I just installed Comodo after my long-standing Prevx free license ran out. I had a couple of issues on installation and can’t find anything by searching that explains it. Please move this post if it’s not appropriate for this thread.
Issue #1: I’d uninstalled my Prevx and the only other protection program I had running was my AVG Free. The installer popped up with a message saying a McAfee firewall was already installed and that I should uninstall it before installing Comodo. I don’t have a McAfee firewall, if I ever did it was the trial version that came with my computer some five years ago and I uninstalled it (I thought) when the trial period was up. I went ahead with the Comodo installation anyway, and it seems to have gone off without a hitch, but I’m wondering why it says there’s another firewall running when there isn’t? I’ve cleaned my registry, run TuneUp uninstall and found no trace of McAfee anywhere, done a search for McAfee anything and come up with zip.
Issue #2: Possibly more serious, I don’t know. After Comodo was installed I was browsing all the features and peeked into the Alert Settings tab under Firewall Behavior Settings. There is a box there that isn’t in the screenies in the “manual.” It says, “This computer is an internet connection gateway (i.e. an ICS server).” It was checked. I unchecked it. So question #1 is, what does that mean? And #2, should I have left it checked? The program did it on its own, so I’m assuming it’s a default setting based on what it detected during its scan of my system. I’m not part of any LAN or anything so I’m at a loss as to why my computer would be classified as a server or a “gateway.”
Issue #3(unrelated to Comodo): I’ve read in some posts in these forums that Avast is considered the best anti-spyware app. I’ve been using AVG free for a long time and wonder if that’s just as good or if I should consider switching?
Thanks, but a) McAfee isn’t installed anywhere on my system! It must be a notation in some log somewhere hidden away. I’ve tried a host of registry cleaners and system tune up utilities and come up clean. And b) I can’t get anything from the site you sent me to to download! I click on the download button and absolutely nothing happens. I tried with two other downloads on that site and the same thing happened. ???
1# It’s most likely that there are left over registry entries on your system.
3# Use what ever you feel comfortable with, If you are happy with Avg keep it. It’s a fairly good AV
and #2, I would also be interested in somones answer
EDIT:: I believe that #2 is because you are behind a router? I believe that your computer is the center peice to the “network” the router being a minature pc that provides an internet connection to you.
Kyle, wouldn’t a program like RegCure, System Mechanic or TuneUp clean out outdated registry entries? I’ve tried all three, BTW, before finally settling on TuneUp as my system maintenance program of choice. (Any alternative suggestions here would be appreciated, too.) I run TuneUp maintenance a couple of times a week and do a defrag of both my internal and external hard drives once a week.
My only thought is that somewhere there’s a log or file that tells the computer that the software was once installed for a free trial, so that once the trial period is up you can’t just reinstall it for another free trial. That’s the only thing I can think of that could possibly still be on my system to trigger that installation message from Comodo. As I said, I’ve scanned and cleaned with three different apps and my system comes up clean, and a search on “McAfee” for all files and folders brings up nada. I’m stumped.
I, too, am still wondering about the “internet connection gateway” thing. I’m wondering if something hijacked my computer at some point and has been using it as some sort of waystation for spamming, or worse. I don’t have a router, unless my broadband modem is considered a router, or connects to a router at my ISP or something. I’m not at all conversant with the more technical aspects so this possibility is beyond my powers of comprehension. I’m capable of installing a new video card or DVD drive, that’s about it. Anything else and I’m at the mercy of the local repair shop.
Anyway, I’m leaving that “internet connection gateway” box unchecked until someone here tells me what it’s about and that it’s okay to leave it checked. It doesn’t seem to affect my system performance or Internet activities.
Everything is ok, don’t need to worry 5 years is a long time, Would you be comfortable with reformatting your computer? Or maybe get a friend to do it for you?
In “non-geek” terms, Registry is like the address book when you install an application it will tell it where it “lives” blah blah blah Sometimes programs don’t clean up after them selfs and tell the adress book that they have left the property.
As for cleaners, Most everyone would reccomend CCleaner. Also a new one out is Comodo Registry cleaner.
Personally and just my opinion I think that a reformat would be nice to keep your pc swift once a year… Maybe a defrag every 1-2 months? Same with Registry cleaners.
Hope this helps, If you have any other questions throw them at us!
Isn’t there anyone on this forum connected with the Comodo programmers who knows what this “internet connection gateway” checkbox means? I’m more than a little concerned, and two other people here, who are obviously much more savvy than I am, can’t figure it out either.
What is an Internet Connection Gateway (i.e ICS server)? My PC is a stand alone- no other PCs in the home- and I use a cable connection for strictly for my own home use. Would I normaly need to use my PC as a Gateway Service? I think not; but, as a novice i am uncertain.
Okay, Kyle, I turned that off when I first started this thread, and I just now got two alerts from Comodo. One told me I was about to join a Local Area Network (!) and asked me to give it a name, and the other alert said something about a Windows pseudo-process that was trying to connect to the Internet, and that this is common when a computer is an ICS. So now what do I do? Umpteen system scans have come up squeaky clean but these alerts are making it sound like somebody’s taken over my computer and is able to access it.
Is there another thread where this sort of question would be more likely to scare up some answers? I’m nervous!
I think COMODO was just detecting your private network. You can view it in your ‘My Network Zones’ under ‘Firewall’. I don’t know why it came up after you unticked the ICS option which I really think should be included in the help file.
I haven’t got a private network. You need at least two connected computers to constitute a network, don’t you? You can’t network by yourself. It’s just my little ol’ Dell and me. So you can see why I’d become somewhat concerned when my shiny new firewall pops up with a message telling me I’m about to join a “new network” and asking me to give it a name.
I don’t know what a router in this case means. I am connected to a broadband network via a modem. Is that considered a router?
I also thought that an LAN was two or more computers connected to each other in the same building, Local Area Network. My computer is connected to nothing except my ISP, via the modem. No other computers share my files, my programs or anything else. I hope.
Is the firewall considering my computer and every other computer connected to my ISP via modem to be part of an LAN?
I was curious about the ICS gateway - thought maybe it had to do with answering that I wanted to share files/folders, etc with another computer on my network. I don’t see any other setting for this and wonder if I changed my mind, what I’d have to change? Guess a separate question but if anyone knows…
It states: ICS provides networked computers with the ability to share a single connection to the Internet. So, doubt the majority of folks here need it turned on.
