ZoneAlarm 5.0 Won't Uninstall

Read most of Charlesvar's previous posts, but didn't find anything directly related. I installed ZA 5.0.590.043 (free) on my granddaughter's computer running 98SE. It developed a glitch resulting in inability to log on to Internet, can't uninstall 5.0 and can't install 5.1.011.000 upgrade. Followed ZoneLabs instructions and edited the Registry removing VSDATA95. Also deleted INTERNET LOGS per instructions. Final instruction was to access www.zonelabs.com Technical Support for instructions on how to uninstall. No support for free version. Downloaded the PDF instructions, but nothing there to assist in uninstalling except via Control Panel and that doesn't work. Neither does the ZoneLabs uninstall that was downloaded with 5.0. Didn't want to spend any money on tech support until after checking here. Any help with instructions on how to uninstall the program would be greatly appreciated.

 

Here are a couple of suggestions. Win98 PCs with problems always seem to respond well to the cleanup part.

General clean-up instructions for Win95/98/ME

• Open a browser window and dump all TIF (temporary internet files) and cookies. Close.
• Open windows explorer and
  .. delete the contents of all temp folders
  .. delete any files in c:\ with a name filennnn.chk (where nnnn is any number so file0001.chk, file1034.chk, etc)
• verify that you have fewer than 500 files & folders directly under c:\. If you are close to that number, remove or move some files.
• empty the recycle bin
• boot to DOS
• from the command prompt do the following
  .. scanreg /fix <ENTER> (press the ENTER key)
  .. scanreg /opt <ENTER>
  ****note that 95 does not have scanreg.exe but a copy from 98 or ME will run fine if you can get one
  .. scandisk c:\ /nosave /autofix /surface <ENTER>
  .. Win /D:M (forces a safe mode windows start)
• Run another scandisk (start~programs~accessories~system tools) and check for a standard scan and to fix all errors found. The DOS scan couldn't check for long file name issues.
• Run a defrag
• Reboot to normal Windows.

After all of that is done, try to reinstall the original ZA version and if it goes in OK, see if you can proceed from there.

 

Hello Billy,

First, I would do as Newt recomended - reinstall and see if that doesn't solve it first.

Some resources:

http://www.wilderssecurity.com/forumdisplay.php?f=31 is the Wilder's firewall forum - you can post w/o signing up. The two leading experts on ZA there are:
tazdevl and LowWaterMark

The following is from tazdevl:

Where it is: start > run > programs > Zone Labs > Uninstall Zone Labs Security This is what you right click on.

Have never used this - never had to. So you might want to double check on Wilders, I would. I run WinMe and XP and have the security blanket of System Restore, you don't.

Please keep us posted - I'm going on vacation Saterday, will be able to access emails, just don't know when.

Regards - Charles

 

Newt and Charlesvar: Thanks for the great suggestions. I'll return to post the results.

BillyNeal

 

Hi Billy,

It also occureded to me that you may have a damaged WinSock which blocks internet access.

http://www.cexx.org/lspfix.htm Scroll down to the program for 9X OSes.

Regards - Charles

 

Okay. I followed Newt's suggestions. Able to access the Internet, but not able to uninstall Zone Alarm or install an upgrade. Get pop up error: C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\ZONELABS\ZONEALARM\ZLCLIENT.EXE followed by msg "Validation Failed for: C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\VSINIT.DLL ". After clicking "ok ", a 2nd pop up appears: C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\ZONELABS\VSMON.EXE followed by: "Validation Failed for C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\VSINIT.DLL ".

Tried to change the line in the Zone Alarm uninstall: "C:\Program Files\Zone Labs\Zone Alarm\zauninst.exe to ......\zauninst.exe "/clean, but it didn't take. So, I'm still in limbo. Not able to uninstall ZA and unable to install an upgrade. As is that weren't enough, after running Newt's suggestions, I updated the virus definitions for AVG then ran a complete AV scan. Found Trojan Horse virus Downloader Agent which infected 64 files. Many of the infected system files cannot be moved to the vault by AVG.

Charlesvar: I haven't visited the Wilders website yet. I opened REGEDIT and searched for any instances of Zone Alarm in the Registry. There were none by that label.

Would appreciate any further instructions. Thanks.

BillyNeal

 

Hi Billy,

Is ZoneAlarm running? Sorry if this is obvious, but is ZA unchecked in msconfig?

The firewall portion of ZA if I remember correctly is vsmon.exe, ZA client is the GUI.

Regards - Charles

 

Hello, Charles. Zone Alarm is not running. I ran a search in the Registry for Zone Alarm instances so that I could remove them. There were none shown. Do you know of any other ZA terminology I should search for?

Thanks.

 

I overlooked answering your question, Charles. I have been able to access the Internet since following the initial directions by Zone Labs up to the point of going to their website and getting further directions from Tech Support. The only way I saw to get help from Zone Labs was to pay for it. I didn't feel like doing that just now. Didn't feel like paying them for advice on a problem generated by their software. At least that's my interpretation of the problem.

 

Success!! Thanks, Charlesvar for the reference to Wilders Security Forum. Ran out some links there and found one which directed me to each and every file to delete in order to remove Zone Alarm 5.0 (free).

Thanks again to Newt for directing me in cleaning up the files.

This is a great forum. I'm proud to be a member and have such wonderful people willing to share their knowledge.