Got ZoneAlarm Antivirus/Firewall working on Windows 8

[GMan]

I just outlined the process here...hopefully I didn't forget anything since it was a few days ago I did this. If you run into problems, just let me know and I'll see what I can do.



You'll need three things. The ZoneAlarm installer for the version you want, Dameware NT Utilities (makes life easier instead of command prompt usage) and a copy of vsdatant.sys from a Windows 7 install. Be sure to use the same architecture (64 or 32 bit.) Attached to this post is the 32 bit driver.

Dameware has a free trial on their page that works great for this purpose.

1) Install Dameware NT Utilities trial.

2) Install ZoneAlarm normally. You could put the installer in compatibility mode for Windows 7 and also check the box to install as Admin. When it's done, it will try to start but it will not work well yet.

3) Make a shortcut to "C:\Program Files\CheckPoint\ZoneAlarm\vsmon.exe" on the desktop, give it compatibility for Windows 7 and check the box for Admin too, then pin it to Start menu for easy access. Also copy it to C:\Users\{YourUserName}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

4) Make a shortcut to "C:\Program Files\CheckPoint\ZoneAlarm\zatray.exe" on the desktop, then pin it to Start menu for easy access.

5) Reboot to safe mode. Open Dameware. See your machine on the left side. If it is not there, add 127.0.0.1 to the favorites. Go to Services | Remove Service - Use that to remove True Vector.

6) Put the Windows 7 vsdatant.sys in C:\Windows\System32\drivers

6) Open services.msc and disable ZoneAlarm toolbar service.

7) Reboot to normal mode.

 

[Mike Lonewolf]

heh heh Basically, what I was advising was to use the removal tool in safe mode for Norton/Symantec. This will completely take it away from the machine for good.

I've seen too much trouble from that software maker, and in my personal experience with it dating back to probably around the year 2000 or so before I knew better, it is not something you want on your machine for various performance/stability reasons.

I do not have high regards for their solutions for other reasons as well.

So if you do remove it, then set the Windows Firewall and Defender services to their default settings, which is Automatic.

On the other hand, if you really like this Norton/Symantec thing, just leave it alone and see how it continues to go for you. If you have any sorts of weird issues, look at that being the culprit first.

Wait a minute here. I happen to have been, and be a beta tester for Norton products since the days of stand-alone A/V, and Disk Doctor. The only performance issues that have been reviewed, and reviewed over and over have been corrected in Norton 360 v6
And has been shown from Windows 2000 (all versions) up to current Windows 8dp (Windows 8cp wasn't available yet) and the impact isn't noticeable what so ever in the latest version, and doing a comparison against other A/V products (paid & free) the NAV portion of Norton 360 CRUSHES the competition! Go ahead, load it up, and hit the darkest, dirtiest parts of the Internet. NAV will protect you! Guaranteed. And trust me, I went to ummm sites you would blush from seeing.

 

[GMan]

When Windows 7 hit beta up until way past RTM times, like at least half a year or more, Norton products along with AVG products were together causing roughly 50% of all bsods, so that's another basis for my opinion.

They were so bad that when there were failures in Windows modules (which are/have been known perfectly well) and these were present, it was automatically assumed they were responsible. Usually, either was the culprit.

Cool though. Glad you like it and it's going well for ya.

 

[Mike Lonewolf]

When Windows 7 hit beta up until way past RTM times, like at least half a year or more, Norton products along with AVG products were together causing roughly 50% of all bsods, so that's another basis for my opinion.

They were so bad that when there were failures in Windows modules (which are/have been known perfectly well) and these were present, it was automatically assumed they were responsible. Usually, either was the culprit.

Cool though. Glad you like it and it's going well for ya.

Strange GMan, I was a beta tester for Win7 too, as well as Norton NEVER got one single BSOD. during the entire beta test
nor after with the sold product.

 

[GMan]

Well, it is not to be unsaid that combining those mentioned products with others was a large factor. For example: sptd.sys would drive them bonkers.

And a decent part of it is user knowledge. Users with less of it tend to run into more problems, so it's an educated guess that you probably are knowledgeable.

But that being said, software needs to be designed to be foolproof. They really were not, but their act did clean up after some time, greatly. BSOD occurance slowly but surely faded away.

And sptd.sys itself had its share of issues as well.

 

[Mike Lonewolf]

I'll agree with you there.

 

[jrzpol]

I just outlined the process here...hopefully I didn't forget anything since it was a few days ago I did this. If you run into problems, just let me know and I'll see what I can do...

I followed your instructions, but didn't work. Zonealarm system tray icon says: "Zonealarm initialization is in progress". I can't open it.

