Shoutbox

I've been using the free version of IMsecure for a few weeks now, and here is some detailed feedback. 

First, since someone asked early on for an image of the error, here goes:

IMsecure Error


IMsecure Pro Error


I have recieved this error with MSN Messenger 6.1 and MSN Messenger 6.2 which was just recently released.


Where is this being discussed?
I have read some reports in the ZoneLabs forums where users claim to have isolated the problem to recieving alerts, deleting contacts, and running Messenger Plus!  Link threads included below:

Recieving Alerts
http://forum.zonelabs.org/zonelabs/board/message?...runtime+error#M970

Deleting Contacts
http://forum.zonelabs.org/zonelabs/board/message?...runtime+error#M940

Messenger Plus!
http://forum.zonelabs.org/zonelabs/board/message?...runtime+error#M856


When does it crash?
For me, deleting a contact is the most reliable way to reproduce this problem.

I did not first discover the problem after deleting a contact though.  Instead, I left MSN Messenger running for several hours while I slept or what not.  This has happened when my status was set to "Appear Offline" as well as the default "Away" setting.  I have also experienced the problem when I was not idle at random times.

This may point to reception of an MSN Alert as a possible issue, but I have not verified this to my satisfaction or seen methods others used for verification posted in the ZoneLabs thread.

A friend, who does not use Messenger Plus!, has also verified that adding himself as a contact, then deleting the contact causes msnmsgr.exe to have a runtime error.


How do I recover?
I typically run MSN Messenger on my home machine and work machine (both Windows XP Pro).  Both have Messenger Plus! installed, and both have IMsecure installed.  Since they were all installed at about the same time from the same links, I believe the versions are all identical.

On my home machine, I am able to re-start by closing the runtime error box and running MSN Messenger again, but I must first terminate the old msnmsgr.exe process which usually has around 25,000 K Peak Mem Usage and VM Size.  I've seen it in the 30,000 K neighborhood after a crash as well.  Once this old process is killed, MSN Messenger re-starts normally.

On my work machine, I do not have to kill the old process for some reason.


Choli's Questions
Choli had some good questions, so I will summarize by answering them directly here:

Messenger crashes or Messenger Plus?
msnmsgr.exe crashes as detailed in the image above.

and does that happen it Plus isn't installed?
I have not verified this, since I can't bear to be without Plus!

and when does it crash? just installed, when you sign in, when you talk...?
Whever a contact is deleted.
Also after random periods of time usually in excess of one hour.
In my experience, it installed without a hitch.
Doesn't crash on sign-in.
I believe it has crashed once or twice as I was typing a reply - could be coincidence (maybe MSN Alert was recieved at same instant).

Contacting ZoneLabs
I've seen a lot of "Guru" posts in the ZoneLabs forums that say "Contact ZoneLabs".  These "Gurus" deserved to be smacked for stating this without providing users with a meaningful way of getting in-touch with the people who collect bug-reports.  This is CLEARLY a bug, and NOT a "support" issue.

If anyone finds out how to contact their bug-report people, please post in this forum.  I'll also try to track down a "path of least resistance" for getting this issue resolved on Monday when I can call them during business hours.

To date, I had heard good things about ZoneAlarm from people who use it, but this experience (and my recent discovery that ZoneAlarm makes MSN Messenger file transfers VERY SLOW) have lowered my opinion to "below neutral".