I’ve used the Pro version for years and have been very satisfied. They (ZoneAlarm) now have a bundled ‘Suite’ with firewall, popup blocker and anti-virus.
I’ve just spent the last 12-15 hours trying to get my system to boot. Soon your in a loop with scan disk, then when loading the necessary files it would suddenly start re-booting again. “Safe Mode” would only attempt to load some driver files and hang/lock up the PC.
When searching the ZoneAlarm support forum (with wifes laptop) it became evident that this appears to be quite a problem with the new “ZoneAlarm Security Suite” package. Ye Be forewarned . . .
Why do you guys mess with these complicated and configuration crunching applications. Get a router and XP service pack 2 and you have your firewall and popup blocker and life is a whole lot easier and your pc is easier to manage.
but a router does not stop things going from your pc to the internet…
and microsoft admits their firewall is not as good as 3rd party firewalls
i recommend zonealarm. I upgraded it (but I had to start from scratch, becuase of probklems)
with the reinstall and new version, I now do not have the increasing with time CPU use of vsmon.exe that I was getting…so it was worth it
i have been running Zone Alarm free version for years and have had no problems - and i trust that more than any microsoft firewall!!
I do not have a router because network stuff goes right over my head.
I have not installed SP2 because I have heard many horror stories and don’t trust it not to stuff up my PC
pop ups are blocked by firefox or google toolbar in IE, and Norton checks for viruses.
and my PC is easy to manage as it is so I am happy, and my life is easy thankyou!
actualy routers are quite easy these days, pretty much plug and play…and you set it up from a web page interface…and most of it is auto detected/setup, with your exisitng broadband connection
i recently just changed my wireless provider (now 2x faster and cheaper (you gotta love competition), and i just redid the router wizrard, and it re set it up and it worked first pop ) 
Been using Zone Alarm Pro now for 4 years with no problems at 4 sites.
I always upgrade to the latest version with each upgrade.
Windows firewall is very basic & does not stop your PC sending at all
Have upgraded both PC’s running XP Pro to SP2-no problems 
i use agnitum outpost firewall, win more tests then zonealarm and easy to configure.
here about sp2 firewall http://www.agnitum.com/products/outpost/outpost25_vs_icf.html .
they do have a free version, check it out, more people recomend outpost then zonealarm, but zonealarm is comercialy more known, but means not it is better. 
i use to have zonealarm but thins 2 year i use this one.
regards
vossen
What is it that you do not want your pc sending?
bank account details, credit card details, you name it
I am running that suite and I also have been watching their help forum. The problem exists when zone Alarm is already loaded and one upgrades to the suite. This also happens when going from the free versinn to any other. I suggest going to their help forum and someone will help you.
I am thinking that one has to completely remove the previous version then install the suite, but check their first. They have added a spam blocker recently.
[quote author=grhughes link=topic=6256.msg41316#msg41316 date=1100629536]
Why do you guys mess with these complicated and configuration crunching applications.
[quote author=grhughes link=topic=6256.msg41368#msg41368 date=1100654099]
What is it that you do not want your pc sending?
I had a similar problem and quite a few were the Phone Home types. Zone Alarm fixed that.
I guess it depends on how you use your computer. My weather server has no credit card information on it nor is there any bank information on it. I guess if you use your weather server as a personal computer then ZA may be needed but I ran it for years and even bought the pro version but I spent more time keeping it happy than it was worth.
It may not have any sensitive info on it, but it also depends on how you’re networked. If your WX computer is on the same internal network as your main PC, then gaining access to the WX PC can be a very useful thing. All sort of monitoring/hacking tools could be installed so that a hacker would know more about your network than you do (including your credit card details, etc). There is also a fair chance that there may be active connections (or connections that can be activated) from the WX PC onto other PCs on your network.
Hi All
I have just joined your forum & found this topic
I have had “ZoneAlarm Security Suite” for thr past few months & haven’t had a problem at all
I used to use “Pro” so just stick with the tried & trusted