Here are the basic system requirements for all ZoneAlarm Products:

I have posted this as I had a problem 12 months ago with updates when there was no removal tool. Perhaps this may assist others with any problems with ZoneAlarm free Firewall.

Better late than never

Hey Tallin - Happy New Year!

I see your subject title, but I don't see a "tool" in either of your links; only round-about links to procedures, most notably, ZoneAlarm's answer to this support request - a very lengthy manual removal procedure. A "tool" suggests to me a program that does it for me. Sadly, ZoneLab's arrogance makes it impossible for them to believe anyone would ever want to remove every last bit of all traces of their products from our machines as it would appear they are going through great lengths to hide this tool - not good especially after it was their arrogance that caused many to look elsewhere for our security solutions in the first place.

After some effort, I did find a few references to a "tool", a file called cpes_clean.exe. But everywhere I looked, forum posters just provided direct download links for the file. I don't like and never trust direct download links from 3rd persons, especially when dealing with security issues. We all are (hopefully) aware of the many rogue spyware removal programs that are more malicious than the original threat! I finally found a genuine ZoneAlarm webpage for the file, but for some reason, only on ZoneAlarm's Australian based knowledge base.

For the ZoneAlarm Full Removal Tool, and the instructions to use it, see the KB article, ID 1870 - aptly titled General faults, errors and problems. Note this article's primary purpose is to clean your system of all old ZA clutter that's preventing a clean reinstall of ZoneAlarm so you can then reinstall the latest version. Obviously, if looking just to clean out all traces of ZA, you don't need to download or run the latest installation files.

Hi Digerati, A very Happy New Year to you also,

If you click this link then the link in B

B) Try ZA Removal Tool - XP/ 2000/ Vista - click here > http://download.zonealarm.com/bin/fr...cpes_clean.exe < another easy un-install method

I was able to download and save the removal tool for use in the future. It will not work if you click the URL given in the quote ABOVE which is maddening. Why is that Digerati, you maybe able to explain it.

Did you read how I updated only this week

Here are two attachments of my success in downloading not from the link in the quote above, but direct from within the link given without quoting it to you. (goodness that sounds complicated, but do you know what I mean.)

You may understand why it took me a year to update from ver:7 to ver: 8 due to the complicated way Naivemelody suggested to me over a year ago.

Let me know -

best regards,

If you click this link then the link in B

Right, but again, that's a direct download link from a poster - which as I explained above, I don't like because it forces us to assume that poster and the file are trustworthy. As it is, it goes to the same file as in the KB article I posted, and admittedly it too forces us to assume the file is trustworthy, but it is from the source (ZoneAlarm) and not a poster.

Why is that Digerati, you maybe able to explain it.

Because in the quote, it is actually using the "..." as part of the url instead of the full URL. You copied the text, not the shortcut. If you hover over the two, you will see the difference. The real link is actually

HTML Code:

http://download.zonealarm.com/bin/free/support/cpes_clean.exe

Just to avoid confusion for anyone reading, Tallin's information is spot on and a great reference. I have no reason to suspect there is anything wrong with that removal tool from ZoneAlarm for two main reasons. (1) Tallin is a trusted and respected technical advisor with a reputation for providing quality advice, and (2) My own research into this tool shows it is what it says. I apologize if I misled anyone into thinking otherwise.

My point with direct downloads in this case is that ZoneAlarm (not Tallin) has forced users to assume these direct downloads are legitimate because they don't readily provide a descriptive link to the source, or to a page that shows what is going on. To illustrate, the preferred method to download CCleaner, for example, is to click here. This takes the user to the author's site and allows readers to verify and see what they are downloading. Whereas a direct download link does not, as you can see by clicking here. Same file but in the 2nd option, you are forced to assume I am not a badguy and that download is really what I claim it is. Now as a member of the staff (or a recognized guest) on a respected site, you are probably safe to make that assumption. But if they are not on staff at the site, or don't have some other verifiable credentials they can be trusted, I don't - not when it comes to security.

Of course that is not problem if everyone ALWAYS scanned downloads and attachments BEFORE opening, but unfortunately, that does not always happen.

I hope that clears things up and I apologize to tallin for any misunderstandings.