Greetings All,

I had an experience that is worthy of reporting in order to save other less able users the time and money cost that this could put upon them. I posted this information in the ZoneAlarm users forum. The info was not a rant, it recorded my experience and was meant to be a public service. The ZA forum auditors saw fit to delete my message within a few hours, which is/was of great concern to me. People could be severely damaged by this install problem, they certainly won't have the advantage of my report to protect them now. Fortunately, Google notes that my message WAS written and deleted in that forum:

"STOP! Don't try to install 7.0.462.000 without reading this ..."
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=%22nightmare%22+and+%227.0.462.000%22&btnG=Google+Search

I had downloaded ZoneAlarm version "7.0.462.000" from the ZoneLabs site in two ways. One was via their free offering page, one was via their version history page, this was around 12/19/07:

Free software download page
http://www.zonealarm.com/store/content/company/products/znalm/freeDownload.jsp

I clicked on the "Basic Firewall Only" ZoneAlarm Firewall button which downloaded this file: zaSetup_en.exe That file downloaded this file: zaZA_Setup_en.exe

Thinking it was odd that there was no version number on the above file, I headed for this page:

http://download.zonelabs.com/bin/free/information/znalm/zaReleaseHistory.html

On that page, I clicked to download version 7.0.462.000 (zlsSetup_70_462_000_en.exe) (The Newest Version Of ZAFree)

Note: I am more technically apt than most users, I have done beta testing, I have/do run dual and triple boot systems holding tri-fold OS's, I have been interviewed for tech articles reported in several mags, I have written for published books teaching software applications. This doesn't mean I am "all knowing" (I'm inept in many ways), I'm just more apt on making an install succeed. Often I "suss out" the problems.

Well, I had been running a past version of ZoneAlarm free firewall. I used the clean "uninstall" tips at the ZA forum. I deleted all dirs and cleaned the registry. I clean uninstalled past AV programs (McAfee) and did their thorough cleaning (using 4 of their cleaning files, checking to remove all dirs and hand registry work). I then tried to install 7.0.462.000.

The attempt to install and uninstall 7.0.462.000 was catastrophic (trying both of the above ZA install files). I tested this no less than 8 times, using the same "playing field" for a beginning (i.e. I reverted to the cleaned system each time I had a failure, there were no vestiges of the install attempt failure.)

The end result is that the install stopped midway (could not load a DLL lib). Reboot. Upon reboot the ZA vsmon file was running but there were no "visible" signs, to the average user, that ZA had installed at all (no menu items, no systray items). I noted 100s of MBs of install files left around the machine. There WAS a Control Panel, Add\Remove item for ZoneAlarm. I used it, as well as all other tricks that I knew.

The end result of the uninstall was CATASTROPHE, requiring a complete restoration of the system to "before" the install attempt. The Control Panel, Add\Remove programs were completely trashed. That which was originally there (all of my installed programs), turned into a fiasco of programs that were unrecognizable to me. Aside from that, the correct listings were NO LONGER there. I am talking a problem so severe that a mere "touch up" was NOT possible. Obviously the ZA uninstall threw things into the Add\Remove that had been from former installs from CD (obviously read from Windows registry), leaving out most all else.

The above problem is so difficult to describe that only graphics could do so.

This was a monumental trashing of a system by an install. After years of computing and beta testing, this has to be a "topper" in UGLY. I was able to recupe myself, as my system is setup for testing. I AM however very concerned about other users.

YES, I agree, a person might have a successful install of this new program (I had one with my "clean boot" drive, bare/clean/fresh minimum of XP install, but that is NOT a typical user system). I could also reinstall an old ZA install with no problem (zlsSetup_70_337_000_en.exe). NO, I could NOT suss out the major problem with this new install. What I could do is say that if "I," someone who really knows most of the tricks to make an install succeed, had such a catastrophe, I fear for ALL other less tech-knowledgeable users. I can only believe that MANY people have been blown up by this AND that their messages may have also been blown out of the ZoneLabs forum.

For years, I have LOVED ZA. This problem is particularly disturbing. This is NOT a small thing. Further it is VERY disturbing that the ZoneLab forum blew away my message after such an effort for their users. My point was for ANYONE trying to install the above to backup their systems BEFORE an attempt to install. A further point was to notify the ZoneLabs people that those install files were a big problem, suggesting they remove them from the web before other catastrophes hit.

My forum message is gone. Those files are still available.

