I was prompted to update ZoneAlarm (free firewall) last night and since then I haven't been able to download files from SgareCG and other sites. I can still right click and "save target as" but if I click on a download link, like in ShareCG for example, my download window will pop up (empty) and the download is blocked.

Internet Explorer pops up an option box (see picture) which will allow me to download, but in FireFox (my preferred browser) I'm not given any option to over-ride ZoneAlarm blocking the download.

Where in the ZoneAlarm settings can I tell it not to do this? Looked but can't find how to.

I gave up on ZoneAlarm a long time ago.  It doesn't get along with Poser at all.  AVG is much more polite, stays out of the way when you don't want it.

Quote - I gave up on ZoneAlarm a long time ago.  It doesn't get along with Poser at all.  AVG is much more polite, stays out of the way when you don't want it.

I use AVG of anti-virus, but I also need a firewall.

I'll be damned if I can figure out how to stop ZA seeing a zip file as a threat and blocking it. It would be nice if it gave me an option to say it's OK like in IE.

I've looked through Windows firewall settings, Firefox settings and plugins, and ZA settings and no luck so far. Windows also did sereral updates last night and I hope it's not something to do with that.

I think I disabled ZoneAlarm Security in Mozilla by going into Tools --> Add-ons, then altering the settings.  I've had no trouble since I disabled the feature.

Edit: On the other hand, I am using an old version of ZoneAlarm, from back when I still found the software agreeable, and I've been refusing to let it upgrade itself to the newer version of the software.  So maybe I'm only able to seemingly disable it because it isn't actually doing anything for me anyway, or something....  :unsure:

Get Comodo Firewall ;). Easy to understand and punch a hole in it for programs you don't wanna block ;). I've never had a day's problem with it and I've been using it for years.

Laurie

What do you think about me shafting ZoneAlarm and just using Windows' own firewall?

Is Windows built-in firewall good enough in itself?

Windows 7 firewall is good; that's what I use on my home machine.  However, it doesn't block outbound connections by default.  I recall that someone has written a freeware frontend to configure it, but the program's name escapes me; you might look on download.com...

I also scrapped ZA because it became troublesome.  Just rely on Malwarebytes, Windows Firewall and an anti-virus.  Can't offer any additional help on the subject.

I am another user that gave up on Zonealarm, in my case after years of subscription.  One version some years ago used to corrupt on a regular basis and you kept having to delete files and re-install, which was the official answer to the problem.  They were clealy aware of the problem, which was wide-spread, but never bothered to fix it.  When my subscription came to an end I never bothered to renew.

I then used the Free AVG program for a couple of years but when I updated to the lastest version of the program last year I had problems.  In this case whenever I tried to use a program called Folder Lock, which is an encryption program, I got a message stating the .exe file was corrupt.  It took me an age to find out that there was nothing wrong with Folder Lock but it was the AVG update

I still find it ironic that the programs aimed at keeping your system healthy cause so many problems to so many users.

Bleh.  I had the paid for version of ZA for a long time but when the company was taken over it went downhill faster than a greased bobsled.  Fucking horrible software with the most intrusive virus checker ever; eats up all your processor resources, slows to a grinding halt when you try to unzip something and is just generally a huge pain in the arse.

Just ditch it and get something else.  As to what, I really couldn't say.  

Comodo user here. not a problem with it at all.

Just woke up (6.:30am here), thanks everyone for all the advise.

I tracked the problem to Firefox settings which for some reason changed by themselves. I just needed to change the zip file action back to SAVE rather than ASK. I have no idea why Firefox changed the preference without asking. Issue resolved.