Is Avast compatable with Zone Alarms free firewall and if not what do I have to change so it is?
Yes, when you install avast it will detect ZA and ask:
AVAST Web Shield compatibility dialogue - Install/Update Question - YES or NO
If you are using ZoneAlarm Free you should click NO, because privacy features are not present in ZoneAlarm Free this will not turn off web shield transparent mode proxy.
So just answer NO to the question and you are done.
But why doesn’t ZoneAlarm detect Avast! in its ZoneAlarm anti-virus monitoring tab ? I use ZoneAlarm Free and Avast! Home in case it helps.
That really is a question for ZA.
However, you have basically answered your own question, why would it recognise a competitive product when it will try to sell you its AV.
Because Alwil does not pay to ZoneLabs just to be detected 
Same with AVG (free) version
so avast would still work with zonealarm free? I was thinking of downloading Jetico Firewall since I saw the leak proof stats.
The failure of Zone Alarm to detect avast doesn’t stop them working together.
Whilst Jetico has better leak test results than ZA (free) there is nothing to stop you from trying it and see if you can live as the Jetico Firewall is also free. If you like it great, if not try another free one. You could also do a forum search for Jetico and see what information you find.
So the best free firewall is not Zone Alarm >:( tut so what is the best free firewall
This is a good free firewall:
Comodo, Kerio, Jetico, Outpost, Sygate, the new Ashampoo has got some users lately…
Firstly you didn’t ask what is the best firewall, "Is Avast compatable with Zone Alarms free firewall " tut, tut ;D Best doesn’t come into it, apart from the fact I never said it was the best free firewall.
Best is a subjective title and depends entirely on a users requirements and experience. Also if you are concerned about security in your firewall you also have to consider paying if the free ones don’t meet your requirements.
There are some excellent firewalls (and some are free) but their user interface is terrible for an inexperienced user seeing persistent pop-ups, death by pop-up. The user gets into the habit of just clicking OK without ever reading what is in the pop-up making the firewall worse than useless when they automatically click either OK or Deny without thinking what it is about.
I have now jumped ship to avast (about time too) but right the alert came up about having zone alarm pressed no and windows security alert pops up saying zone alarm is installed but it’s status is unknown does that normally happen?
Whilst I can’t comment about ZA but unknown status could be one of two things either windows security center (WSC) isn’t recognising it correctly (not unknown for WSC) or there is something wrong with your installation of ZA. I suggest you at the least check it out with the grc.com ShieldsUp firewall tests.
I assume that WSC is recognising avast ?
yep it is everything is fine on that score
ZA Free will detect your AV for the first year only, after that, you will no longer have the option to select On/Off for monitoring. I just checked my ZA Control Panel…
I guess that after 1 year, you’ll just have to trust the blue a-ball in your system tray ;),
and rely on yourself to keep your AV updated… 8)
Or use a good antivirus that, for sure, keeps you automatically update for program and virus databases… do you know any antivirus that works this way? ;D
I have not had zone alarm for a year yet it does not know my AV?
But are you surprised because of that? Is this a question or just an affirmation?
Did you read the whole thread above?
I mean, it’s well known that ZA does NOT detect all antivirus but just the ones it wants to detect
I think that patrice58 was responding to this quote from jm1515:
ZA Free will detect your AV for the first year only, after that, you will no longer have the option to select On/Off for monitoring.
My experience also suggests that the quote is incorrect.