Startup and Graphic Problems

On firewalls - risking the wrath of someone I much respect (Hi David!) I am continuing the four month experiment I started on my new machine just using Windows XP Firewall (even though I understand and largely agree with the oft stated viewpoint of DavidR).

I have no problem with that, your savvy enough to keep out of trouble in the first place so if you don’t get infected by a trojan downloader or key logger, etc. that is going to want to connect to the internet, you could get away with it. But, you are realistic in what you recommend to those you support, a firewall ZA with outbound protection that is simple to use with a friendly user interface for your average user.

With the security systems in place, a more secure browser than IE6, DropMyRights, etc. I too could just use the XP firewall, which is good at stealthing your ports, but I use Outpost Pro. However, for the average user outbound firewall protection is a additional link in the security chain for when stuff does get past their defences.

For the benefit of alanrf I have no problem with this forum because I was able to isolate the problem and will most likely uninstall Kerio if their Technical Support does not respond favorably. The real thorn in our sides is that company also known by the abbreviation MS. Originally I thought the problem was in Internet Explorer. They won’t even fix their defective web pages so users can scroll down and navigate them. Incidentally, I thought Kerio and Avast were made to be compatible. I used to run Zone Alarm with another antivirus program, until I saw that the latest version of Zone Alarm did not run as well as the previous. Was I wrong to believe that Avast and Zone Alarm were incompatible?

There was a version of avast for Kerio so time ago but that was based on an older version of Kerio. Up until recently avast and Kerio worked well together.

Many of those experiencing problems (not just relating to this topic) with the latest Kerio are going back to an earlier version 2.5 or there abouts.

I had no problem with running the ZoneAlarm free versions for a long period with avast. The folks I support are using avast (free) and ZA (free) without problems.

The only issue I know of is one issue between ZoneAlarm Pro and avast. This is covered in a warning box when avast is installed with options to avoid the problem. I will not go into more detail since it is well covered elsewhere in the forum.

I now remember that when I updated Zone Alarm I did not uninstall the previous version - I updated the older one. Most likely I ought to have done a clean install of the program. Still, I am curious as to whether Sunbelt is going to respond to my email.

I never had any problem with ZA except that I hated how long it to to load when the computer was rebooted. Kerio and Comodo seem to load much faster.

Hi! I uninstalled Kerio & installed Zone Alarm. Hope I’m not sorry now. I haven’t had a problem since. My machine runs really good. WHEW
I didn’t know for sure what to do in ZA, but I think it was Kim Komando that said not to run anymore than one firewall/antivirus/spyware at the same time so am running spysweeper with all it’s shields running, I shut off ZA’s spy program it has but that’s the one I don’t know if I should turn back on for sure too. I also have win patrol running. I’ve shut off mail scanning by both ZA & Avast. They say the mail is just like any other files & we don’t need email scanning by antivirus. True or not? I’m no expert but everything seems to be runnning great so far. No more shadow problems or any other with my AVast. On my zone alarm I will run periodic scans with their spy program as well as my spy bot, Adaware, & spydoctor. Does this setup sound reasonable or is there anything I should change?

Thanks once again for all the help! It’s much appreciated

GeminiRose

I wouldn’t turn off Avast e-mail scanning. It is so fast you hardly notice it.

GeminiRose

I am no expert compared to those other participants on this forum, especially the moderators; however, when I took the A+ course at DeVry my instructor told me to consider myself one. So, I leave the rest of the figuring on that up to you. Anyway, one of the reasons I went in for the alternative programs as opposed to the ones that come with computers is that they can scan incoming and outgoing email messages, though you might be able to set up your ISP to do some of that nowadays. Anyway these messages and attachments are a primary means where malicious codes enter into the system. As far as scanning, everything that you do helps.

harlemnocturn

:slight_smile: Thanks, Harlemnocturn & Testy. Turned back on my email scan in ZA but left Avast’s off. I’m trying the 15 day trial of ZA Pro. So far I really like it better than I did Kerio.

I’m glad they allow these trials, because who knows for sure what they need or want if you haven’t tried them.

GeminiRose

OK … I always said I wouldn’t ever really be an avast enthusiast, but honestly, if you have the choice of avast free and ZoneAlarm free together (they work just fine) why not make ZA your firewall and avast your AV including your email scans? It costs nothing … zero.

Why not? ::slight_smile:

That is wise, my firewall also has an anti-spyware plug-in with that running it scans lots of file on boot and avast is forced to scan those same files, slowing boot times because of this. With other anti-spyware cover you don’t need the gimics of the firewall one.

Who are they because you should stop listening to them ? Emails aren’t just like other files, multiple emails are often stored in a single file, e.g. Outlook Express uses a database file .dbx any infected email would have to be extracted from that .dbx database file if it wasn’t detected/scanned before it was saved there.

The act of extracting an infected email from the .dbx database file could either fail or corrupt the .dbx file rendering it useless and the emails in it that weren’t infected also lost to you. It is also very common for some AVs to treat these files as a normal file and delete the whole file and however many emails that are stored within it. So emails are not the same as normal files. ThunderBird in its FAQs warns of ths possibility about AVs deteting this type of email folder/database file with the loss of all emails in that database.

So no you shouldn’t disable the avast Internet Mail scanner as it scans email before it is stored, making the above problem less of an issue. Prevention is much better than treatment.

:slight_smile: Thank you David for your good advice! I thought about it last nite & went in and turned avast back on. Made me too nervous to be without. I’ve never had a virus & don’t want any! Saw another setting also, do you have it send it to your inbox or tell it to discard unconditionally? The default was to send it to inbox.

Thanks so much for the advice :slight_smile: It’s always good to learn before the fact not after.

GeminiRose

I don’t know what your email program is ?
The Internet Mail provider doesn’t have this option, only the Outlook/Exchange (for MS Outlook, not express). So if you are using MS Outlook then you would choose Discard Unconditionally or move to another Outlook folder (like infected or suspect emails, etc.) if you wanted to investigate them. However, for you purposes Discard Unconditionally would be the best option.

My email program is Outlook Express

GeminiRose

Then you don’t require the Outlook/Exchange provider/plug-in enabled (Terminate it) and this option isn’t available to you in Outlook Express/Internet mail provider.

Fellow Avast users, it was on August 19, over a week ago, that I emailed Sunbelt. Still, no response. So, I uninstalled Kerio and now have Zone Alarm, which seems more promising than my last remembrance. This time I did a clean install.

Before it was bought by Sunbelt, Kerio support wasn’t that bad if I remember correctly…
Anyway, I think Comodo is better than ZA free. If you want a little bit more secure and configurable firewall… :wink:

Be sure to use the Beta version of Comodo. It is so much better. The stable version is being released sometime next week but why wait? Click on the second hyperlink in the link I am providing to download the beta version.

http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?p=820478

After installation, you can go to “msconfig” and tun off the “Comodo Launch Pad”.