avast complications w/ zonealarm?

General Topics
1

I have been running the free edition of avast antivirus as well as the free ZoneAlarm for over 2 months.

I just received a msg that said that the two programs are somehow interferring w/ one another, however the msg then froze and I couldn’t read it.

Does anyone know anything about this? I am concerned as these are the main two programs I use to defend my computer and if they are interferring w/ one another how is this diminishing my protection?

Thanks in advance!

2

avast and ZA free work well together, if there were a problem it would be all over the forums, unfortunately without any information on the error there isn’t much to go on.

What is your OS ?
If XP is there anything in the windows event viewer (Application, System or AV sections) from this time period ?

3

There is no conflict if you’re using the free versionof ZA. There is a conflict between avast! and the Pro version of ZA.

Zone Alarm can’t, at the moment, be used at all if you’re running Vista.

4

Hey Bob - do you know of any free, Vista compatible firewalls ( other than the Jetico beta)?

5

I’m using the Windows firewall in conjunction to my router.
Am waiting for ZA to get their act together. :cry:

6

There definitely can and is a problem w/ it.

I got another message from avast on my computer that they are interfering w/ one another. Something about if I wanted to turn off a web shield but it would stop the privacy settings of zone alarm from working.

Also if you go on the zone alarm phorum under the general thread there are several posts concerning other ppl and problems w/ the FREE version of avast together w/ the FREE version of Zone alarm.

And my zone alarm also has not ever recognized that avast is running. It finds NO antivirus program running.

And now not only is my zone alarm firewall not running - after I reinstalled it and uninstalled and downloaded it fresh from the website, but every time I restart my computer I have to turn on my windows firewall again because it turns off.

Are you sure no one here has heard of this? I am going to have to get a new firewall and get rid of zone alarm or something if I can’t fix this…?

thanks…

7

my OS is Windows XP - I’m not sure where the windows event viewer is…???

8

The privacy feature of Zone Alarm Pro can conflict with avast! but since its not a part of ZA Free there’s no problem with that combination. Avast! will give you a warning about the potential conflict when you install ZA - just answer “No” when it asks about turning off the web shield and you should be OK.

9

I did answer no. And I have granted trusted rights on Zone Alarm to avast in all categories possible.

However there is still no firewall appearing when I go to security suite in Windows as there use to be, and therefore I have no where to turn on the Zone Alarm firewall and have to resort to using Windows lame firewall…

any ideas…?

10

Hi , control panel>administrative tools.

11

Then please tell us what it is, without information we are totally in the dark and unable to even guess as to what the problem might be.

Are these problems mentioned in any way related to what you are experiencing, if so , do a copy and paste of this information.

Zone Alarm has never recognised avast or many other AVs, it has a competing AV product so there is no incentive to recognise other AVs, the windows security center recognises avast.

When you install ZA it turns off the windows firewall as you should only have one resident firewall.

Sorry I can’t even answer that question as I don’t know what your problem is.

To check the windows Event Viewer, My Computer, Control Panel, Administrative Tools, Event Viewer.

12

Instead of relying on the Windows Security Center (an imperfect tool at best), why not test the firewall yourself. Close your browser, change the ZA browser setting to “Ask”, and then go on line again. Does ZA alert you to the connection attempt or does it just allow it without intervention?

The questions in the Zone Alarm forum seem to be mostly related to it not recognizing avast! (which it doesn’t - no big deal), and avast! update problems.

13

there are many things under the list - what should I be looking for? Thanks!

14

where do I change settings to Ask?

15

Yellow triangles with an exclamation mark and/or red circles with an X. Double click them to get information about the event causing the alert.

Right click the Zone Alarm icon in your system tray
Click Restore Control Center
Click Program Control along the left column
Click the check marks to the right of the program you want to change, then click the ? to change it (or right click the program and remove it - then when it asks permission to connect tell it to remember the action and click “Allow”)

But really, if you’ve lost confidence in this maybe you should try Comodo instead. Its a better firewall anyway.

16

I only have Zone Alarm because its the best I found and free. I have been happy w/ it until now. Is Comodo together w/ the free avast enough to protect my computer?

I have at least 50 triangles and red circles…I am looking though…

Thanks…

17

As far as testing the firewall myself by changing the settings to ask…I followed the directions you all explained, but I am not sure how that tests the Firewall?

When I go onto the internet or access dif. programs zonealarm always asks me if I should allow, deny, and/or remember settings. This means the firewall is working?

18

Comodo is a very good firewall, and also free.

It is enough? Well, many of us use Spyware Blaster and some spyware/adware scanners like AVG Antispyware, SuperAntispyware, AdAware, Spybot S&D … as additional tools. But avast! and ZA or Comodo with safe surfing habits is good. The latter is the most important part.

If the firewall recognizes and blocks the connection attempt until you allow it, then its working. Usually you would want to put a check in “Remember this action” for programs known to be safe so you won’t be asked about them every time. This is especially important for programs that update automatically, like avast!

19

Found the following msgs. w/ yellow triangle/red circle:

*The avast! Web Scanner service terminated unexpectedly. It has done this 1 time(s).

*The Application Management service terminated with the following error:
The specified module could not be found.

  • at least 15 of these here and there from today
  • Windows saved user YOUR-5A46F7298D\user registry while an application or service was still using the registry during log off. The memory used by the user’s registry has not been freed. The registry will be unloaded when it is no longer in use.

This is often caused by services running as a user account, try configuring the services to run in either the LocalService or NetworkService account.

  • three of these same msgs.

…Do these mean anything?

20

It is enough? Well, many of us use Spyware Blaster and some spyware/adware scanners like AVG Antispyware, SuperAntispyware, AdAware, Spybot S&D … as additional tools. But avast! and ZA or Comodo with safe surfing habits is good. The latter is the most important part.

I also use spybot S&D - what other ones from above or others would you recommend? All of them…or?

I use WinPatrol and bugoff as well. Do you know anything about them?

If the firewall recognizes and blocks the connection attempt until you allow it, then its working. Usually you would want to put a check in “Remember this action” for programs known to be safe so you won’t be asked about them every time. This is especially important for programs that update automatically, like avast!

Well then it must be working because it always asks me that…I just don’t understand why it isn’t appearing on security suite anymore. It used to say it there…I am off to check out comodo…

Thanks so far for all of your help! Very appreciated!