ZoneAlarm version 4.5.530.0

Hi William,
As per the release history, the changes or new features are:
Host file lock - prevents host file tampering that sends users to spoofed web sites

Build in instant conversion to a ZoneAlarm Pro trial and back without additonal download

Routine maintenance items

eBay online fraud protection

IMO, if you want to take advantage of the above features, you should get the latest free version. Installation problems reported by other users about this new version - http://forums.zonelabs.com/zonelabs/board?board.id=inst

Hi Donna,

Thank you for your reply and the link.

I'd read the upgrade info right after I posted my question and before I saw your reply and am still not convinced I need the newer version.

However, I will check out the installation problems link.

William

If this

http://forums.zonelabs.com/zonelabs/board/message?board.id=inst&message.id=6478

happened to my Win98, I'd not be a happy camper since I avoid having to boot into SAFE MODE like the plague.

William

Nice decision William. Maybe it's still early to jump on this one. Maybe a ZA user should only go for it if the there is a security/vulnerability issue with earlier version and fixed with the new version. My searches for any vulnerability with your current version resulted to 0.

Donna,

I might have no problem upgrading and eventually I probably will. I just tend to think I'm better of waiting for a time to see if there are any "bugs" to be found and worked out.

Thank you for your help.

William

William, you are a "tough nut" to crack! I have downloaded this version but waiting to install. I am with you in maintaining a wait and see attitude.

I did read some of the forum comments. Some of the dissatisfaction reported may be operator problems in failing to follow completely the install instructions, especially when installing over the previous version.

Happy Computing!

Glenn,

Tough nut, huh?

Since I did not even start the download, I know nothing about any instructions on upgrading. I was under the impression one used to be able to install over the top on upgrades with ZA. Am I wrong or are they changing procedures?

I've had some problems with ZA in the past and if this keeps up, I may be enticed over to going with the free CA offer (virus and firewall combined) and scrapping the Norton 2002 we have on our WinXP comp, which has ZA too.

Who knows, I might even go CA on my old tired Win98 and get rid of ZA while keeping AVG and an older version of McAfee as my on-demand protection.

William

but I am a bit confused. I have been following the referenced link and it seems most, if not all, the comments refer to ZoneAlarm Pro (ZAP). Makes me wonder if we are comparing apples with oranges. Many of us use ZA FREE version and I have yet to see a direct comment referring to that version that was released along with the others.

Comments from others about the FREE version would be useful. Maybe someone will!

Cheers!

Thanks for the link Marianna.

I wondered the same thing Glenn. Thanks for speaking up.

Would you like some paintballs for Xmas?

William

Just downloaded and installed the new Zonealarm version, no problem so far. I always use the "clean install" without uninstalling the previous version(although the installation program may do an uninstall anyway). If you decide to try it, please note you have a chance to install the Pro version and if you do not like you can revert to the free version. I did not use this option so I do not know how it works.
David

Paintballs for Xmas would be nice!

You wrote:
"I know nothing about any instructions on upgrading. I was under the impression one used to be able to install over the top on upgrades with ZA. Am I wrong or are they changing procedures?"

William, I don't think anything has changed and you can do a clean install over the previous version. Here are the install instructions from ZoneAlarm support and help. Will paraphrase:

1. First uncheck the box to load at Startup. This can be done in Run|msconfig|Startup.

2. Then right click on the Z/A tray icon and select shutdown.

3. Wait 2 minutes and reboot.

4. Then simply run the installer.

5. For best results select the clean install option when prompted.

Good luck if you do it. I may wait a few days before deciding. If I do, the option to try Z/A Pro will be declined at least for now.

Send paintballs & cracked nuts soon!!!

Glenn,

Thank you for the instructions.

I wonder why the two minute wait?

Any pref on paintball colors?

William

William, I left that tidbit out but it is "Wait 2 minutes to be sure it saves all changes.".

Paintballs in red, white and blue are kinda nice! What do you think?

Glenn,

What a relief that is. For a moment, I thought we were heading down the path of "If you are not with us...."

William

I could not resist the temptation! Installed ZoneAlarm 4.5.530.0 Free version without any problem on Win XP Pro. It appears completely normal with little appearance change for the previous version. No malfunctions of any type and a check with www.grc.com (Shields Up) indicates all ports on my computer are in a stealth mode.

FWIW it was installed over the previous version by choosing the "Clean Install" option and could not have gone smoother. "Slick as a button!"

Cheers!

Glenn

Glenn,

I've upgraded too. So far so good.

