conflict with avast and Zone Alarm free edition

[mzda22]

Please help!  I am having tremendous problems with my computer caused (apparently) by a conflict between avast and Zone Alarm free edition.  For several days after installing avast everything worked just fine.  The problems started, for some reason, when I tried to open a RealAudio file.  I tried several different ones and RA froze up every time.  After then, my computer frequently froze up, at differnt times.  When I was trying to figure out what was causing the problem, I noticed under task manager that "vsmon" was very freqently listed as [not responding].  I shut down Zone Alarm and everything now seems to be working normally.  If I try to restart ZA, the computer (usually) freezes up completely.  It also would not come back after restart so I had to prevent ZA from loading at startup.  I have read through many posts in the forums and it seems nobody has a problem with avast and the free edition of ZA, although there is [/glow] a relatively minor conflict with the Pro edition.  I have used Zone Alarm for several years now and think it does an excellent job; I would hate to give it up for another firewall if I didn't absolutely have to.  I ran a thorough scan with avast last night and it reported no viruses.  There are also no conflicts in device manager, although Dr Watson says that the module aswidle.dll (for ashserv) has caused a "keyboard type" and a "mouse type" hook, although these have been working without any problems whatsoever.  Any suggestions?

Thanks

[Fast]

would it help if you disabled zone-alarms "basic virus protection" ?

Fast

[GeminEye28]

I'm also having problems with ZoneAlarm and Avast.  I have no idea why he Antivirus monitoring in ZoneAlarm can't detect my Avast Antivirus.  The Windows Security Control Panel can detect both ZoneAlarm and Avast.  Also, what exacly is the keyboard and mouse hook you were talking about? 

[Lisandro]

I have no idea why he Antivirus monitoring in ZoneAlarm can't detect my Avast Antivirus.

It's not a conflict or a problem.
Just ZoneAlarm just detect the antivirus that paid the company for it. It's a matter of money and detection.
As you can see, Windows Security detects avast! smoothly. ZA never detected avast, but who worry about it? 

[Ricky2005]

I just had zonealarm, uninstalled it, and now the web sheild isn't blocking my websites, what can I do? Please help soon. 

[Lisandro]

I just had zonealarm, uninstalled it, and now the web sheild isn't blocking my websites, what can I do? Please help soon. 

Can you try to repair your installation?
Go to Control Panel > Add/Remove programs > avast! antivirus > Remove. Then choose Repair function in the popup window (Repair). You must be connected to the internet while repairing.

If this does not help, can you uninstall / boot / install / boot again?

[mzda22]

Sorry for the delay.  I tried disabling ZA's "basic mailsafe protection," repairing the avast installation, updating zone alarm (5.5.067 to 5.5.094), running scanreg, etc, to no effect.  I don't know what else to try except to reinstall avast.  Could this fix the problem?  If not, what else could I try?  I still don't know why Dr. Watson says that ashserv is hooking the keyboard and mouse.  They both work fine.

[jnkyrd]

I once updated Zone Alarm to one of their 5.5 versions.  Nothing but headaches and problems.  Reverted back to 4.5.594 (free) which as far as I know the last stable version. 

The only reason I use ZA (I also use a router/firewall) is because it can be used to keep control over outbound traffic requests.  Not just potentially bad stuff but also software such as RealAudio that have pieces that want to "keep in touch" with home and/or keep reminding you to update or reliquish control to them.

I highly recommend that everyone downgrade to the ZA 4.5 versions and don't be in such a hurry to replace old problems with new problems.  You can probably find older versions on their website.  Don't forget to turn off Mail Safe.

Bottom line - Avast, ZA 4.5 and Webwasher 3.3 along with the usual assortment of spyware detectors has kept me relatively clean and ad-free for meny years now (touch wood).   

[Lisandro]

I highly recommend that everyone downgrade to the ZA 4.5 versions and don't be in such a hurry to replace old problems with new problems.

Just to note that, as far I know, Outpost (free) and Kerio (free after trial period) are working without problems with avast!
ZA is unstable: some versions work, some not, work now and not after...