manualy removing zonealarm firewall

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October 14th, 2006, 09:32 AM
Garfield99

manualy removing zonealarm firewall

I found this helpfull info on the zonealarm forum during a search for trying to remove the zonealarm firewall manualy i've tryed it and it works :)

To remove ZoneAlarm completely from your computer in case normal uninstall can’t be run or doesn’t run properly, do the following:

* Right click the ZoneAlarm systray icon and click Restore ZoneAlarm Control Center.

Go to Overview > Preferences and uncheck Load ZoneAlarm at startup.

Close Control Center, right click the icon again and then click Shutdown ZoneAlarm.

Note: If you're unable to carry out this step because the icon is missing, you can skip it and proceed with the next steps, but in this case do them all in safe mode!

* REBOOT

* Go to Start > Programs > ZoneLabs and click Uninstall, or uninstall ZA using Control Panel > Software > Add/Remove Programs.

If a security check appears, click Yes and continue the uninstall procedure.

* REBOOT

* Make sure hidden files and folders are shown. To do so open Windows Explorer. Depending on your OS click Tools or View and then Folder Options > View.

Choose Show hidden files and folders, uncheck Hide protected operating system files (Windows 2000/XP/2003 only) and click OK.

* Next go to Start > Search > Files and Folders. Make sure the location box is set to search your Local Hard Drive (usually C:\ ) or All Local Drives. Also make

sure the Advanced Search Options are set to search subfolders and hidden files. Now copy the entire line below, paste it into the search box and click Search Now.

Zonelabs; "zone labs"; "Internet logs"; vsconfig.xml; vsdata.dll; vsdata95.vxd; vsdatant.sys; vsmon.*; vsmonapi.dll; vsnetutils.dll;vspubapi.dll; zaplus.*; zapro.*; zllictbl.dat; zlparser.dll; zonealarm.exe; zoneband.dll; vsutil.dll; zlclient.*

A list of files and folders belonging to ZoneAlarm will appear in the Search Results pane.

Note: if you’re using McAfee software be sure to check the vsutil.dll if found: right click the file and choose Properties. Verify it belongs to ZoneLabs.

If it does not do not remove it. Now proceed by deleting all ZoneLabs files and folders that were found.

* Empty the Recycle Bin.

* Now remove all ZoneLabs keys that may be left in the Windows registry. To do this copy the lines below and paste them into Notepad.

Save the file as zabegone.reg, double click it and allow for the registry changes to be made.

REGEDIT4

[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ZAMailSafe]

[-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Zone Labs]

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Zone Labs]

[-HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Software\Zone Labs]

link to the zone alarm forum for these remove instructions remove instructions
October 14th, 2006, 11:40 AM
NooNoo

thanks Garfield.
October 25th, 2006, 09:00 AM
Neofast

useful info! Thanks!
October 31st, 2006, 12:38 AM
Loopy

What's the deal with zonealarm? does everyone recommend a diffrent software firewall and if so why?
October 31st, 2006, 05:12 AM
NooNoo

Software firewalls, by their very nature are hard to uninstall. They create virtual devices to filter everything. If the uninstall is not done correctly, bits get left which can screw up other software.

They all have their problems. I like zone alarm, kerio and pc cillin.
October 31st, 2006, 10:24 AM
Stalemate

I used to be a fan of Kerio as well, until they decided to drop the "free" personal version by selling it to Sunbelt: http://www.sunbelt-software.com/Kerio.cfm
October 31st, 2006, 02:43 PM
joey3k

Quote:

Originally Posted by NooNoo

Software firewalls, by their very nature are hard to uninstall. They create virtual devices to filter everything. If the uninstall is not done correctly, bits get left which can screw up other software.

Prime example: "why the hell can't I ping the computer beside me?"

After 2+ hrs of not comprehending what the problem could be....

Oh, ZoneAlarm wasn't uninstalled properly.....

Don't get me started in regards to NIS and SSL ;)
November 7th, 2006, 11:41 AM
Loopy

Quote:

Originally Posted by joey3k

Prime example: "why the hell can't I ping the computer beside me?"

After 2+ hrs of not comprehending what the problem could be....

Oh, ZoneAlarm wasn't uninstalled properly.....

Don't get me started in regards to NIS and SSL ;)

I assume you mean Secure Socket Layer, but what does NIS mean?

I don't mean to drag this off topic but what software firewall does everyone recommend that would be the least amount of trouble? For example when I shut it off one I can be sure is not still filtering.
November 8th, 2006, 02:42 AM
NooNoo

Norton Internet Security.....

As for recommendations, I think I already said that the nature of a software firewall is such that these problems are inherant... especially when uninstallation routines are not designed to take account of every single scenario.