Do I think I am alone in this mess? Oh no! Fortunately I have the technical expertise to clean up the mess without anything but "time" cost to me.

BEWARE of this new ZA install. Something is definitely amiss.

Gesundheit

what was the past ZA version, what is your OS (and what in not typical about it as you said). Are there errors or warnings in eventviewer logs?

There are problems with a lot of software and ZA is not exempt but if the present install was so bad as it was on your config then there would have been more reports of the similar issues.

Cudni

If you'd really read the foregoing you'd know his OS is XP. This report is fine and is does not appear to be any attempt to smear ZA. It may be unique, or it could be the first report of problems with this new version. We've seen this sort of thing before, especially (in my experience) with anti-rootkit applications.

Time will tell if others start having these problems. Let's wait and see.

It surprises me that ZoneLabs removed this report from their forum. It's a fair presentation of the facts as such.

_________________

Microsoft MVP Consumer Security 2006, 2007 & 2008

Hello Prince_Serendip and Cudni,

PS, you wrote:
>>If you'd really read the foregoing you'd know his OS is XP.<<

Correct, "her" OS is XP SP2. I do not have all of the security updates, MS did manage to install their "sneak" security installs some months back (I had "updates" unchecked!) Pentium 3ghz, 1 GB RAM. I have two DVD drives one is RW.

Triple boot drive has 2 primaries holding XP: XP1 drive fully installed with all of my working software, actively used; XP2 is merely a quick install of XP with slim to nothing ever installed within the OS (no firewall, no AV). Both are NTFS partitions.

As a note, my system for backup and quick recupe is to run the two XP drives; my temp dir and pagefile.sys are set to the D drive. After installing a primary drive, I merely boot into the opposite primary, then copy/paste the files from the newly installed primary and into a backup dir elsewhere (F drive). If I use one of my primaries to test an install (like the ZA) and/or if the testing munges the OS, I boot into the opposite primary, delete all the files on the munged primary, then copy/paste back all of the backed up files (those saved before the OS got munged.) Works perfectly for years. SO...it is possible to start from the same playing field on a number of test efforts.

I was formerly using: ZA firewall 6.1.737.000 After testing ZA 7.0.462.000, I rolled back and tested another ZA install file (ver 7.0.337.000) to see if it would fail in the same way. It did not. The file was downloaded from the ZL history page noted.

Now then, my XP1 primary is fully installed (office suites, etc. and so on.) For firewall, I was using the 6.1.737.000. For AV I was using McAfee.

Prior to attempting the 7.0.462.000 install,
I used the uninstall of ZA advised in the ZL forum

To uninstall McAfee, I used Add/Remove, then their cleaning tools MCPR.exe, MPFCleanupTool.exe, MPSCleanupTool.exe, MSKCleanuptool.exe

Further, as per former uninstall instruction that I had in my bag of tricks, I scoured the drive for: vsdata.dll, vsdata95.vxd, vsdatant.sys, vsmon.*, vsmonapi.dll, vsnetutils.dll, vspubapi.dll, zaplus.*, zapro.*, zllictbl.dat, zlparser.dll, zonealarm.exe, vsutil.dll to make sure they weren't around.

I made sure that there were no zapro, zonealarm, "zonealarm pro" directories on C or E drive (E is my "app" install drive.) I searched for McAfee dirs and cleaned those up everywhere. I went into the registry and deleted the ZA and McAfee HKLM and HKUsers "Software" entries, as well as a number of other items. I used Windows reg cleaner and EasyCleaner to clean up the registry a bit (for what they are worth.) No way were all of the dregs out of ZA and McAfee out of the registry, I'm sure, but the effort of cleanup was already fairly monumental.

In each case, the install of 7.0.462.000 placed files into the Temp dir, example of one install was something like: GLB26.tmp, GLC27.tmp, GLF2C.tmp, GLF2D.tmp, GLF2E.tmp, GLH28.tmp, GLF2B.tmp; another was like GLBD.tmp, GLCE.tmp, GLF12.tmp, GLF13.tmp, GLF14.tmp, GLF15.tmp, GLHF.tmp.

There was also a dir placed within the Temp dir, named something like "12210770827" or "12210783517" (these are the numbers from two of the installs.) This dir held a small number of files including some vs*.dlls. The number of files in this dir diminished, I believe, as the install progressed.

