I just installed avasti 4.6 this morning. As the installation finished, I got a warning window something about an incompatibility issue with ZoneAlarm, with a “how to fix it” link regarding bypassing the problem until the issue with ZoneAlarm is resolved. Before I was able to do anything further, I somehow closed out the window and have not been able to get it back again.
Can anyone tell me how to get back the instructions on what I need to do to circumvent the incompatibilyty problem with ZoneAlarm?
I use Mozilla Firefox as my main browser. Right after the avasti installation, I appeared to have lost all my Firefox bookmarks, and Firefox opened just like a fresh installation. I closed it out, deciding to re-import my bookmarks from a backup list at a later time, but next time I opened Firefox, the bookmarks file was back, completely normal.
I’m totally new at this. For the past 3 years I have been completely satisfied with McAfee virusscan, but after having the infamous black M problem this past summer, I was suddenly informed today, with no prior notification, that my subscription to McAfee had expired. When I tried to renew it, I had to enter my updated credit card number and other requested data, but when I submitted the, a warning notice popped up saying that I would be redirected to a non-secure site, and the credit card data could be intercepted by 3rd parties. I decided that was enough of this hassle, and found out about avasti by doing a search on a trusted website that I have visited for years for useful computer tips and sources of software accessories.
If you’re using ZA free edition, and it will have no conflicts with Avast! - and you need not worry. If you’re using other editions of Zone Alarm, this may be of some help: http://www.avast.com/eng/webshield_issues.html#idt_6869
If you are using ZoneAlarm Free you should click NO, because privacy features are not present in ZoneAlarm Free this will not turn off webshield transparent mode proxy.
Use a text editor and edit the avast4.ini file, the default installation location is C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\DATA\avast4.ini (I would advise you copy avast4.ini before editing it, just in case).
Locate the line containing ZoneAlarmCompatibility= and delete that line. Save the edited avast4.ini file.
More info click ‘Settings’ link in my signature
If you are using ZoneAlarm Pro and Privacy Control in ZoneAlarm is set to High and if you click YES in avast comptability dialog box the transparent mode proxy in webshield will be turned off you have to manually configure browser to access internet. To manually configure your browser watch instructional video
Something seems wrong here as I have used ZoneAlarm Free for about 5 years without a problem and also have used Avast home for the past 2 years also without a problem. I have had no conflicts between ZA free and Avast home.
Hopefully, someone else can give you better information. Give a little more info about your system and what versions of ZA and Avast you are using. This always helps us better find solutions to problems.
EDIT :
(OOPS … Staind & Tech posted about the same time with better info … thanks guys!)
;D
Check this link http://www.avast.com/eng/webshield_issues.html
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 webshield transparent mode proxy.
I don’t recall checking YES or NO when I installed avast!, or even seeing a dialog box prompting me to choose one of those options. This only became an issue after the installation, when the notice popped up that the program had detected ZoneAlarm, and it provided the link to the workaround at the bottom of the box.
Use a text editor and edit the avast4.ini file, the default installation location is C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\DATA\avast4.ini (I would advise you copy avast4.ini before editing it, just in case).
Locate the line containing ZoneAlarmCompatibility= and delete that line. Save the edited avast4.ini file.
That line in avast4.ini reads as follows:
ZoneAlarmCompatibility=0
Hi,
Just downloaded Avast AV and been reading FAQs and threads here about Zonealarm compatibility.
The FAQ and this thread are unclear in that they do not mention VERSION numbers for free Zonealarm compatibility as if there was only one free Zonealarm program. There have been and are many free Zonealarm versions in use.
Can we be a little more specific please?
I use the old Zonealarm 2.6.362 which was free back in the days before the pro versions, and a recent check of the Zone Labs site indicates they have a Fee version but the number is like Zonealarm 6.1.737.
So IS my old version compatible with Avast and the transparent proxy mode? I have stuck with Zonealarm 2.5.362 because I’m a fan of Gibson Research, who swears (or at least swore) it was one of the best firewalls ever invented, and I recall reading some pundits later saying the new versions of Zonealarm weren’t as good as the old 2.6.362.
