Windows XP 7 Zone Alarm

[Dance Demon]

Wow!!...me posting on the geeks page:eek:
Apparently Microsoft sent an update with a patch to rectify something or other and it causes users of Zone Alarm problems when trying to access the t'internet.
more info here zone alarm - Google News (http://news.google.co.uk/news?hl=en&q=zone+alarm&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=X&oi=news_result&resnum=1&ct=title) I spent twenty minutes waiting on the phone to Virgin, only to be told by an Indian lady who didn't speak very good English, to call Microsoft......who will only sort out yer problems in office hours :mad:

[Gus]

SO THATS IT!!!!! I'd posted my problem on a separate thread ... but no wonder no one had been able to help. When you find the solution could you post it?

[pmjd]

Current quickest and easiest option is to go into Add/Remove programs and find a windows security update KB951748 and remove it

More options (http://download.zonealarm.com/bin/free/pressReleases/2008/LossOfInternetAccessIssue.html) from Zone Alarm themselves

[Zebra Woman]

I use ZoneAlarm, and I allowed Windows XP to update itself yesterday lunchtime.

After the re-boot, I lost my internet connection completely. Stupidly I didn't suspect the windows update as I'd been making other hardware changes to the PC at the time. I ended up wasting a lot of time trying to get re-connected, without the luxury of an internet connection to help sort the problem out.

Much later, I happened to mention it to a friend on the phone, and was told how to fix it, 2 minute job no problem - but if I hadn't, I probably wouldn't be here now.

How are people with only one computer expected to sort themselves out? They are completely cut off! :angry: It really should be announced on the news and radio - URGENTLY!! :angry:

Or is it too embarrassing for Microsoft?



Have I missed something?

[bigdjiver]

I use ZoneAlarm, and I allowed Windows XP to update itself yesterday lunchtime...

... How are people with only one computer expected to sort themselves out? They are completely cut off! :angry: ...

...Have I missed something?Perhaps that your other computers would have updated themselves too? :mad: :eek: :flower:

[dep]

Perhaps that your other computers would have updated themselves too? :mad: :eek: :flower:I disabled Zone Alarm this morning due to inability to log on to my ISP.
The BT help said all was OK.

It all operated perfectly yesterday after I updated from MS and after I rebooted.
http://update.microsoft.com/microsoftupdate/v6/(KB951748) was the last of 4 updates installed yesterday.

[Dreadful Scathe]

This highlights the danger in setting Windows XP to auto-update itself - it applies stuff you don't need and will slow yuor computer down - and very occasionaly, something like this happens. Say NO to auto update. Security you can cover by using a 3rd party firewall and virus checkers and not using IE :)

I treat it the same as firmware updates for hardware - you ONLY apply an update if you KNOW it will fix an issue you alread have - NOT as a matter of course.

[robd]

I treat it the same as firmware updates for hardware - you ONLY apply an update if you KNOW it will fix an issue you alread have - NOT as a matter of course.

I don't allow XP to auto update though it does download patches automatically and awaits the nod from me to install them. However, I have a greater level of technical knowledge and awareness of current issues around running a PC than many home users I would guess. Nonetheless I remember getting caught out by Blaster back whenever that was (not that MS had a patch for that available at the point at which it infected my PC)

I won't use Zone Alarm - I found it a PITA in the past and I rely instead on the built in XP F/W and the controls in place on my Voyager DSL router. I don't use any A/V or those all in one Home Internet Security packages either and I have never had a problem with my home PC (other than Blaster which wouldn't have been caught by those I don't think)

I keep a reasonably up to date Ghost Image of my C:\ drive and store all my data and media files, etc on another partition so if an XP update didn't play nice and/or I did get a malware/virus infection I just re-image and am good to go again. Imaging and partitioning are not difficult but then nothing is if you already know how to do it but for many home users I can see such an approach may seem a bit daunting.

And my point was....hmm, I seem to have lost it somewhere along the line.

[Brian Doolan]

This highlights the danger in setting Windows XP to auto-update itself - it applies stuff you don't need and will slow your computer down - and very occasionally, something like this happens. Say NO to auto update. Security you can cover by using a 3rd party firewall and virus checkers and not using IE :)


:yeah: That's some of the best advice I've seen on this site so far, especially not using IE !!

[TA Guy]

This highlights the danger in setting Windows XP to auto-update itself - it applies stuff you don't need and will slow yuor computer down - and very occasionaly, something like this happens. Say NO to auto update. Security you can cover by using a 3rd party firewall and virus checkers and not using IE :)

I treat it the same as firmware updates for hardware - you ONLY apply an update if you KNOW it will fix an issue you alread have - NOT as a matter of course.

It is a good idea not to enable auto-updates. Let other smucks find the problems first and get them fixed.
You should always apply updates eventually tho.

Applying an update only when you know you have an issue is exceedingly dangerous. It requires an inside-out knowledge of both your operating system and your applications. Even then it's not safe...
...Unfortunately, your whole operating system is full of stuff you don't use or need, and that requires updating to stop security issues. Just because you don't use or need something doesn't mean your friendly local neighbourhood hacker or trojan writer will be so obliging.

My advice. Don't use auto-update, but always apply the updates at some point. If you don't update sometime, well, the world is full of marketing companies trying to get porno popups on your browser via some obscure plug-in you never even knew you had let alone used... and zombie computers sending out spam of course. They didn't update either by the way. :)

[Dreadful Scathe]

Unfortunately, your whole operating system is full of stuff you don't use or need, and that requires updating to stop security issues. Just because you don't use or need something doesn't mean your friendly local neighbourhood hacker or trojan writer will be so obliging.

Bah, smoke and mirrors. If I'm using a third party firewall and a hacker can get in from outside, its not the OS thats at fault, its the firewall. If I installed a trojan on my pc its because i chose to run it, or used software that connected somewhere that automatically ran it through a security issue with that software - again, not the problem of the OS.

[NPR]

The quickest solution seems to be to download the latest version of ZA from the Zone Alarm website (after you have disabled ZA of course). Internet access will return and you will be protected by the firewall AND have the MS security patch.

[dep]

The quickest solution seems to be to download the latest version of ZA from the Zone Alarm website (after you have disabled ZA of course). Internet access will return and you will be protected by the firewall AND have the MS security patch.I did and I only have 14days left.
Where is the freeware version?

[pmjd]

Can be found here (http://www.zonealarm.com/store/content/company/products/znalm/freeDownload.jsp) on the right hand side of the page

[RedFox]

Wow!!...me posting on the geeks page

Well, thanks for doing so! Installing the patches is my next task; thanks to your post I've now installed the latest ZA version first...
:cheers: