ZoneAlarm - lag on 1st HTML access

Both of my browsers (IE and Opera) have a long lag time
on the 1st HTML access after startup. This does NOT
happen for POP3 or SMTP mail server access. The lags
are usually in the range of 1.5 minutes to 2.5 minutes, but
after one browser has made a successful connection,
subsequent tries with either browser go normally.
The OS is Windows XP Pro, and this has been going on
since I installed ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite 2007.
If I disable ZoneAlarm right after startup, the 1st HTML
access with either browser goes normally. ZoneAlarm
is doing something which causes the long delay on the
1st HTML access, but I don't know how to prevent it.
Does anyone here know of a way?

*TimDaniels*

Re: ZoneAlarm - lag on 1st HTML access

Timothy Daniels wrote:
> Both of my browsers (IE and Opera) have a long lag time
> on the 1st HTML access after startup. This does NOT
> happen for POP3 or SMTP mail server access. The lags
> are usually in the range of 1.5 minutes to 2.5 minutes, but
> after one browser has made a successful connection,
> subsequent tries with either browser go normally.
> The OS is Windows XP Pro, and this has been going on
> since I installed ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite 2007.
> If I disable ZoneAlarm right after startup, the 1st HTML
> access with either browser goes normally. ZoneAlarm
> is doing something which causes the long delay on the
> 1st HTML access, but I don't know how to prevent it.
> Does anyone here know of a way?
>
> *TimDaniels*


Just to confirm that it's not just you :P
I see the same thing happening with Firefox and Seamonkey -
using ZoneAlarm Pro on XP Pro.


The cause is vsmon - ZoneAlarm's main process.
On making first connection, vsmon ramps up to 90%+ CPU usage,
and stays there for a minute or two.

Have a look at these threads on the ZoneLabs forum:

"vsmon hogging resources at startup..."
http://forum.zonelabs.org/zonelabs/board/message?board.id=cf g&message.id=45420


"vsmon.exe (zlclient) hogging resources at startup... problem solved"
http://forums.zonelabs.com/zonelabs/board/message?board.id=c fg&message.id=45951



At present, the advised course of action seems to be: "put up with it",
other than switching to an alternative.

Re: ZoneAlarm - lag on 1st HTML access

> Both of my browsers (IE and Opera) have a long lag time
> on the 1st HTML access after startup. This does NOT
> happen for POP3 or SMTP mail server access. The lags
> are usually in the range of 1.5 minutes to 2.5 minutes, but
> after one browser has made a successful connection,
> subsequent tries with either browser go normally.
> The OS is Windows XP Pro, and this has been going on
> since I installed ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite 2007.
> If I disable ZoneAlarm right after startup, the 1st HTML
> access with either browser goes normally. ZoneAlarm
> is doing something which causes the long delay on the
> 1st HTML access, but I don't know how to prevent it.
> Does anyone here know of a way?

I suggest to deinstall ZoneAlarm, activate the WinXP SP2 included
firewall and thats it.

Or why have you installed ZoneAlarm? What function do you think
ZoneAlarm has, that the WinXP firewall doesn't have?

--
Ulf Leichsenring
ulf@leichsenring.net

Re: ZoneAlarm - lag on 1st HTML access

Timothy Daniels wrote:
> Both of my browsers (IE and Opera) have a long lag time
> on the 1st HTML access after startup. This does NOT
> happen for POP3 or SMTP mail server access. The lags
> are usually in the range of 1.5 minutes to 2.5 minutes, but
> after one browser has made a successful connection,
> subsequent tries with either browser go normally.
> The OS is Windows XP Pro, and this has been going on
> since I installed ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite 2007.
> If I disable ZoneAlarm right after startup, the 1st HTML
> access with either browser goes normally. ZoneAlarm
> is doing something which causes the long delay on the
> 1st HTML access, but I don't know how to prevent it.
> Does anyone here know of a way?
>
> *TimDaniels*


belay my previous answer -
this link seems to be significant :)

http://jeeezelouise.wordpress.com/2006/12/15/vsmonexe-chewin g-up-the-cpu/

Re: ZoneAlarm - lag on 1st HTML access

Ulf Leichsenring wrote:
>> Both of my browsers (IE and Opera) have a long lag time
>> on the 1st HTML access after startup. This does NOT
>> happen for POP3 or SMTP mail server access. The lags
>> are usually in the range of 1.5 minutes to 2.5 minutes, but
>> after one browser has made a successful connection,
>> subsequent tries with either browser go normally.
>> The OS is Windows XP Pro, and this has been going on
>> since I installed ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite 2007.
>> If I disable ZoneAlarm right after startup, the 1st HTML
>> access with either browser goes normally. ZoneAlarm
>> is doing something which causes the long delay on the
>> 1st HTML access, but I don't know how to prevent it.
>> Does anyone here know of a way?
>
> I suggest to deinstall ZoneAlarm, activate the WinXP SP2 included
> firewall and thats it.
>
> Or why have you installed ZoneAlarm? What function do you think
> ZoneAlarm has, that the WinXP firewall doesn't have?


the standard answer is the one about:
"filtering outgoing traffic",
which the XP firewall doesn't do...



the OP has installed ZoneAlarm Internet Security -
which contains the Kaspersky anti-virus scanner

last time I looked, the WinXP firewall didn't have that function

Re: ZoneAlarm - lag on 1st HTML access

Like I told you in another NG, get rid of ZA. If the program is causing
problems, then get rid of it and find something else.