Finally, I got the note: "Could not load the DLL library D:\Temp\GLF13.tmp. The specified module could not be found." (a different tmp file was named per differing attempted install) This always occured during the copy of the file "C:\windows\system32\zonelabs\srescan.sys"

After the above occurred, things ended and I believe it offered reboot. I was left to wonder if there was a failure or not. After reboot, there were no Program items for ZA, no systray items. CAD, Task Manager\Processes showed VSmon.exe running. There was an install dir on my E drive with some 8+MB of files. My C:\windows\sys32\zonelabs dir was 41.8 MB.

I maneuvered to the E drive and clicked the executable for ZA, it appeared that I was going to be able to open the app and just set up the menu items, but each time I returned for the setup, it was the same "beginning process." Bottomline, there was NO assurance that this could work, I had to back out.

I went to Add\Remove, ZAlarm was there. I removed the app. I cannot now remember if it removed any of the C or E drive files on uninstall (I don't think so) because I was so blown away by the monumental screw up to my Add\Remove program after rebooting and going there again.

I took before and after screen shots, this was NOT a figment of my imagination. It certainly wasn't after starting over and repeating this at least 8 times (with the 2 varying install files downloaded from ZL and for the new version, each time trying a slightly different option). Between test attempts, I wiped the OS drive and started at the same "playing field" (i.e. I deleted the OS and put my pre-install attempt files back.)

When I started hunting up the multitude of programs that now appeared in the Add\Remove, I found enough info to realize that these items were from the dregs of the registry in old installs from past CD drive installs, examples (H is a one of my DVD drives):

CP_AtenaShokunin1Config
Registry entry, last used source:
;1;H:\setup\cp_AtenaShokunin1Config\

Dell Resource CD
Registry entry, last used source:
m;1;H:\INSTALL\

RandMap
Registry entry, last used source:
m;1;H:\setup\RandMap\

That which appeared in the Add\Remove panel were not really typical things that would show in the Add\Remove programs, so I don't get it. That which SHOULD have been there, all of my installed programs, was blown up. Some items were there, but the majority were not.

I would have liked to have posted some comparison images for you, but didn't have an anonymous place to place those on the web. If someone has an idea on that, please let me know. I'll post some before and after screen shots.

Long story short... I can't imagine ANY typical user making the uninstall and clean up effort I did prior to trying to install the new ZA file. I am sure some people were able to install the new version. I am equally sure that there have been nightmare mess ups due to seeing some of the notes in the ZL forum and on the web. I have not seen the same problem I have had noted, but maybe the users didn't notice? Maybe they didn't think it installed, gave up and didn't try Add\Remove?

FINALLY, if the ZL Forum is deleting messages such as the one I wrote, how will people know? Ah, well hopefully there are some forums where people can report and be seen. I came here hoping to do so.

I have taken approximately 12 to 16 hours of my time on all of this now, between testing and writing up reports. I do not have a vendetta, Zone Alarm firewall was my fave for many years. I have a HUGE concern for other users who might try this install and get obliterated, not having the backup options I have. This could mean a blowing up of many people's machines, it is NOT a small problem. IF a users Add\Remove panel is blown up like mine was, they are in BIG trouble.

Gesundheit

UPDATE:

Today I tested all day and found the final issue for the failure of the install of Zone Alarm 7.0.462.000 on my machine.

In the meanwhile, I also learned more about what happened in terms of the destruction of my Add\Remove window/applet after 1) trying to install the above ZA and having it fail AND 2) using the Add\Remove window to try to uninstall after the failure.

After the failed install, I used Add\Remove to uninstall Zone Alarm. The result was the DELETION of the following registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall

Upon uninstalling the failed install, I rebooted and returned to look at the registry. There was NO "uninstall" key (as above.) I have no clue where Windows took info to feed into the Add\Remove window. Either way, the uninstall key was GONE from the registry.

=======

WHY did the install of Zone Alarm 7.0.462.000 fail on my machine?

I have a batch file setup to "runonce" upon bootup or logoff/login:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce

That batch file, amidst other things, deletes temp directories and their contents, and then creates new temp directories (empty.) The "runonce" file is also setup to self perpetuate (each bootup or logoff/login these temp dirs are cleaned, recreated)

Somewhere in the midst of the ZoneAlarm install (40-60%), just prior to when the install failed, I saw a DOS window run. Curious, what, why? That set me to thinking, so I stopped my "runonce" batch file. Once I did, ZoneAlarm installed. AHA!

Bottomline. Somewhere in the Zone Alarm install process, just prior to where it failed for me, ZA played with Windows\*.reg files and ignited that runonce file, starting it, which blew up the temp dirs, which blew up the install files and installation. To add insult to injury, the Add\Remove program obliterated the uninstall registry key.

There you go!

Mystery resolved. I've never seen an install re-instigate and ignite a runonce key.

Gesundheit

Clarification to the above:

I wrote:
>>Somewhere in the midst of the ZoneAlarm install (40-60%), just prior to when the install failed, I saw a DOS window run. Curious, what, why? That set me to thinking, so I stopped my "runonce" batch file. Once I did, ZoneAlarm installed. AHA! <<

What I meant is that I started the whole process again, reverting to the former estate of the C drive (the backup), no traces of the failed install. I then stopped the process for the runonce batch file. With the "runonce" file gone, I tried the install and it worked.

Ges

I installed ZA 7.0.462.000 (free) as an in-place update from 7.0.408.000 two weeks ago, when it was released. Not the slightest problem at all.

After install completion I uninstalled all these undesirable add-ons such as MailFrontier and that despicable ASK "Spy Blocker toolbar", and all is fine.

A FINAL TO THIS:

After working many hours, I have figured out the situation. I post it here, as I have no confidence that the ZA forum will not delete or move the message.

As posted here:
http://forums.zonealarm.org/zonelabs/board/message?board.id=inst&message.id=74927

===========
Install of 7.0.462.000 fails on this machine, notes on problems, repairs, solutions to install and summary.

Machine/OS (American, English version):
Triple boot system, two XP (SP2) NTFS primaries, one FAT, Pentium CPU 3 ghz, 1 GB RAM, 80 GB harddrive, plenty of room available on multiple partitions (C, D, E, F, G); Temp directory set to D drive, pagefile.sys set to D drive.

-------------------
PROBLEM #1:
-------------------
Install of ZA ver 7.0.462.000 using zlsSetup_70_462_000_en.exe and/or zaZA_Setup_en.exe (downloaded approx. 12/19/07) fails midway.

RESULT #1:
During the copy of C:\Windows\system32\ZoneLabs\srescan.sys the following error message arrives:

>>Could not load the DLL library D:\Temp\GLF13.tmp. The specified module could not be found.<<

The *.tmp file name which is noted is different on varying install attempts, but the failure occurs at approx. the same point in time, i.e. during the copy of srescan.sys, approx. midway through install.

The installer_12270771818.log file ends with these lines:
>>
Checking C:\WINDOWS\system32\zonelabs\ntname32.xml. Dll count: 0
Checking C:\WINDOWS\system32\zonelabs\ntname32.xml. Dll count: 0
Remove old installation
Installing files.
Executing Cancel script.
SAVEERRLOG=YES
D:\Temp\vsutil.dll does not exist. Can't call VSSetProtection.
Finished with logging Installer messages.
Finishing Cancel script.
<<

The failed install then calls for a reboot of the system.

Before reboot:
1. There are no Program menu items for ZoneAlarm
2. There is no systray item
3. These directories exist:
Windows\Internet Logs: contains fwpktlog.txt, installer_12270771818.log, and tvDebug.log
WINDOWS\system32\Zone Labs: contains 42.7 MB files
Program Files\Zone Labs: contains 8.16 MB files
***4. Control Panel, Add\Remove looks "normal" (i.e. in its pre-install estate) except that it now contains an item to remove ZoneAlarm.

AFTER reboot: VSMon.exe is running in Windows Task Manager\Processes
1. There are no Program menu items for ZoneAlarm
2. There is no systray item
3. These directories exist:
--a. Windows\Internet Logs: contains fwpktlog.txt, installer_12270771818.log, and tvDebug.log; as well as IAMDB.RDB and MACHINENAME3.ldb
--b. WINDOWS\system32\Zone Labs
--c. Program Files\Zone Labs
4. Control Panel, Add\Remove contains an item to remove ZoneAlarm.

-------------------
PROBLEM #2:
-------------------
After the Problem #1 failed install, the Control Panel, Add\Remove item for ZoneAlarm does offer a "remove" of ZoneAlarm. Unfortunately, the use of this "remove" of ZoneAlarm not only removes directories and files (as it should), it also removes an essential Windows registry key.

RESULT #2:
1. GOOD: Removes directories/files placed on the machine by the failed install.
2. BAD: Removes this essential registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall

Per item 2 above: The Add\Remove panel no longer looks normal (as in the pre-install of ZA estate). Its estate is no longer useful to the user. It is filled with all manner of Add\Remove item which is not at all helpful, archaic entries found from somewhere and due to Windows finding no "uninstall" key. The many "actual" installed programs, including Windows updates, are no longer listed. The Add\Remove panel is now useless.

