[Ham-Computers] Word of caution...ZoneAlarm v6.0.631

[Hsu, Aaron (NBC Universal)]

Since we're on the topic of ZA, please heed the following warning about
v6.0.631...

Excerpt from the Windows Secrets Newsletter, Issue 60, 2005.09.15.  Posted
*without* permission (with embedded links removed), but I think the info
beneficial to this group.  Here's a link the the full article (with all
links):

http://windowssecrets.com/comp/050915/


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ZoneAlarm update fixes tricky glitches 

By Brian Livingston

Burned users howled when they ran into problems with the new, 6.0 version of
ZoneAlarm Pro and ZoneAlarm Security Suite last month - but the makers of
the award-winning software have now released an update that they say
corrects the errors.

I reported on Aug. 11 that the original July 21 "point-oh" release of the
Zone Labs family - technically speaking, version 6.0.631 - was being blamed
by users for conflicting with other applications, interfering with POP3
e-mail downloads, and worse. I quoted Zone Labs as saying that the troubles
were caused by installing version 6.0 over an older version. This, of
course, should have been fine and the company hadn't previously advised
users that a clean install was necessary.

The new 6.0.667 build of ZoneAlarm products, released on Sept. 6, is being
credited by experienced users with fixing most or all of the reported
difficulties.

"As far as I can see, they have fixed all bugs that I have reported on the
beta, including a nasty BSOD [Blue Screen of Death] with a known antivirus,"
says a user named Fax, a frequent contributor to Zone Alarm's user forum.

"Do NOT install version 6.0.631.003," writes another correspondent named
GreyBird. "The version that fixed many of the problems you have read about
is version 6.0.667.000. Install the newer version instead."

A new build ends Zone Labs' headaches

Every developer of complex software dreads the day that some unforeseen
glitch ruins the day for users. Having been hit with just such a bad dream,
Zone Labs can be complimented for recognizing the problem and issuing an
update much quicker than some larger software companies I could name.

In an interview, Zone Labs spokeswoman Allison Wagda acknowledged that the
new 6.0.667 release was designed to correct known issues. "The update was
specifically targeted for those users who had challenges upgrading to the
6.0 product," she states. "The primary problem was with the upgrade install
process."

Wagda says this is cleaned up in the new version, as well as a conflict
version 6.0.631 had with Propel Accelerator, a dial-up enhancement offered
by Earthlink and NetZero. In addition, there were no problems with the free
version of the ZoneAlarm firewall, just the Pro, Antivirus, and Security
Suite versions.

Considering the protests of many ZoneAlarm users who'd been bitten by the
install problems, I'm surprised that the new 6.0.667 release has generated
almost no notice in major news sources. A search earlier today for zonealarm
6.0.667 at news.google.com, for example, revealed just the message, "Your
search did not match any documents."

Numerous download sites and discussions groups on the Web have mentioned the
new version, of course. But I feel ZoneAlarm is used by so many people and
plays such an important role in protecting PC users' security that the fixed
version should be much more widely reported.

For all of the above reasons, I'm describing some tips below on how to
install ZoneAlarm 6.0.631 properly, as well as how to dig yourself out of
any problems 6.0.631 may have caused you.

Avoiding and correcting ZoneAlarm gotchas

1. How to upgrade. Zone Labs' Wagda points out that people who have
ZoneAlarm's Check for updates setting turned on should have been upgraded
automatically to version 6.0.667 last week. If you've turned this off,
simply open ZoneAlarm and check for updates manually. You can install
6.0.667 right over 6.0.631 or 5.x with no problems, Wagnda says.

2. Deciding whether to uninstall. If you have such severe problems that the
new version of ZoneAlarm won't install when you check for upgrades, you
should perform either a normal uninstall or a "clean uninstall," which is
different. Both forms are described below in point 3.

If you plan to install a new version of ZoneAlarm or some other firewall
software, download the software or purchase a retail package before
uninstalling ZoneAlarm. Before you uninstall any software firewall,
physically disconnect your cable from the Internet and don't plug it back in
until your new firewall is working (unless you have a hardware firewall).
Otherwise, you might get infected by hackers using automated port scans to
detect vulnerable PCs. This can occur to a nonfirewalled PC in as little as
one minute.

3. How to uninstall. If your problems are not severe, but Check for upgrades
doesn't work, a normal ZoneAlarm uninstall, followed by a reinstall, should
correct the difficulty. For a normal uninstall of ZoneAlarm, simply click
the Start button and run the uninstall routine you'll find in the ZoneAlarm
portion of the menu.

If a normal uninstall isn't enough, or you want to uninstall ZA 6.x and go
back to ZA 5.x, a clean uninstall is better. (Note: A clean uninstall will
not preserve your settings if you reinstall ZoneAlarm.) To guarantee a clean
uninstall, right-click ZoneAlarm's Uninstall menu item, then click
Properties. Add a space and the string /clean to the executable name, so the
line looks similar to this:

"C:\Program Files\Zone Labs\ZoneAlarm\zauninst.exe" /clean

Save the change and then run the menu item. The /clean switch, and other
important information, is explained in detail in a post by a Zone Labs host
named Don Hoover and a set of screen captures by a premium poster named
Iggy.

If the automated uninstall fails, or any other problems occur, Zone Labs has
posted a detailed set of instructions. Following these steps will manually
remove every trace of ZoneAlarm. In addition, you should refer to several
troubleshooting steps that might be needed (in the worst case) to complete a
manual uninstall.

4. How to install a new version. The ZoneAlarm family now includes six
different flavors, ranging from the free firewall edition to the complete
Security Suite. I recommend that individual PC users buy and use the entire
suite (street price about $59.95), for reasons I describe in the next
section below. If you'd like to see the features of all six products, Zone
Labs has a handy comparison chart. You can download the version you wish
directly from that page.

If you need to roll back to a previous version, for whatever reason, Zone
Labs maintains an exhaustive listing of every previously released product.
You can download old versions, as well as see which features were added over
time, from the release history page.

5. How to register. If you use a flavor of ZoneAlarm that's more capable
than the free version, you should read a helpful page of purchase and
renewal tips provided by a user-forum guru named Jarvis. Among other things,
his page advises you on when to renew a 1-year service term to get the
greatest benefit.

6. Watch and learn. Running complex software on Windows requires that you
stay informed on possible conflicts and any new upgrades that may be
required to eliminate them. Read up on Zone Labs' technical support. Join
and monitor Zone Labs' user forum. Finally, check out columnist Fred Langa's
readers' comments on ZoneAlarm 6.0, some of whom report no problems while
other cite specific complaints.	

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