boblandy
Premium
join:2002-05-06
| reply to TK421
Re: ZoneAlarm Anti-spyware update
without some means of identifying the updates other than the date (which appears on each user's system as the time they are downloaded), this type of uncertainty will always occur
if ZA is going to insist on this oddball method of assigning ever-changing dates to each new def release, then at least they could issue a version number to go with the update, like Microsoft AntiSpyware Beta1 does, to distinguish one update from another
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look out kid they keep it all hid |
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TK421
Premium
join:2004-12-19
Canada
1 edit | I completely agree - ZoneLabs should add a definition number to make it clear what version is current. Perhaps they want to encourage users to enable auto-update?
The problem is they are using only the date to show definitions version while most other AV/AS programs have version numbers. That can cause confusion posting about updates for those, like me, who prefer to update manually. Wouldn't it be nice if ZA was included in the Security Updates sticky? I doubt that will happen though. 
This is my only gripe with ZA AntiSpyware since it really does seem to be very good protection. If the regular Friday update remains predictable at least I'll know when to expect it (also Thursday update for MSAS-Beta). |
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boblandy
Premium
join:2002-05-06
| said by TK421  :Wouldn't it be nice if ZA was included in the Security Updates sticky? I doubt that will happen though i was already told not to post these updates there, and not even in the security forum... and not to expect to see them in the updates forum "for a long while" because it's "not a software most people can or do rely on"
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look out kid they keep it all hid |
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TK421
Premium
join:2004-12-19
Canada
| Well none of the other security suites get in either... but don't try to convince me ZAP is inferior in any way to many of the programs that are allowed. Personally, I believe ZAP antispyware is at the very least as good (better) than MSAS (although I use both). |
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boblandy
Premium
join:2002-05-06
| said by TK421 :but don't try to convince me ZAP is inferior in any way to many of the programs that are allowed you're speaking in general, to others, i suspect
because i'm not trying to convince you of that
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look out kid they keep it all hid |
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TK421
Premium
join:2004-12-19
Canada | Of course.  |
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boblandy
Premium
join:2002-05-06
| reply to TK421
said by TK421 :If the regular Friday update remains predictable did you get an update
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look out kid they keep it all hid |
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WLiley
Woodman
Premium
join:2000-12-01
Grand Blanc, MI
clubs:  
| I wanted to chime in again.
My wife's pc recieved the update just as Bob reported, and WHEN reported. Yet no matter what I tried (and there seems to be little to try) - I could not get the update.
So, I created a case w/ Zone Labs - just as the ZL User Forum suggests. What I got back from them was the most disappointing email yet. It did not even acknowledge that specific problem. Instead it only gave detailed instructions on how to uninstall & reinstall. Sort of a "no matter what your problem is, do this..."
(Which I can do with my eyes closed.)
It did not even say that "this will work" though I knew it would. So I uninstalled & reinstalled. Rebooted and got the AS update.
I can't remember for sure, but way way back when I used Norton I think that was "the solution" to not getting their updates too. That was one of many reasons I dumped them when I did.
Having had many inside contacts w/ ZL & Checkpoint over the years, I can tell ya that there's alot of changes going on there. Not all appear to be good changes.
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Team Z Member"The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over." Hunter S. Thompson |
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boblandy
Premium
join:2002-05-06
| glad to see you post back
mind sharing with us what version you run
and
do you have auto updating enabled
btw, i immediately saw the similarity between the zonelabs "cure" and what symantec recommends... and would have smiled at same were it not so frustrating
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look out kid they keep it all hid |
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WLiley
Woodman
Premium
join:2000-12-01
Grand Blanc, MI
clubs: | Version 6.0.667.000
Auto update enabled.
Have noticed that if I force an update check,
the AV reports that specific date/time of said check.
The AS reports back a date/time of actual signature update.
Seems a bit odd. |
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TK421
Premium
join:2004-12-19
Canada
| reply to boblandy
said by boblandy :said by TK421 :If the regular Friday update remains predictable did you get an update Nope nothing... so much for that.  |
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boblandy
Premium
join:2002-05-06
| reply to WLiley
said by WLiley :So I uninstalled & reinstalled. Rebooted and got the AS update but what did this tell you, really, about the date of the def update?
undoubtedly they show on your machine as the date they were downloaded, and this does nothing to resolve the original question that was brought up here....
did i really find new 9/13 defs or was i 4 days late on ones dated 9/9
and until ZA elects to assign a version number to their updates, this same uncertainty will prevail
don't you agree
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look out kid they keep it all hid |
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boblandy
Premium
join:2002-05-06
| reply to TK421
rather than your idea that ZA releases new defs on friday, i see a pattern developing of tuesday-ish releases...
8/10 ... wednesday
8/23 ... tuesday
9/6 ... tuesday
9/13 ... tuesday
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look out kid they keep it all hid |
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TK421
Premium
join:2004-12-19
Canada
1 edit | 
DEF VERSION # |
But I think I just found the answer! Definition updates should show the version (not just the date) within the control panel but there IS a unique number assigned.
Right-Click the ZA systray icon, then select "About..." |
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TK421
Premium
join:2004-12-19
Canada
| reply to boblandy
Anti-spyware signature DAT file version:01.200509.131
And BTW, looking at the signature file version it appears to indicate the release date 2005, 09, 13 ???
I checked the date on my own C:\Windows\System32\ZoneAlarm\spyware.dat file and it is 9/09... don't know how I got it four days early if that really is the numbering scheme. |
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boblandy
Premium
join:2002-05-06
| reply to TK421
said by TK421 :But I think I just found the answer! i think you did too. we'll watch for it to change with the next release. thanks
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look out kid they keep it all hid |
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WLiley
Woodman
Premium
join:2000-12-01
Grand Blanc, MI
clubs: | reply to boblandy
Yep, agree.
And add to that, the fact that forcing an update check will increment the timestamp of AV definitions (even when there is nothing new) while not incrementing the AS timestamp - tells me that they have work to do for both. |
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boblandy
Premium
join:2002-05-06 | well at least the three of us have it figured out
now we'll just have to wait for zonelabs to get the picture
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look out kid they keep it all hid |
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