RESOLUTION TO REPAIR:
The machine must be restored to its ZA pre-install attempt state.

----------------------------------
SOLUTION TO INSTALL:
----------------------------------
Reason for install failure found, solution to install found

This machine uses a set of two *.reg and two *.bat files to clean up "temp" and other directories upon 1) bootup and 2) logoff/logon of users. The two *.reg and *.bat files exist in the Windows directory (tif-cln.bat, tif-cln.reg, re-tif.bat, re-tif.reg) A further explanation of how these files work: http://www.spywarewarrior.com/uiuc/res/tif-cln.txt

In essence, upon Windows bootup OR logoff/longon of users the "runonce" key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce

"ignites" the tif-cln.bat file. This batch file causes a deletion/recreation of temp directories (rd/md) i.e. the temp directories come in clean/empty.

A "run" key command of the re-tif.bat file:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

re-makes the runonce key (which sets off tif-cln.bat) for the next bootup or logoff/longon.

So, the "run" key must be hit in order to recreate the "runonce" key and the "runonce" key must be hit to set of the cleanup batch file.

All together, it appears that the install of ZA ver 7.0.462.000 (as opposed to the install of 7.0.337.000 which does not do the same thing AND does succeed on this machine as it is), must do something like setting off the Run and RunOnce keys right in the middle of the install. Once the runonce key is hit, the temp directory clean up batch file obliterates the temp directory holding the ZA install files -- the install fails AND the above are the results when trying to clean up.

-------------------------------------------
WORK AROUND TO INSTALL:
-------------------------------------------
In order to install ZA ver 7.0.462.000 I renamed my Windows *.reg and *.bat files (which created "run" and "runonce" keys), particularly the cleanup batch file (tif-cln.bat). After renaming, the tif-cln.bat could no longer be run by the "runonce" key, thus temp directories could not be removed/remade. The install then succeeded.

-------------------------------------------
SUMMARY
-------------------------------------------
The ZA ver 7.0.462.000 install is unlike the install of ver 7.0.337.000. Something within the midst of the 7.0.462.000 install appears to perform a type of "reboot" or "logon/logoff" OR "run" and/or "runonce" routine. In this case, the latter (which runs a batch file to delete\remake temp directories) causes failure of the ZA install.

A further... That which has been found should assist in helping other users to locate some of their difficulties in install (why VSmon.exe is running after failed installs, despite menu or systray items, why they can't work to delete/repair their installs.) It should also assist the programmers to figure out that which is causing problems with the install regime that they currently have, when the past regime was not a problem.

Gesundheit

PS: My former message was NOT off topic, on the contrary.
=============

Thank you CastleCops for letting me post the above.

so your cleanup .bat file caused the problem with ZA install? What is the name of your .bat file?

Cudni

Hello Cudni,

Thanks for responding. You wrote:
>>so your cleanup .bat file caused the problem with ZA install<<

In the above post the name of the clean up batch file is mentioned in the section "Work Around to Install," i.e. tif-cln.bat. The file name is actually inconsequential unless it is used in the "login" cleanup sequence of actions.

That which caused the failure of the install is having the ZA install set off actions which are meant to be fired off ONLY when first logging into Windows, not in the midst of using it.

----
#1: the Run key says c:\windows\re-tif.bat

When the re-tif.bat is run, it writes the "runonce" key. The contents of the re-tif.bat is as follows:
-------
echo off
cls
rem Note: this file merges tif-cln.reg to re-establish the RunOnce value
start /w regedit.exe /s c:\windows\tif-cln.reg
exit
-----

The tif-cln.reg is:
------
REGEDIT4

; Note: this file sets the Registry value which clears the dirs.

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce]
"TIF-Clean"="c:\\windows\\tif-cln.bat"
------

Finally, WHEN the "runonce" command hits at login, the tif-cln.bat removes and adds directories, removes/wipes files from directories etc. This occurs when most programs are loading up, the systray is filling, etc. The runonce key is then empty UNTIL the next login when the process begins again.

So... Somehow, right in the middle of the install of ZA, the install sets off that sequence of events. Oddly, I had seen a DOS command window flash on screen during the install, but it came and went quickly -- I thought it was a ZA install thing. Well, it was, only to the extent that ZA fired my tif-cln.bat into motion. KABOOM!

