it. Try doing a search on "Google" for ZoneAlarm Home Page or similar. Go to the forums and put "uninstall" or "reinstall" in the forum search engine. It will give you instructions to remove approximately 10 or 12 registry entries and certain file folders after the uninstall. I do not remember the rest. If you are uncomfortable with the registry I would consider using the restore disk that should of come with your computer.A good registry cleaner like the trial version of RegSupreme might help but I would use it as a last resort before I broke out the restore disks.

Please be warned a 2nd firewall might cause problems, until you remove ZA. I read it some where.

I like Kerio 2.1.15 and the Sygate 5.5 , both freeware, help forums and a good reputation among Spywareinfo forum users.

I hope I helped.

[/quote]

[ErikAlbert]

banality,
Calling ZoneAlarm crapware is a bit too strong, ZoneAlarm doesn't deserve that (maybe bloatware ).
You call it crapware, because you are angry and can't solve the problem.
In other words ZoneAlarm is playing with you, while it should be the other way.
When you have uninstalling/installing problems with ZoneAlarm, that doesn't mean that it is crapware.
I've read posts at SWI about installing problems with Spybot SD and they didn't call it crapware either.

It wouldn't be the first time that an user uninstalls ZoneAlarm without shutting it down completely first and that the uninstaller didn't remove all the components of ZoneAlarm because they were still in use.

As countryboy123 said, go to the ZoneAlarm Forum and discuss your problem there.
Always go to the source and ask the right qualified people for help.
I guess the ZoneAlarm Forum has also qualified helpers, like SWI, because I don't think that the ZoneAlarm Forum was established to have a chitchat about Zonealarm amongst typical users only. That would be absurd.

Edited by ErikAlbert, 09 March 2005 - 01:31 PM.

[NonSuch]

banality,

CastleCops also has a Zone Alarm forum, and the person who handles that particular forum also does a lot of work at the Zone Labs forum for Zone Alarm. Most likely, you can get some good advice for your problem....

http://computercops.biz/forum23.html

[Freebird]

Well, I am sorry that all you people are having problems, I really am. But I personally, wouldn't call ZA 'crapware'. I have to say though, that I am a 98SE user and have used Zonealarm since I changed from AtGuard several years ago.

I have never had any in/uninstall probs with it and it has caused no compatability problems either. Perhaps I have just been lucky, I hope you get your probs sorted out.

[cissp]

Sorry to hear about all the problems you've experienced with Zone Alarm. I've been using both Zone Alarm Free and Zone Alarm Pro for years, and though I have tried other software firewalls, I've always stuck with Zone Alarm. I have also been through my share of unpleasant situations using Zone Alarm. I certainly hope that your using Kerio results in less problems. Probably comes down to personal preference at this point. Both Kerio and Zone Alarm are consistently rated one of the best software firewalls on the market. If I remember correctly (going back a couple of years), I think what I liked about Kerio was its rule based configuration. Then again, I'm a security engineer by profession, and Zone Alarm Pro seems to offer all the security, ease of use, and granularity I'm looking for in software based firewalls for my home systems.

Good luck,
Chuck

[Webster]

Hi,

Try this guide from Outpost Forum http://www.outpostfi...read.php?t=7187

Hope it helps