Removing Zone Alarm messed up system

I used Zone Alarm for a few months. I removed the program and each time I booted up it said that Windows was missing a file needed to start windows. The file is "vsdat95.vxd"
I reinstalled ZA and now can boot w/o getting the message. How can I re-remove ZA and not have any problems? I also found that after deleting Zone Alarm, I still had, "zone alarm true vector internet monitor" still on my system, assuming monitoring my internet use. I have zone alarm "mini log" also.
I don't understand why, if I remove Zone Alarm, it removes windows files needed to start, but doesn't remove all of itself. What is this "internet monitor" that is left over? How can I get my system back the way it was before SpyZonemesupstemAlarm?
Another thing is that I used to not be able to go into sleep mode. Last year I updated my BIOS and could power down screen and HD. Since deleting ZA, It now doesn't come out of sleep mode again. Thank you, Chris.

 

Welcome to WindowsBBS!

It would seem that the ZA uninstall left some tentacles, probably in the registry. Whatever the file vsdat95.vxd is, there's nothing on the web that I could find with over a dozen search engines.

Did you use ZA's uninstall routine to dump it?

 

How did you uninstall zonealarm ?
Did you follow the uninstall instructions here ?
http://www.zonealarm.com/services/support_install.htm

Also ZA is not spyware , I've been using it since it
first came out and in no way is it spyware.

 

I deleted it from the add/remove programs. I didn't think it was spyware, I thought IT said it was. After I removed it, it said it was "monitoring my internet activity."

I first got it because one day I was watching TV and all of a sudden, without using it for a few hours, it started dialing up the internet connection. I wanted to find out what was doing it. I never did find the culprate.

The ZoneAlarm desk band on my tool bar went darker a few weeks a go. it would stop all internet activity (email and web). I used to be able to click the lock (on Toolbar) to open it back up. With the darker color, it wouldn't open back up. I would have to dig into it each time to open it. Finally, wile at my ISP, they told me that people with dial up modems didn't really need zone alarm. It was mostly for people with high speed connections. I did feel better using it, but the darker thing was a huge hassel.

What is TrueVector (internet monitor)?
Why did ZA go darker and change the way it worked?
Why did removing it make it so I coldn't wake up the computer? (I did nothing else but delete it to the computer).
Why should someone use Zone Alarm?

 

It sounds like ZA got corrupted somehow.
What version is it ?
Is it still installed ?
If so, you need to follow these instructions.
http://www.zonealarm.com/services/support_install_98.htm
After completely uninstalling and you want to use ZA again
Just run the setup again. If its not the latest version then go
to ZA website and grab the latest.
Za is not necessary for dial-ups but it can't hurt especially
if you are online for along time.
I can't answer what happened to your sleep mode.
You can try undoing your sleep settings and redo.
I dont use sleep mode...its really not necessary.

edit:vsdata95.vxd is installed with ZA thats why when you uninstalled it ( but not the correct way ) you received the error. It was still being 'called' for.Its located in Windows/system.

 

I ran the latest ZA. Seems to work good now.
I allways thought the right way to remove a program was through Add/Remove Programs?
I've heard people going in and deleting files, thinking that's the way to do it. I tell them to go the add/remove route insteed. That's wrong? Thanks, Chris.

 

Some un-installs leave things in the System.ini or Win.ini.

From reading your original post I suspect the offending file was being requested by the System.ini.

Quite a few user do no think the system or Win.ini are important part of the operation of Windows but they are.

BillyBob

 

Whenever I want to uninstall something I always look
for an uninstall from the program first and if it doesn't have
an uninstall then add/remove.
Sometimes uninstall info will be in the programs Readme file
which is usually a text or doc file.

Glad to see you go it sorted out.

 

The files Zone Alarm leaves behind is by design to prevent a virus/trojan from disabling your firewall. Use ZA's instructions on their site to completelt remove it. Dial up or dsl IMO everyone should have and use a firewall. By protecting your system you
eliminate the risk that it could be used in an attack on any of us.

 

chris--I have ZoneAlarm on my PC but no file named vsdat95.vxd .
Google.com also says nothing about this file. Have you run a virus scan and spyware scan lately on your PC?
If vsdat95.vxd is a legitimate Windows file you should be able to restore from your Windows CD, rather than having to reinstall ZA.

 

Chris has already solved the problem.
For reference these are the folders and files that
are installed with zonealarm ( for 95,98,ME )


Folders:

1 Zone Labs from C:\Program Files
2 Zonelabs from C:\Windows\System
3 Zone Labs from C:\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

Files:
1 C:\Windows\System\vsdata.dll
2 C:\Windows\System\vsdata95.vxd
3 C:\Windows\System\vsmonapi.dll
4 C:\Windows\System\vsnetutils.dll
5 C:\Windows\System\vspubapi.dll
6 C:\Windows\System\vsutil.dll
7 C:\Windows\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\zapro
8 C:\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\zapro
9 C:\Windows\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\zonealarm
10 C:\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\zonealarm

Also Windows\Internet Logs

 

Also there are some programs ( I believe ZA is one ) that will not un-install corretly if they are not shutdown and windows restarted without them loading.

I agree with ezebob. We should not be online without a firewall and Anti-Virus protection.

Everytime I change AV or Firewall software I remove the Network cable from the Hub. That way I can be sure that it will not go online till I get the software re-installed. When I was on a Dial up ISP I would shut my External modem off and unplug the Network cable.

 

Zone Alarm also has a "TrueVector internet monitor" Does anyone know what that is? When the za was "Removed" I got a message that TrueVector was wanting access. In msconfig, start up, it listed .......ZoneAlarm/TrueVector/internetmonitor............

 

If ZA did not un-install properly it *MAYBE* a case that it did not install correctly. Or it was installed more then once with out un-intalling the first.