Re: ZoneAlarm - lag on 1st HTML access

>> I suggest to deinstall ZoneAlarm, activate the WinXP SP2 included
>> firewall and thats it.
>>
>> Or why have you installed ZoneAlarm? What function do you think
>> ZoneAlarm has, that the WinXP firewall doesn't have?
>
>
> the standard answer is the one about:
> "filtering outgoing traffic",
> which the XP firewall doesn't do...
>
>
>
> the OP has installed ZoneAlarm Internet Security -
> which contains the Kaspersky anti-virus scanner
>
> last time I looked, the WinXP firewall didn't have that function
>

But you know that no personal firewall can really filter outgoing
traffic. They can only control these programs that are so smart to let
them being controlled. A realy malicious program can send traffic
without being stopped by the firewall.
Please see http://www.ntsvcfg.de/linkblock_eng.html and also the
statement from Micrsoft about host based firewalls at
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/technetmag/issues/2006/05/S ecurityMyths/default.aspx
(the chapter "Myth: Host-Based Firewalls Must Filter Outbound Traffic to
be Safe." at the bottom of the page).
And if you want to see an example, try out
http://www.dingens.org/breakout.exe (Source available at
http://www.dingens.org/breakout.c)

So I suggest again to use the WinXP included firewall. All other
personal firewalls are just eye-candy.

--
Ulf Leichsenring
ulf@leichsenring.net

Re: ZoneAlarm - lag on 1st HTML access

<----------@example.com> wrote:
> Timothy Daniels wrote:
>> Both of my browsers (IE and Opera) have a long lag time
>> on the 1st HTML access after startup. This does NOT
>> happen for POP3 or SMTP mail server access. The lags
>> are usually in the range of 1.5 minutes to 2.5 minutes, but
>> after one browser has made a successful connection,
>> subsequent tries with either browser go normally.
>> The OS is Windows XP Pro, and this has been going on
>> since I installed ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite 2007.
>> If I disable ZoneAlarm right after startup, the 1st HTML
>> access with either browser goes normally. ZoneAlarm
>> is doing something which causes the long delay on the
>> 1st HTML access, but I don't know how to prevent it.
>> Does anyone here know of a way?
>>
>> *TimDaniels*
>
>
> belay my previous answer -
> this link seems to be significant :)
>
> http://jeeezelouise.wordpress.com/2006/12/15/vsmonexe-chewin g-up-the-cpu/

But the delay is on HTML access, not POP3 or SMTP -
those go through fine. And I prefer to use POP3 and SMTP
clients for email.

*TimDaniels*

Re: ZoneAlarm - lag on 1st HTML access

<----------@example.com> wrote:
> Timothy Daniels wrote:
>> Both of my browsers (IE and Opera) have a long lag time
>> on the 1st HTML access after startup. This does NOT
>> happen for POP3 or SMTP mail server access. The lags
>> are usually in the range of 1.5 minutes to 2.5 minutes, but
>> after one browser has made a successful connection,
>> subsequent tries with either browser go normally.
>> The OS is Windows XP Pro, and this has been going on
>> since I installed ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite 2007.
>> If I disable ZoneAlarm right after startup, the 1st HTML
>> access with either browser goes normally. ZoneAlarm
>> is doing something which causes the long delay on the
>> 1st HTML access, but I don't know how to prevent it.
>> Does anyone here know of a way?
>>
>> *TimDaniels*
>
>
> Just to confirm that it's not just you :P
> I see the same thing happening with Firefox and Seamonkey -
> using ZoneAlarm Pro on XP Pro.
>
>
> The cause is vsmon - ZoneAlarm's main process.
> On making first connection, vsmon ramps up to 90%+ CPU usage,
> and stays there for a minute or two.
>
> Have a look at these threads on the ZoneLabs forum:
>
> "vsmon hogging resources at startup..."
> http://forum.zonelabs.org/zonelabs/board/message?board.id=cf g&message.id=45420
>
>
> "vsmon.exe (zlclient) hogging resources at startup... problem solved"
> http://forums.zonelabs.com/zonelabs/board/message?board.id=c fg&message.id=45951
>
>
> At present, the advised course of action seems to be: "put up with it",
> other than switching to an alternative.

Is there any indication that ZoneLabs is aware of the problem?

*TimDaniels*