I've downloaded the latest Beta version, updated Sandboxie, and then installed ZASS 8.0.298.035 over the previous 7.0. 483.000, updated virus definitions and restarted the PC. After restart I've opened the Sandboxed Web Browser and played around a little with it. Closed IE, I've runned a simple program in Sandboxie, played a few seconds and then exited. Windows locked as usual, at the end even the pointer hangs completely. Resetted the PC and restored the old backup with ZA 7.x. No luck for me...

I think you're right. I re-installed Sandboxie at some point (just the same version over itself) and that seemed to be enough to cause ZoneAlarm to start locking up the computer again.

So I'm not sure, it could be a coincidence, or it could really be that it only works if ZoneAlarm is installed after Sandboxie.

Just for an extra test, i've started from a clean reinstall where no Sandboxie or any kind of AV have been installed before, installed first the latest Sandboxie Beta and then the latest ZASS 8.0.298.035, restarted, updated AV definitons, and then runned first the Sanboxed Web Browser, closed it and runned a simple program in Sandboxie. Exiting it first the My Computer window freezes, then the Sandboxie one does the same thing, and at the end only the pointer is moving on the screen. The only way to get out is to reset as usual.

As far as I can see there is a strong incompatibility between Sandboxie and ZoneAlarm 8.x, going worse with every newer version of it. Going back to the old 7.x all these freezes disappear, and there is no problem updating Sandboxie or running more apps one after the other. IOW, Sandboxie doesn't like to work with ZA 8, or ZA 8 doesn't like Sandboxie. At the moment I still continue to use ZA 7.0.483.00 and Sandboxie with no problems. If I try to use it with ZA 8.x no way to go past of a couple of programs without having a complete lock. From ZA 8.0.059.00 downwards it was just freezing for about 30 Sec, from ZA 8.0.298.000 upwards it locks my PC to death...

I'm afraid that my experience doesn't support that conjecture.

I had been running ZoneAlarm Antivirus 8.0.298.000 successfully (at least I thought so at the time ) with Sandboxie 3.34 following an Upgrade reinstall of Sandboxie after the upgrade of ZoneAlarm to 8.0.298.000. Since the upgrade of ZoneAlarm to 8.0.298.035 (over Sandboxie 3.34) running a browser (either Opera or Firefox -- mostly) sandboxed under either Sandboxie 3.34 or 3.35.25 sooner or later produces a lock-up that requires a system hard reset.

I have not had time to install Sandboxie 3.35.25 and then install ZoneAlarm 8.0.298.035 but I really don't think that is a solution -- as supported by Ratman's recent report.

I have the Windows taskbar set to autohide and have wondered if that might contribute to the problem? I doubt it but may try that next.

I think I can confirm an earlier solution on this topic: Turning off On-Access Scanning does seem to resolve the problem.

Zone Alarm Control Center > Anti-virus/spyware (Main screen) > Advanced Options button > On-Access Scanning > Clear checkbox for On-Access Scanning

I was testing with ZoneAlarm 8.0.298.035.

Tried your suggestion and effectively deactivating On-Access scanning the PC looks a lot faster and there are no freezes running programs in Sandboxie, but I'm a little afraid keeping this option inactive, I prefer to run the good old ZA 7.x with all the options selected, seems more secure to me...

I've started getting emails from people who never heard about Sandboxie. They're telling me that after the very latest updates to ZoneAlarm, they started getting messages from ZoneAlarm that it refuses to run with Sandboxie installed.

Now, they probably don't actually have Sandboxie installed, but I am curious if anyone here has noticed something like this with the very latest ZoneAlarm?

I've looked some more into this problem. It seems to occur on Windows XP, but not on Windows Vista. What happens on Windows XP is that after Sandboxie unloads the registry hive for a particular sandbox (this happens once all programs in that sandbox stop), ZoneAlarm gets confused for some reason and puts the system into waiting state.

I don't know why it happens but I've been able to work around this problem by catching this particular request to put the system into wait state and just cancel it. There doesn't seem to be any negative side effects so anyone who wants to upgrade to ZoneAlarm 8 can also get Sandboxie 3.36.02 and see if these two programs now work well together.

http://www.sandboxie.com/SandboxieInstall-336-02.exe

I'm convinced that your Windows knowledge and skill is unmatched!

I am running ZoneAlarm Anti-virus 8.0.298.035 and have been experiencing (and reporting) the "lock-up" problem. I just downloaded and installed Sandboxie 3.36.02 at your suggestion and -- so far -- it seems to have cured the problem.

I've had time to run a few quick tests -- they aren't either scientific or exhaustive but have included usage patterns that have previously guaranteed lock-ups.

I would have had more time to investigate but spent too much time this evening investigating and recovering from today's ZoneAlarm "false positive". The virus definition prior to 982759718 was convinced that Microsoft's "wmiprvse.exe" harbored the BackdoorWin32Agent.afqs virus and not only quarantined the file but the on-access scan wouldn't let you remove it from quarantine OR reinstall the recent Windows Update security update described in KB956572!

I (of course) will continue to exercise 3.36.02 and will report any problems but I have high hopes that you have solved the problem.

Thanks for checking this. You have not reported any problems since posting that it works, so I assume all is well. Good.

That is correct! I have been (pretty much) following my normal usage pattern for sandboxed applications (mostly browsers: Opera, Firefox, IE7; plus Outlook and Outlook Express - alone and multiple invocations) without any lock-ups and without noticing any problems with non-sandboxed applications.

This is hardly extensive testing, but I'm very optimistic. However, having spent too many years of my career in SW test and evaluation, I'd be a lot happier if some of the other people that had the problem were to report similar results to give some assurance that this report is not an artifact of my particular hardware, operating environment, and usage patterns.

Really appreciate your efforts on this problem. Thanks!

You're welcome. Obviously I want Sandboxie to be as compatible as possible with as many software as possible so one doesn't have to decide between Sandboxie and something else.

Interestingly, this is the second time that some other security software has bugs related to unmounting registry, which are exposed by Sandboxie. In the case of the other software, the developers were nice enough to fix their software. But it seems there is just no way to reach the developers of ZoneAlarm, so I had to work around the problem and hope for the best.

I'm afraid that the ZoneAlarm response to problems is all too common! It really makes me appreciate the opportunity to deal with someone who is expert and cares about the product!!!

Thanks. Now it seems this problem is resolved so I will be moving this topic to the Beta Version forum.

YEAH!!!!! YOU GOT IT!!!!

I've done a restore of a clean Ghost Backup, installed first the new Sandboxie 3.36.02 and then ZA 8.0.298.035, updated everything, and after this I've been able to run the sandboxed Web Browser and some other sandboxed programs with no hangs or delays. With the new version SB is working with ZA 8.x as it was with ZA 7.x. I'm going to test it longer, but for sure it's going lots better than before. Many Thanks!!!