Is it possible that it was installed more than once and in different places ?

I do not use ZA now but when I did I never had any problems un-installing it.

I have also run into problems when software was installed into other then the default location.

I would suggest a manual regedit and find for ZoneLabs and/or ZoneAlarm.

 

Chris and imhtml--Ah, well. vsdata95.vxd is a horse of a different flavor.

 

I went tru the same thing on my new PC with 98 on it and when I went to upgrade ZoneAlarm I did not uninstall it right. After I installed the new version it was blocking my dialup. I had to get connected first and then start ZoneAlarm. Plus I could not use Norton Live Update.
I uninstalled and and on boot up it could not find C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\vsdata95.vxd .
Yea I know it says that it's in the C:\Windows\System\vsdata95.vxd but the bootup was look in my temp for it. Only thing was it was still in the temp folder. I have the vsdata95.vxd in both folders and in works now the way it should. But I cannot remove the vsdata95.vxd from the temp or I get error at bootup that it can not find the C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\vsdata95.vxd that is there.

Welshjim,

Hey Jim

 

hewee

From reading for your reply and drawing from my own similiar expierences I come to following idea(s)

The problem may not really have been created by an improper un-install. It looks very much like an improper original install.

Normally any program that calls files from the Windows\Temp folder is not installed correctly. Therefore causing the second problem of not un-installing correctly.

Then another install attempt is made which further complicates matters. I can not count how many times I have made that mistake before I realized what was happening.

Also with most software, if any part of it is found in the regisrty, the 2nd install WILL NOT install correctly. Many programs will not overwrite files that are already in RAM. ( loaded/in use )

The only way ( that I know of ) is to do a manual regedit and find all references to ZoneAlarm and/or ZoneLabs and delete them. Also a SYSEDIT on the system.ini and win.ini. After doing that and restarting Windows DELETE the program folder(s). If they will not delete, rerun the regedit and find for the file that will not delete.

Also you might be able to do a regedit and find for "C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\vsdata95.vxd" and change it to "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\vsdata95.vxd "

Of course the recommended procedure of making sure you have a backup the registry first applies.

And while doing all of this is you are on a Cable or DSL connection it is a good idea to unplug the cable from the PC.

Is there a possibility that you had Anti-Virus checker running during the install ?

If you have to do a manual regedit you can be thankfull you are not having to clean up after a bad install of McAffe or Norton AV.

 

BillyBob,

Well to start with it was me that did not uninstall things right. But I got it working right somehow after a lot of reboots, installs and uninstalls. Then I found the web page that tells you of files that may need to clean up on your own. Seeing how it was working I did not go tru it all again. I went to ShieldsUP! https://grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2 and pass all the test so was happy there about it.
This was a couple months back and see how all is ok I am not going to do anything more.

I have dialup and I did disable NAV.
No way would I use McAffe. I did that years ago and hated it. Then I got a free Norton AV to replace the IBM AV that came on the PC. I never used the IBM AV but after give Norton some info on my PC like S/N etc. I got a free Norton in the mail from them. It was a download only thing but it would not ok the IBM S/N so I call and they said ok you get one for free and we will send it out. I had it 3 days.

Have SystemWorks 2001 right now.

For you and others here read "UnPlug n' Pray ".

http://grc.com/UnPnP/UnPnP.htm

I am ok because it's not on my system.

Makes you wonder if the hacking on this site could of been stoped by pluging this hole.

Another site (Techguys) I go to is down and it was a Denial of Service (DoS) attack that did it.

 

Well to start with it was me that did not uninstall things right

I doubt that it was all you. Too many times I have followed instructions to the letter and things still did not go right. And some of it was due to the fact that the program DID NOT install where it was supposed too.

This was a couple months back and see how all is ok I am not going to do anything more.

Reads like VERY sensible thinking to me. I am still using the original Win98 for just about the same reason.

You would not use McAfee. I did not have good luck with it either.

You use NSW which I did not have good luck with either.

I use the separarate Apps. NU, & NIS ( which includes NAV )

As far as ZA goes I ran it for awhile and then un-installed it with no problems.

But I did do a regedit which I do after un-installing ANY software. I trust the un-installers very little and Windows even less. I even make my own reg backups BEFORE AND AFTER any changes. I do not wait for Windows there either. And after a day or two and no problems pop up I make a new backup and the old Reg ( rb00x.cab files ) backups are deleted.

BillyBob

 

I was to uncheck in msconfig to stop ZoneAlarm from loading and reboot before I uninstall first so that part I did wrong. So maybe ZoneAlarm also did things wrong on top of it.

This is on a new PC and has 98SE that was new to me so I did not know about msconfig.
Been using 95a for years I need to learn the new things that are in 98SE.

McAfee has to many false alarms.

I had NU 3.0 then NSW 2.0 that is on the old PC.
Going to have to uninstall NAV and reinstall it so I can get updates for it again. My year was up two years ago and so I was able to still get the free updates by adding the sensor to Norton System Doctor. But the last time it would not work and I even went to the web site and download the updates but it says I need to pay because my time was up.
I guess they are plug all the holes on getting the free updates. Was going to get a newer version but you need 95b for it to work. I got a 95c CD so I will have to install it on the old PC. Be good to have a clean install anyways without all the junk IBM has. I just don't want to put any money into that old P-200.
The new AMD XP-1800 256 DDR, 64 DDR video is way better. Plus I had it made so there is no junk on it.

I like ZoneAlarm and the free price is great. NIS does more but for it to work the best you have to learn more and tweak it for each program. Then it is a real good firewall also. That what I read at Cnet.

I don't like getting into regedit because I don't know I am doing. I know I need to learn because it where you need to go to clean and fix things.