Don't run away from PC Tools firewall

[Lisandro]

I was testing PC Tools Firewall on Vista (http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=29259.msg252754#msg252754).
I do NOT recommend this firewall anymore due to the uninstallation process: it fails, left tons of leftovers: registry keys, files, legacy drivers, system drivers on System32, services... It's a nightmare.

I have to reset the Windows Security Center also (http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=23457.msg193534#msg193534). Thanks God, both Comodo and avast were easily recognized after booting.

Comodo, even on Beta, is stable and working on Vista. You can choose to turn off HIPS and tons of popups...

Another negative point of PCTools: http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=30622.msg254108#msg254108

Also, bad experience on SpywareDoctor detection (http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=30717.0 and http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=30715.0).

[Hard_ROCKER]

Hello buddy !

Yes i had similar experiences with pc tools programs. The firewall sucks to put it mildly and the antispyware program kept coming up with the funniest false positives you could think off and never caught anything worth catching . Got rid of both these programs and i will never ever use anything made by pc tools again. Period.

[Lisandro]

More problems... The Registry Cleaner deleted some TCP/IP settings... into Network properties, nothing is shown...
Very bad. Need a system restore, installing again the crap to try a normal uninstallation. Wish me luck.

[bob3160]

More problems... The Registry Cleaner deleted some TCP/IP settings... into Network properties, nothing is shown...
Very bad. Need a system restore, installing again the crap to try a normal uninstallation. Wish me luck.

Maybe this will help:

n very few cases, it may happen that a driver is not removed after the automatic uninstall.
Here is the procedure to manually remove PC Tools Firewall Plus drivers (Windows 2000, XP and Vista).

1. Uninstall PCTools Firewall Plus
2. Reboot computer
3. Open the Network property page and than the "Local Area Connection" property page.
4. Select "PCTools Firewall driver" item (if the item exist) and press the "Uninstall" button.
5. Launch Regedit.exe (use it very carefully). Under Windows Vista you should launch it as administrator.
6. Search for "s4e_pctdrivermp" inside the registry, you probably find some in:
SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet001\Class\{4D36E972-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}\000x
SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet002\Class\{4D36E972-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}\000x
SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Class\{4D36E972-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}\000x
x depending on your system.
7. Change value of named "Characteristics" from 0x29(HEX) to 1 for all "...\000x" which have

ComponentID="s4e_pctdrivermp".
8. If the following key exist: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Servic es\pctfw1] remove it.
9. If the following key exist: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Servic es\SFilter] remove it.
10. Reboot
11. After the reboot, open the Device Manager and remove all PC Tools driver entries (if exist).
12. Reboot your PC again.

Here are recommendation to avoid these problems:
A. Installation and uninstall with administrator rights.
B. Reboot after uninstallation (even if you are not asked to).
C. DO NEVER uninstall and reinstall without rebooting after uninstalling.
D. If you see an "Add device" message box during installation, answer no to it.

[szc]

Not sure about this last version they have, but I had similar problems back then when I tried it... even when uninstalled Windows Security Center still shows that PC tools firewall is installed... even it's not installed anymore.

Anyway, simple things like home networking and some other stuff, you had to import some rules they posted in their forum to make it work... yuck! I wouldn't recommend it to anyone, ever.

[gdiloren]

Pffffff. Just lucky I prefered the BETA version of COMODO over PC TOOLS. May say I didn't like the Spyware Doctor software in the past:too heavy...too much ressources... Thanks Tech for sharing your experience. So far, I'm great with COMODO BETA 3 (although it's beta, though, it works fine on VISTA with AVAST).

[Lisandro]

Thanks Bob. I reinstall, boot, uninstall, boot. Then it disappears. Now it worked.
Sasha, indeed, Comodo is very better than PCTools.
Although, I'm experiencing a trouble with the latest Comodo beta... Maybe I'll ask on its forum.

[gdiloren]

I don't have this error, I guess this is imputable to a bad installation of Comodo 3 beta, may be.

[YLAP]

About PC Tools. Use soft which is proven to be confident  Sorry, I can't say anything about latest COMODO beta - WinXP here 

[Lisandro]

I don't have this error, I guess this is imputable to a bad installation of Comodo 3 beta, may be.

How to correct it?
I've tried to uninstall/boot/install again a lot of times...

[gdiloren]

Well that"s strange. Comodo 3 beta works very well! It's Spyware Terminator that gives numbers when I double click it. I have to try and try again to open it. Don't know if it's related. The version doesn't matter here. I'm on Vista Home Premium!

[rdmaloyjr]

I'm using XP, PC Tools Firewall Plus works good for me.  I've tried uninstalling v1, v2 & v3 of PCTFW+ with no problems, clean uninstalls.

If I ever upgrade (or should I say downgrade [with all I hear about Vista]) to Vista, I will use Vista Firewall Control.

PC Tools Firewall Plus is the only product of PC Tools that works for me.

With the exception of their fw (for XP), I agree with Tech on PC Tools.

[RejZoR]

Their last version was junk, but this one is ok.

[Lisandro]

Their last version was junk, but this one is ok.

Which one? On Vista, only what I get is trouble and problems.

[gdiloren]

Just to keep you updated on the slight interference at opening ST and with CFP 3 beta. In effect, if you exit CFP 3 beta, everything runs fine. I posted this on Comodo forum (bugs).