Most Effective Way to Reinstall/Update CIS to Avoid/Fix Problems

[Guest]

[guti]

Looks like I have to answer my own question:

All configurations that an installation of CIS has available are stored in the registry, in the following directory:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Software\Comodo]

This is the same for V3 and V4.

I could access my backup registry (load hive in regedit) export those keys and there I had my rules. The question was only how to get those into V4.

Well, surprise: If I imported them into the registry of a system with CIS V4 installed, the configurations are there (the former configurations of V4 get overwritten, though).

As in this case I am actually afraid that V4 might screw up things, I exported the configuration through the CIS GUI and will now try to import it into a fresh V4 installation.

[guti]

Now I can confirm: Importing the cfgx file into V4 worked, all my rules are back. (I installed one Comodo Firewall this time, as the Antivirus was slowing down my system, opening applications or drives in explorer took significantly longer).

I would still like to know what the big difference in handling firewall rules is between V3 and V4.

[at]languy99: Are you sure about that difference? You weren't right about where the config is stored, so may I ask you what precisely the difference is that makes rules much easier now?

[mouse1]

I would still like to know what the big difference in handling firewall rules is between V3 and V4.

[at]languy99: Are you sure about that difference? You weren't right about where the config is stored, so may I ask you what precisely the difference is that makes rules much easier now?

It depends how you use CIS 4, [Edit: and mostly affects Defense plus]

If you switch the sandbox on, you'll mostly either leave files in the sandbox, make them safe, or they will be automatically declared safe. Both 'states' (safe and sandboxed) have 'one size fits all' fixed policies. You'll only end up making CSP rules for the exceptions, and most of these will be to declare files as 'installer-updaters' - also a fixed policy in V4. You won't make many customised rules via alerts because the sandbox will suppress the alerts. Compare this with v3 - most files ended up with customised rules due to answers to alerts, and all the policies were themselves customisable.

So its probably best to say that 'rule complexity' will be reduced if you use v4 as intended.

If you import [Defense plus] rules from v3, then you have two sets of rules working in different ways - the sandbox-related fixed policies and the v3 variable policies and customised rules. Working out the 'resultant set of policy' as M$ would have it, will be a challenge & and the greater total number of rules, policies and policy instatiations that will result will probably slow things down (which was Chiron's point).

Incidentally there is no documentation of what over-rides what in terms of Defense plus/sandbox fixed policies and variable rules & policies. I have asked for feedback from the devs on this but have still to receive it. Anyone who wants to experiment, please tell me what happens! (I will ask again today!).

What have I done re Defense plus and the sandbox? Pretty much what Chiron recommends. Clean install, no import, Proactive security. Sandbox on, for a quieter life once you get over a few files that don't want to be un-sandboxed. This latter may take a bit of work. Everything I know to be safe and which isn't auto-detected goes into My Safe Files. I don't use the CSP hardly at all, except for the few files that need unlimited access and are not automatically detected by CIS4. These go in the CSP as installer-updaters.

(NB I have a very complex software installation!)

Basically this is working with the grain of CIS4, not trying to turn it back into v3. It gives pretty high security with low to medium hassle, and will be even better when the sandbox is mature.

For the greatest possible security you can turn CIS4 into a more secure version of V3. Sandbox off, paranoid mode etc etc.

Hope this helps

Best wishes

Mouse

[guti]

Thanks for the explanation. It doesn't make life much easier for me, though, as my rules basically consist of the following:
- all applications shall be able to access anything in my local network 192.168.x.x
- all applications shall be able to access anything in my VMWare LAN
- all applications shall be able to connect to my rootservers on the Internet (two dedicated IPs)
- some applications are trusted and can do what they want
- most others shall only be allowed to contact a certain IP and/or use a certain port
- for anything else I should be asked

[mouse1]

Sorry should have clarified that I was talking mainly about defense plus & the sandbox.

Mouse

[rjmat1]

Hi,
I finally managed a successful installation of V4 (Firewall only) using Chiron's instructions. One thing to note; Revo will use the built-in CIS Uninstaller, when the CIS Uninstaller finishes it will prompt you to reboot but click no and let Revo complete its process as you select and delete the remaining Registry entries and CIS files - then reboot.
Worked for me! Thanks Chiron.
Bob

[Chiron]

Hi,
I finally managed a successful installation of V4 (Firewall only) using Chiron's instructions. One thing to note; Revo will use the built-in CIS Uninstaller, when the CIS Uninstaller finishes it will prompt you to reboot but click no and let Revo complete its process as you select and delete the remaining Registry entries and CIS files - then reboot.
Worked for me! Thanks Chiron.
Bob

I just changed the first post to clarify this.

Thanks for pointing it out. I appreciate it.

[thaddeus]

help!! i've tried the methods accordingly and i still get my error 1603!
revo uninstalled, ran both batch files, manually removed legacy keys, comodo cleaned up, but i still cant install cis4! help please!

[Dennis2]

Please follow the instructions here as nothing else has worked.

[thaddeus]

thanks! i've started a new topic
http://forums.comodo.com/install-setup-configuration-help-cis/help-cant-install-cis4-from-cis3-t60242.0.html

[Dennis2]

Please post in the same topic use the Reply button.

I should think he has set the topic so he knows if someone reply's to that topic.

Dennis

[John73A]

I'm new here, but I cannot upgrade my XP version (V3) of Firewall to V4: "Setup Wizard ended prematurely because of an error" with no further explanation. I have successfully upgraded 2 laptops running Vista and Windows 7, respectively, but XP can't do it. Can it be residue from uninstall or do I have to a competitor's product, please?

[languy99]

what service pack do you have installed on that CP machine? if it is less then SP3 please upgrade, comodo is not compatible with anything less then sp3

[Bad Frogger]

Pssst Languy,

SP2 is listed as minimum system requirement.

Bad

[languy99]

it might be listed but I had people message me having trouble when running sp2 and I asked them to update to sp3 and their problems went away.

[Tags:]