You would be well advised to update your zone alarm free. Whilst the compatibility warning doesn’t relate to any specific version, it is more geared up to more recent versions. Certainly after the web shield was introduced into avast about 6-8 months ago and this compatibility issue was identified.
ZA has come on in the time since your version it certainly won’t have become worse. There are I think more reasons not update than keep a very old version, which probably has more to do with using less resources in the old version.
The current version of ZA free works fine with avast.
You could try to see if your old version will work with avasts web shield transparency mode, if not you can easily set your browser/s up manually to use the web shield proxy.
You really should update that old ZAFree firewall to the newest version of ZAFree. As I stated in a post above, I have used ZAFree for about 5 years and Avast for at least 2 years. There should be no reason that the 2 programs can not work together.
ZAFree has improved quite a bit since your old version. I agree that, at a time a few years ago, there were a few problems with ZA but those have been corrected.
I just reinstalled my PC with the latest versions of Avast home and ZoneAlarm free.
I also received this message informing me of an incompatibility between the 2 programs. I clicked on “yes”, but it seems that with the free version of ZA, I could click on “no” and continue to use the webshield transparent mode proxy…
I checked into the avast4.ini file and have this : ZoneAlarmCompatibility=1
I never changed anything into the .ini !!!
So is it ok for me ? Is the transparent proxy enabled ? Has it been changed automatically ? Where can I see if it is working ?
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 webshield transparent mode proxy.
Use a text editor and edit the avast4.ini file, the default installation location is C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\DATA\avast4.ini (I would advise you copy avast4.ini before editing it, just in case). Locate the line containing ZoneAlarmCompatibility= and delete that line. Save the edited avast4.ini file.
Thanks for your quick answer, but I already read this…
When I received this message, I didn’t know what to do and accepted Avast’s advice by clicking “yes”.
So if I want to use the transparent proxy, could you say me the procedure ? Into the avast4.ini file, I have ZoneAlarmCompatibility=1 but I thought that by clicking “no”, I should have ZoneAlarmCompatibility=0 or am I wrong ??
0 is used for ZoneAlarmPro (turn off the transparent proxy mode: you need to manually configure your browser to access Internet).
1 or nothing (deleting the line) is used for ZoneAlarm free (default value, turn on the transparent proxy mode, you don’t have to change anything else in the browser to access Internet).
avast used the default value in your case as you’re not using ZA pro
There are many default settings in avast that don’t need to be put into the avast4.ini file as avast uses these defaults unless they have been modified in the avast4.ini file. So the default for ZAcompatibility would be 0, so there is no need to put that in the ini file when you answer No.
If someone has answered ‘Yes’ to the compatibility question, regardless of if they have ZA Pro/free or not the line ZoneAlarmCompatibility=1 will be inserted, as confirmed by Mew who has ZA free http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=18499.msg191096#msg191096. So the default value can’t be 1 because the answer Yes resulted in the ZoneAlarmCompatibility=1 line entry.
Since we can assume by doing nothing to the avast4.ini, e.g. not inserting ZoneAlarmCompatibility=0 the transparent proxy will still work anyway, so in Mew’s case deleting the ZoneAlarmCompatibility=1 would enable the transparent proxy, as would changing the value to 0.
but I thought that by clicking "no", I should have ZoneAlarmCompatibility=0 or am I wrong
This is now perhaps as clear as mud for Mew, but by answering 'No' in the first place there would be no need for an entry in the avast4.ini as the transparent proxy is on by default. That is why the deletion of the ZoneAlarmCompatibility=1 entry is better than changing the value to =0 effectively confirming avast's transparent proxy default action.
Set WebShield transparent proxy mode with ZoneAlarm firewall. Set 0 to turn off the transparent proxy mode when the cookie blocking features in ZoneAlarm is being used. WebShield should be restarted (or whole computer in case of Win98).
Tech, David, or the others, what do you have in your avast4.ini file ?
If you use something else than ZoneAlarm, do you have this line ZoneAlarmCompatibility=X ?
For people using ZA, it would be interesting to know the answer you gave “yes” or “no” and the number ZoneAlarmCompatibility=0 or ZoneAlarmCompatibility=1