 

[heavenrider]

i ll give this a go , since i have been using zone alarm for the past 5 years.. on all my windows OS .. so far it has given me "Zonealarm initialization is in progress" and nothing more... zone alarm support said they are yet to support windows 8 (which was obvious but i wanted to try contacting them any way ) .

and none of the other firewalls i tried would even consider installing on Windows 8 CP , they all just say OS unsupported and exit them selves. at least zone alarm had the decency to install and then fail me (lol) ...

 

[Mike Lonewolf]

Just get Norton 360 version 6. It has a robust firewall built in as part of the entire software package, and it installs and works perfectly with Windows 8cp.

 

[GMan]

Just get Norton 360 version 6. It has a robust firewall built in as part of the entire software package, and it installs and works perfectly with Windows 8cp.

Very much not recommend this due to the various bsods of types across the board that Norton is infamous for.

The suite type packages such as this are on the extreme end of instability, out of all of their products.

 

[Mike Lonewolf]

Just get Norton 360 version 6. It has a robust firewall built in as part of the entire software package, and it installs and works perfectly with Windows 8cp.

Very much not recommend this due to the various bsods of types across the board that Norton is infamous for.

The suite type packages such as this are on the extreme end of instability, out of all of their products.

(clear throat) Total nonsense! I was one of the beta testers for this product, and can say nothing but good things about it. Been running it since pre-beta stage along with Windows 8dp & 8cp and HAS never blue screened on me. Take a look at the product and leave the taste from previous versions out of your mouth. You will find it as the BEST overall protection suite on the market today. The footprint is tiny compared to all other versions of NAV, Systemworks, and 360. Matter of fact Nortons360 AV program alone destroyed others in detection, and that was by a independent testing lab. System resources are small in use as well, and if you need to see proof of that, I will happily post my system resource screen. REMEMBER seeing is INDEED believing.

 

[GMan]

Just because you beta tested and it worked well for you does not mean it does across the board.

See the crash dumps I see for years on a daily basis then come talk to me. Matter of fact, it's so bad that often it crashes with NTFS 0x24 and users that are smart enough to install WinDbg couldn't even figure it out. They return their HDDs to the store because they think they're broken.

 

[Mike Lonewolf]

Then WHAT you are basically saying is, people are not smart enough out of the box to install Norton 360.
Again NONSENSE! I just think you are a hater! There are WAY too many good reviews of this version of
Norton 360 from such magazine as MaximumPC, PCToday, PC Magazine, Windows magazine, etc. This product DOES as it claims©
MaximumPC Magazine April 2012

 

[GMan]

You know - don't you see how time and time and then time again I solve bsods like they are Kindergarden stuff?

On all sites, there's always some dude or two that thinks they know better and has never even seen a crash dump in their lives. Or dudes like Night Hawk in the USB 3.0 thread. I have solved 10s of thousands of them. Then I am forced to put the smarties in their places, unfortunately, for the sake of technical excellence.

What I am saying is Norton is the worst product you could ever possibly install on a machine besides AVG and perhaps sptd.sys.

Not hard to understand. Please don't put words into my mouth.

Are we on the same planet?

 

[Mike Lonewolf]

FFS Gman! Lets not mix apples and oranges OK? We'll just agree to disagree..FINE with you BTW, there hasn't been a BSOD in decades, last O/S that BSOD was Windows 2000 ME. They are NOW GREEN Screens of Death. LoL

 

[zigzag3143]

Just get Norton 360 version 6. It has a robust firewall built in as part of the entire software package, and it installs and works perfectly with Windows 8cp.

Very much not recommend this due to the various bsods of types across the board that Norton is infamous for.

The suite type packages such as this are on the extreme end of instability, out of all of their products.

I agree. Norton isnt the most stable on win 8. Someone told me it was to be bundled with win 8 which I didnt believe given its history, but reality is worse

@Mike Lonewolf. It is obvious you are a Norton fan, and thats fine but you espouse information you cant back up. You did it before WDP was out about Norton being bundled and when I asked for a source you had 2 vague references to offtopic threads. I used to use Norton but like anything else I am not married to it.

 

[GMan]

I think it's because Ed Bott pushes it after his contact with John Harrison of Symantec. Obviously, I have nothing against them personally...just saying.

 

[zigzag3143]

Yep. It takes a village.

 

[Mike Lonewolf]

Well seeing as how (to date) there is really nothing else out there that gives you any type of protection, 360 is the logical go to player so to say.

 

[GMan]

Well seeing as how (to date) there is really nothing else out there that gives you any type of protection, 360 is the logical go to player so to say.

Please stop making clueless statements. You've made enough already before this.