Thanks for the security check link. I received:

"Your system has achieved a perfect "TruStealth" rating. Not a single packet ? solicited or otherwise ? was received from your system as a result of our security probing tests. Your system ignored and refused to reply to repeated Pings (ICMP Echo Requests). From the standpoint of the passing probes of any hacker, this machine does not exist on the Internet. Some questionable personal security systems expose their users by attempting to "counter-probe the prober", thus revealing themselves. But your system wisely remained silent in every way. Very nice."

William

Just throwing in my 2 cents on the new ZA 4.5.530. I've been getting a little feedback from various users, (Including those at the McAfee forums, he he) and both the "free" version and the "Pro" version seem to be installing and working fine. My recommendation is to do a "clean" installation by uninstalling the previous version first. MAKE SURE to close ZA before uninstalling it. Most folks I'm hearing from are installing on Win2000 and XP, so I can't say much about Win98 or ME. Here's some more about the new features:

New and improved features in ZoneAlarm Pro version 4.5.530.0

??ID Lock, keeps your confidential, personal information private from ID thieves and Internet predators

??myVAULT - Provides a secure, convenient place to store sensitive personal and financial information

??Program pre-configuration - Provides smoother and safer set-up with automatic program configuration

??Host file lock - prevents host file tampering that sends users to spoofed web sites

??Zone Labs Secure Community

??Open Process Protection

??Privacy fixes
____________


I understand the "wait and see" attitude. It saves a lot of headaches.

Hope this helps.

Grif

when I checked for an update, I was informed my Internet Security was up to date, which I knew was not true, since I got your alert that there was a new version available. Anyway, if one follows ZAPro's instruction to shut down ZAPro before installation, there should be no problem. And, yes, one can install the new version over the old one---no need to uninstall the old version.

The ID lock is a new feature that may be valuable for those of us who make purchases on the internet.

Grif,

OK, I volunteer to be the class dummy.

If you ask me, these "free" programs like ZA are fast becoming NON-user-friendly, from a PRIVACY perspective.

I've been around the net a time or two and I'm used to a lot of this "CRUP", but I'm very disconcerted by all this "sneakiness" going on.

Am I alone, gang???

William

....there's a reason that so many of the "security" companies are making their products more "automatic". Unfortunately, there are too many people that just don't pay attention to computer and internet security. There's a reason that the "Blaster" worm took hold so quickly and infected so many computers. Too many individuals don't keep their computers current as to Windows Updates, antivirus updates, firewall updates, etc., etc.

Although I am completely behind the ability to control your own computer and stop it from calling out unless it's given permission, (I'm obsessive as to keeping things up to date.), there is an argument for the other side. You can't believe the number of times that I've fixed virus infected computers and found that they hadn't been updated for long periods of time. For example: Two days ago, a McAfee user posted a question on the McAfee forums on how to update his Virus Scan 3.X version. Unfortunately, we had to tell him the last virus defintions for that particular version were stopped in December of 1998 or 99. McAfee is now on Virus Scan 8 !

There's just too many folks out there like that. I also believe that ZA is a reputable company. Their ZA Pro, which requires a purchase, has the same automatic set up. I much prefer to do these things manually, but like I said, I don't really think it's always a "sneaky" tactic.

Hope this helps.

Grif

Grif,

What you say is all likely true, but it still does not answer the question as to why a company like CA would not let a user of a rival product install the CA one since I'm assuming that they are trying to lure customers away from other companies.

William

I think AVs are tricky. Some reported that they managed to install the suite though AVG, BitDefender are installed. I also managed to install it (EZ AV only) though NAV is "in" but I disabled Norton AV and Personal firewalls' startup items and their services. (Not sure if that's the work-around but it worked here).

I remember the promotion of Panda Platinum last July. Some reported that Panda installation will not continue if there is another AV in the system but others managed to install it though there is one or 2 AVs in the system.

I really think it's tricky.

I agree on well-known recommendation by AV vendors that installing another AV while one exist can cause damage on starting windows. It happened to me before while installing Avast (I forgot to disable NAV startup items and its services).

Donna,

My older McAfee has not been checked in MSCONFIG for a long time. Before I tried to install this CA program, I started McAfee and disabled everything I could find before closing everything but Systray and Explorer.

CA would not let me even install.

I did not have an install problem with Panda, but I did not like it so removed it.

Thank you for your info.

William

I have the upgraded to this new version and do not find it complicated and it is of great help. I suppose you should not check "lock host file", however, Zonelabs could give you the answer, if you go to "Help" in the upper right corner.

Sorry, but my native language is not English and I live in Europe, however, I get along with ZoneAlarm Pro very well and have not had any problems whatsoever