I have been using that cleanup setup since mid 2003 and on a number of different OS's. I have never had any install of MANY MANY programs cause that to happen.

The worst thing about all of this is NOT that I couldn't get a program to install, although that was frustrating. The worst thing that occurred was having that failed install's Add\Remove uninstall delete the Windows registry "uninstall" key. Now that is very ugly and I was able to reproduce the behavior many times. Would that happen due to another type of install failure? I don't know, but if it does, wuh oh!

Ges

ZA install and your custom .bat file got in a conflict it seems to me. The reason i asked for file name was on a off chance that ZA might have used same name (somehow). I'm not sure how either you or they could have known that such conflict would happen. But from what i hear it sounds like your situation is a unique one and you have done well to recover from it. And shared the experience with us

Cudni

Hello Cudni,

Thanks for showing interest. The custom setup I have was based on a set of files found in 2003, these used by others as well (Google tif-cln.bat or Tif-clean). These have been around since at least Nov of 2002. Evidently a staff member at UIUC.edu created them. I can't remember how I found these, but probably from some techy page "back then."

You wrote:
>>I'm not sure how either you or they could have known that such conflict would happen. But from what i hear it sounds like your situation is a unique one and you have done well to recover from it.<<

Whereas there may not be many using a "runonce" key to clean up their directories like I do, there may be other "run" and "runonce" setups that conflict with the ZA install running them right in the middle of "computing" (i.e. while installing a program, rather than logging in). You can imagine what people, network managers etc., might have setup in their machines over the course of years, as the runonce key has its value.

Microsoft Technet explanation of RunOnce

I suppose the bottomline, on at least this aspect of the install failure, is that it is completely out of the ordinary for an install to setoff the run/runonce keys right in the middle of an install (if that is how it did what it did, and I suspect it is). It has never happened to me during any install since mid 2003 and I have installed many MANY programs. My guess is that it is not common procedure to setoff run/runonce during install, and it was not a procedure used during the install of ZA 7.0.337.000 (which did not have the same install problem.)

You wrote:
>>...you have done well to recover from it. And shared the experience with us<<

Sharing is what it is about. This is particularly so when something obliterates something very important in a user's machine, as in uninstalling this "failed install" by using Add\Remove which results in the deletion of the Windows "uninstall" registry key. This is really something that the ZA people need to sort out, it should never occur and appears to be something inappropriately written in their install/failure/uninstall routine. Someone missed a beat in the programming, it happens, but this is a monumental missed beat which could cost people BIG money, as well as time in recuperating. I hurt for those who are unable to recupe like I am.

Was this glitch unique to my machine? My guess is that similar damaging glitches are occurring.

Ges

PS. I have found the ZoneAlarm firewall product to be a HUGE help for many years. I would like to see a continuation of it being so.

I am not entirely sure of the problem, but from past experience, the post installation cleanup when ZA installs is part of the installation program itself, and not separated from it. But ZA does (I believe, but have never actually checked) use a runonce, so that after the reboot, it will go thru the configuration setup routine that you always get after a clean install.

I didn't read the entire description of the files you are using, but about half of it. I don't see where the two things would conflict. The only thing I can think of is that ZA is seeing it as some kind of malware activity such as a virus or Trojan. If it sees it as such then it will fail its install intentionally. Because with earlier versions of ZA it was possible to install the firewall right over the top of a virus, which would leave a tunnel right thru the firewall. Current versions require a clean machine before it will install.

Hi all!

First of all I want to apologies for my poor English.

Gesundheit you're not alone!
I had a really similar problem.

I was running ZA free 7.0.337.000 in my home computer (Win XP pro SP2) and I had the BAD idea to update to the latest 7.0.462.000.

I followed all the suggestions found in many forums and cleaned everything before install. but at 24% the installation stopped (could not copy zlquarantine.dll).

I spent more than one day installing/unistalling, rebooting/cleaning/missing old primitive computers but with no results. Just messed up my PC.

I was able to install v 7.0.337.000 but not V 7.0.408.000 (it also stopped at 25% copying the same dll).

I've bought ZA pro for my office computers and, like you, I loved ZA but from version 6.5 I had lots of sadly well konwn problems: BSOD, incredibly slow boot and shutdown, Russian roulette installations etc etc.
As a result of this, today I've decided to stop using it!
I use this software to protect my pc not to make it crash and destroy my data!

Today I've realized that I'm still using it just because I'm used to it and didn't want to give up on it.
But it's not worth anymore.

Bye guys!