Stuffed up my PC - help required please

[James Deuce]

Check the management console (or click Start Run then type services.msc) to see if there are any Zonealarm services running and stop then disable them so they can't start back up.

There's some good info buried in here:

http://www.computergripes.com/ZoneAlarm.html

[Ice_Monsta]

try installing both spybot Search and destroy and lavasoft ad-aware.

Spybot S&D - http://www.safer-networking.org/en/mirrors/index.html
Ad-Aware www.lavasoftusa.com

both programs are freeware and very good.

and go avast, beats AVG antivirus and norton all over..norton is crap - system hog and also because its so popular more virus' are targeted to worm their way through it.

Good luck with your fix

~ I.T Student :-P ~

[Blackbird]

try installing both spybot Search and destroy and lavasoft ad-aware.

Spybot S&D - http://www.safer-networking.org/en/mirrors/index.html
Ad-Aware www.lavasoftusa.com

both programs are freeware and very good.

~ I.T Student :-P ~

Thanks - already have Spybot and the Ad-Aware commercial version which monitors on line. Not free, but the on-line monitoring is handy for blocking tracking cookies. Not part of my current problem though.

[xwhatsit]

To give an example, suppose I'm looking at various threads on Kiwi Biker. I go to exit one I've just read, either using the back button, New Posts or whatever. It sits for a moment, then throws up the standard screen (can't remember the exact words) when it can't connect to the internet. Yet email and MSN remain unaffected. Although I haven't timed it, it's always close to 5 minutes of IE explorer use. Almost like it has a timer running that cuts out the link.

To me, that sounds like firewall settings. This Avast thing is a firewall as well?

I've never had that symptom, but there are situations where after a certain part of a firewall takes a beating for a period of time, the firewall will close that area. Can't quite see the details of how it would cause that (I'm no network engineer, Assembly and C is where I'm at), but perhaps you need to allow full access on the firewall for IE. Will do some Googling, see what I can turn up.

Yes it is also wise to completely remove Zonealarm. As was mentioned above, try logging in as `Administrator' if you aren't already, this will probably allow you to completely remove it.

[Blackbird]

To me, that sounds like firewall settings. This Avast thing is a firewall as well?

No, strictly anti-virus. How do you configure the normal IE firewall then? Thought it was either on or off!

[Beemer]

I've got a worse problem! I bought Adobe Photoshop CS2 last year and loaded it on my computer. I registered it online too. In February this year my computer died and I had to replace it. I loaded Photoshop again on the new computer, no problem, and again registered it when prompted. As is typical of my luck, that computer caused me no end of trouble and three months later was replaced with a new model. I again loaded Photoshop and registered it. But of course there was a slight compatibility problem with Vista and it kept prompting me to register the product, which I did a few times until I realised something was wrong and looked online and found a way to fix it.

I've used Photoshop without any problems ever since - until today that is! I put in my memory card, opened Photoshop and was told there had been too many activations and unless I took the following steps I would not be able to use the product again. I rang the tollfree number to activate it and entered my serial number. No problem there, but when I try and enter the 28-digit activation number, I can only get to the second to last set of numbers before an automated voice cuts in and says I have not entered enough numbers! I have tried three times but the same thing happens. I even tried ringing the 09 number but got the same voice activated system. The activation type shown on the screen is Repair 93: -2. I cannot find any number to call locally for help which is why I had to email them as the website just tells me to follow the same method I had been trying. The product has only been loaded on MY computer, it's just I've had three in the last year, due to circumstances beyond my control.

Bloody annoying as I can't use Photoshop until they decide to respond! I even tried opening Photoshop again but I just get a different set of activation numbers and the same problem occurs whenever I try to activate it by phone. I hate computers!

Apparently when you change computers you are meant to do something to transfer over the activation. Well, the guy who replaced my computer obviously didn't know this and neither did I, hence arriving up shit creek without a paddle right now!

[xwhatsit]

No, strictly anti-virus. How do you configure the normal IE firewall then? Thought it was either on or off!

Ah this is interesting. Windows XP has its own firewall, which I presume is switched on?

I'm thinking before we go any further Zonealarm will need to be removed 100%.

With a bit of luck running Firefox might fix the problem, but that's really just a workaround and you're not fixing the root of the problem (even though I recommend running Firefox in place of IE in any situation).

[beyond]

Hiya Blackbird,

Several things to try apart from all those above.
To get rid of the files, go to Windows Explorer on Folder View
then the menu tools, then folder options, click the Tab for view, scroll down to Hidden Files and Folders and click show hidden files and folders if not clicked.

