After updating Zone Alarm Security Suite from 8.0.59 to 8.0.298, when closing some programs executed in Sandboxie, the screen freezes with only the pointer moving around but no other reaction clicking around or using the keyboard, the only way out is to reset the PC. With the previous version of ZA, exiting the sandboxed programs was only causing a temporary freeze of the windows on the desktop, and after a minute or less it was restarting to work with no problem. Going back to the version before 8.0.59 there was no such delay, it looks like every new version of ZA goes worse, even if it's no more possible to go worse than now.
I understand that the problem is mostly depending on ZA, as this problem doesn't happen using other AVs like AVG, Avira, Norton, the ones that I've tried, but if it could be possible to fix this incompatibility it will be wonderful, as Zone Alarm for me is the best AV for my needs.
The problem doesn't happen at the first sandboxed program, you can run maybe two or three of them before it happens, after this the only way to get out is the RESET.

I'm running Windows XP SP-3 32 bit, and Sandboxie 3.34

Hope you can suggest a way to avoid this problem, as I'd like to continue to use both Sandboxie and ZA, not only one of them.

Best regards...

> . . . the only way out is to reset the PC.

I started experiencing similar symptoms after recently updating ZoneAlarm Antivirus to 8.0.298.000.

> With the previous version of ZA, exiting the sandboxed programs
> was only causing a temporary freeze . . .

Previous to the ZA update, I was able to eliminate the "temporary freeze" by setting the "Delete Invocation" option to "Automatically delete contents of sandbox". After the ZA update, there was nothing "temporary" about the freeze.

I confirmed that the "lock-up" didn't happen when I turned off the ZoneAlarm AV "on-access" scanning but didn't want to make a permanent mode of operation so have been running (reluctantly) without Sandboxie. Tonight, I removed all Sandboxie program entries shown in the ZoneAlarm Program Control screen and then I used Windows Add/Remove Programs (WindowsXP SP3) to "Upgrade" (i.e. reinstall) Sandboxie.

Much to my amazement -- both the "lockup" AND the "temporary freeze" seem to have gone away!! In addition, I can clear the "Delete Invocation" "Automatically delete the contents sandbox" option and the "temporary freeze" no longer occurs!

Why did this work? Will it last? Will it work for you? I sure don't know but it might be worth a try.

I've tried your suggestions, even reinstalling both ZA and Sandboxie on a clean session of XP SP-3, changing also the order of the installation, removing the lines related to SB in the Program List of ZA but it continues to freeze. The only way for me is to revert back to 8.0.059.000 version of ZA. I have still the temporary freeze, but at least I don't need to reset the PC. Let's hope that someone finds the solution for this problem...

Did you cycle the printer 3 times and sacrifice a virgin USB pen drive?

Seriously, I'm sorry that the reinstall didn't help -- I know that the freeze is frustrating and the lockup is worse. So far -- knock on wood -- the problem hasn't resurfaced here.

Unfortunately I don't have any virgin USB pen drives available, so the only thing I've done now is to go back and reinstall the good old version 7.0.483.000 of ZASS, and it's wonderful to see it working without any delay or freeze. Not always the latest version is the best...

I installed the latest ZoneAlarm on Windows XP and I did see this problem.
The desktop does lock up after terminating programs in the sandbox.
But I'm afraid I don't know what do about it.

Thanks for taking the time to verify the problem. It is some consolation to know that it is not just an artifact of my ignorance!

I'm sure you have noticed that some (including me) have reported that the "lock-up" problem goes away if ZoneAlarm "On-Access Scanning" is disabled.

Please test version 3.35.25 and tell me if it works well even with On Access Scanning enabled.

http://www.sandboxie.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=4985

Will do so as soon as possible today. Thanks.

I've downloaded the latest version of Sandboxie Beta and also the v8.0.298.035 of ZASS. Reinstalled (updated) Sandboxie and then updated ZASS 7.0.383.000 with the new version. Restarted and updated virus definitions of ZA, then tried again to run some programs in Sandboxie. The first one was exiting with no problem, but at the second one (after maybe 3 Min) when exiting it almost all the screen was locked, the only moving thing was the pointer and the Sandboxie window. I've waited for a few minutes to see if it was restarting alone but no success. The only active window was the Sandboxie one, it was possible to iconize it, move it around and at the end close it, but all the rest of my desktop was dead, no Ctrl-Alt-Del or anything else. Pressed the Reset button and restored the Ghost image with the old ZA version.

I suppose that the problem is mainly in v8.x of ZA, as with this version also the Shutdown of the PC is also a lot slower than with the old one, and all these problems doesn't come out with ZA 7.x or the other AVs I've tried.
That's a pity as ZA is the one that gives me less false alarms when playing around with risky programs, the ones Sandboxie was made for, the only way to go on with it for me without changing AV is to use the old 7.x version...

In my tests I saw that when the last sandboxed program terminated and Sandboxie was releasing the sandboxed registry, that caused ZoneAlarm to lock up. I revised this "release" logic a bit and it seemed to resolve the conflict with ZoneAlarm for me. In any case I'm sorry to hear it doesn't fix the problem for you.

Sorry I couldn't respond sooner. I did an initial install of version 3.35.25 during lunch time (after a complete uninstall of version 3.34) but found that it locked up immediately when the last sandboxed program exited (with ZoneAlarm On-Access scanning enabled).

This evening I've done my "magic" -- (1) delete the sandbox contents using Sandbox Control, (2) exit Sandbox Control, (3) delete any subfolders in the Sandbox with Windows Explorer, (4) reinstall (Upgrade) Sandboxie 3.35.25 using Windows Add/Remove Programs, (5) exit Sandbox Control so I can close Windows Add/Remove Programs (otherwise it remains displayed but inactive 'greyed out'), and then (6) reboot Windows -- routine at least 4 or 5 times.

Following this ritual I (almost always) can run programs in the Sandbox (including several at the same time) with ZoneAlarm On-Access scanning enabled for some period of time (5-15 minutes or more) -- closing all and restarting them arbitrarily -- but ultimately the system locks up again.

I'm currently running Firefox sandboxed (as the only sandboxed program) to post this message but have no idea if the Task Bar will 'lock-up' when I'm done and Firefox exits.

That's all I have time for this evening but will let you know if I come up with any other observations. Thanks for your efforts.

FWIW it didn't but I'm not confident that it won't lock-up next time.

Maybe using the ZA versions previous to the 8.0.298 ones that were just freezing for a while will be easier to find a workaround for this problem?
The funny thing is that with ZA 7.0.483.000, the last version before the main upgrade, everything runs smooth without hangs of any kind.

I did see the system freeze once or twice after I made my earlier comment on this topic. However I updated to ZoneAlarm version 8.0.298.035 a few hours ago and have been running some programs sandboxed, so far so good. Anyone else has good experience with this version?