Over a year ago, I swore off AVG because a FP completely messed up my OS install when it tried to quarentine the offending file, leading to a complete reformat and OS rebuild. At the same time, NSClean BOClean had proved to be the best security purchase I have ever made (largely due to Kevin’s hands-on involvement). I was holding out for Comodo’s AV, as I had heard many great things about their products (which is why I didn’t break out the pitchforks when they took over BOClean). Well, after only a week, I uninstalled Comodo CIS, which had caused many more bugs than AVG (and caused the loss of over 5 years of archival Palm data - good thing I am ■■■■ about backing up). To summarize:
After installing Comodo CIS, I found I was unable to defrag my c: drive (I have multiple partitions), due to a Comodo file “sfi.dat” in my Windows/System32/Drivers directory. It would not defrag, nor would it allow any access (including copying).
I originally didn’t think this was related, but found that my older version of Word (2000) was unable to save files on a FAT32 partition, yielding the message “Word cannot complete the save due to a file permission error.” It then proceeded to delete the file it could not save from my HD.
When the autoplay for my CD burner (drive g:) tried to read the TOC of an inserted disc, the computer would simply reboot; this is what corrupted my Palm data files, as I had accessed them moments before.
With no other changes, all of these were completely resolved by simply uninstalling CIS. Note that I only installed the AV part of CIS, since I use another firewall (Zone Alarm Plus - I tried Comodo’s FW, but it was akin to Microsoft in that even the most basic functionality was buried under many menus). The installer did warn me that I needed to uninstall ZoneAlarm, but it should not have been a problem since I did not install CFW. At this point, I will be content to archive the last version of the standalone BOClean (version 1.27, I think?) along with the final XVU file (definitions). It may not be updated beyond May 26, but then neither is my firewall (and I have never had any issues). Thus far, more damage has been done to my data by antivirus programs than any virus has ever done. Maybe I will try again in a few years…
I think this could be a sort of conflict with Defense+ and Zone Alarm (just a guess). As you mentioned, since the damage has already been one, I am not going into it. I, however, feel that giving the latest version of CIS (3.9) is a good bet.
Even though I feel 2 & 3 could be because of CIS I have never heard of defrag problems due to CIS, except slow downs in speed when AV checks the disk access. I have been using defrag with almost all the versions of CIS without any problems. I am not accustomed to Zone Alarm, but if it has an HIPS, it may conflict with CIS’ defense+.
AFAIK, point No.2 is now fixed.
For point No.3 you can give an exception to buffer overflow protection under
CIS>Defense+>Advanced>Image Execution Control Settings>General>Exclusions
For BoClean, I think it is now integrated with CIS 3.9 and you can enjoy the benefits of BoClean also with CIS along with its solid firewall protection.
I know that if you try and install the full CIS suite, it gives a warning about incompatibilities with ZoneAlarm. I haven’t tried installing just the AV with ZA. Did it alert you to incompatibilities?
Yes vette, I noted that. But, default CAV also installs Defense+ unless he opts it out.
Point No. 3 there, it seems, has something to do with buffer overflow (part of defense+), which sometimes reboot the computer and point No.2 (word not able to save) was a complaint when 3.5 was initially released, which was subsequently fixed by Comodo. However, I haven’t seen anybody complaining of unable to defrag with CIS though after using CSC (I think version before .17) the defrag was removed by registry cleaner. Now, with .18 version this is also fixed.
A couple of days ago I defrag’d my drives with CIS fully on and no trouble (using JK Defrag) with no problem but that was just a trial; usually I close down as much as possible before defragging.
Even though I feel 2 & 3 could be because of CIS I have never heard of defrag problems due to CIS, except slow downs in speed when AV checks the disk access. I have been using defrag with almost all the versions of CIS without any problems.
More accurately, the defrag (Windows XP default program) would start, but it would not complete, instead complaining that “some programs could not be compacted”. When I clicked on the Report button, it listed “sfi.dat”. On manually looking at the file in Explorer, I could not get access even to copy (permissions error). It appeared to be locked by CIS. After uninstallation, the defrag proceeded normally and I had access to the file.
For BoClean, I think it is now integrated with CIS 3.9 and you can enjoy the benefits of BoClean also with CIS along with its solid firewall protection.
BOClean is indeed now integrated into CIS, but it appears that to continue to enjoy the updated protection, I have to deal incompatibilities with my existing SW. Not to mention I need an AV that will play nicely with ZA+…
When I installed CIS, it alerted me to the ZA incompatibility before it gives the option to opt out. I ignored it, than unchecked the FW option on the next page.
So, you are not facing problems with defragging, but just that one file of CIS could not be defragged (if I understand right). This could just be because of the high protection CIS has given itself to ensure that malwares are not able to kick it (CIS) off. I think it is not a thing of too much worry. I thought you are not able to defrag at all.
Indeed these informations provide enough details in order to possibly allow everybody to reproduce the above mentioned Windows defrag testcase.
If possible a specific topic about windows defrag & sfi.dat in the help or bugpreport board will likely encourage other members to test the above mentioned scenario as well.
It is likely sfi.dat is locked for use by CIS and thus Windows defragger ought to skip it like it does for windows swap file (pagefile.sys).
When was this fixed? I mean Word 2000 unable to save files on a FAT32 partition, yielding the message “Word cannot complete the save due to a file permission error”.