Then go to the drive where the pesky files are and right click on each one and go to properties and make sure the Read Only box is unticked. Back out, refresh and try and delete. If you still can't then yeah, you'll have to reboot the computer and start in safe mode, instructions here if you are not sure:
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/d....mspx?mfr=true

You should now be able to delete them.

It also sounds like the program you used juggled your Internet connection timeout settings.
Try resetting Explorer:
To reset Internet Explorer to the default settings

Close any Internet Explorer or Windows Explorer windows that are currently open.
Open Internet Explorer.
Click the Tools button, and then click Internet Options.
Click the Advanced tab, and then click Reset.
In the Reset Internet Explorer Settings dialog box, click Reset.
When Internet Explorer finishes restoring the default settings, click Close, and then click OK.
Close Internet Explorer.
The changes will take effect the next time you open Internet Explorer.

[Romeo]

Hey BlackBird,
Failing everything suggested I recommend you give this program a go, WinsockXP Fix. Those firewall programs replace and interfere with a lot of lowlevel networking functionality and APIs, this little doo-dad reverts them to the XP standard. Hopefully it'll work for you, it's worked for me in the past when I had prettymuch the same problem.

Cheers,
Romeo

[BNZ]

I haven’t had the opportunity to fault find in depth but do any of you smart IT types have any pointers for me to go digging please?

Cheers,

Geoff

Hey mate,

It sounds more like a "bug" than a software caused problem. By a "bug" I mean it is an un-documented problem and is probably caused by something other than the simple avast install, e.g. did you test IE after removing ZA and before installing avast? It may have started then?

I would recommend you remove avast, restart and test from there. If this does not fix it then you have ruled out Avast as a direct culprit. If this does not fix the issue I would reccommend a full system virus & spyware scan as this sounds like exact symptoms.

Take a look in the Application & System event logs (Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Event Viewer). If there is an event being logged at the same time as the crash past this into google. You will no doubt find someone who has had this issue before.

If you are still having trouble PM me, or if IE displays a message post a screenshot.

Brendan

[Zapf]

Apparently when you change computers you are meant to do something to transfer over the activation. Well, the guy who replaced my computer obviously didn't know this and neither did I, hence arriving up shit creek without a paddle right now!

yes, suppose the transfer the activation. What effectively is de-registering your old PC, so that you can register a new one.

[Beemer]

yes, suppose the transfer the activation. What effectively is de-registering your old PC, so that you can register a new one.

Still waiting to hear from Adobe after emailing them this morning. I am so pissed off as I can't do any work right now and I've got two jobs on this Friday so it better be sorted by then! Why the hell don't people in computer shops mention this? Or better still, why the hell don't they stick something in with the original product so all purchasers are aware of this? I looked on their website and it says you have to transfer the licence from your old computer but this isn't possible, and the second one it was loaded on had a complete system restore done on it so no joy there either.

[sAsLEX]

Just a hought , I had windows ,,yadda yadda .. but I managed to stuff uf my err legal copy ,,, so I was screwed so to speak

Downloaded ubuntu linux never looked back

Now I tinker ,,, as in I dont know what I am doing and try things out Ubuntu takes 20 min max to reinstall everything and another twenty for automatix ( installs codecs and common programs ) one click does it

Just a thought thats all

Stephen

How many MB is you net connection though........

[scracha]

Thanks - already have Spybot and the Ad-Aware commercial version which monitors on line. Not free, but the on-line monitoring is handy for blocking tracking cookies. Not part of my current problem though.

Arghh..I can never resist the techie queries.

Zone-alarm frequently has problems uninstalling (so does that symantec norton piece of $hite). There's a non-free firewall from Adaware, make sure you're not running that too. Boot into safe mode (with networking) and do wot Romeo says about resetting the TCP/IP stack (Winsock fix is a goodie like he said). Reboot back into safe mode with networking (again).

Assuming you're using an ethernet broadband connection (as in not dial up or not a USB modem) then go to command prompt (start->run then type "cmd" then enter (without quotes). Then
"ping www.fark.com"
If you get no type
"nslookup www.kiwibiker.co.nz"

THEN

"ipconfig /all" and post the results (from both)

If you're going between coro and tokoroa then feel free to drop it into the workshop.

[Blackbird]

Thanks all for the really useful comments. To stop going into mental meltdown, I'm taking a slow and steady approach. Managed to remove the remaining Zone Alarm files and folder but still getting a message about "True Vector" missing, so there's a bit more to do yet. Had enough for tonight but will report back tomorrow night.

Cheers,

Geoff