Warning about Quietzone

Discussion in 'sandboxing & virtualization' started by taleblou, May 2, 2014.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. taleblou

    taleblou Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jan 9, 2010
    Posts:
    1,349
    Changed my mind on quietzone. I decided to uninstall it because of some compatibility came up but to my surprise I found it has no uninstall option. I tried several uninstall tool like revo, iobit and windows and ccleaner and all show no sign of quietzone in the installation list. So now to my horror I found there is no way to uninstall this software. I was forced to search the pc and edit the registry manually and with registry cleaners to clean quietzone. After a long cleaning procedure, I still fell traces maybe left. I could not find any uninstalling info online and the re-downloading the program and running does nothing but update current install.

    So this is a warning for anyone using this software.
     
  2. pegr

    pegr Registered Member

    Joined:
    Apr 8, 2008
    Posts:
    2,280
    Location:
    UK
    In my case, it did make an entry in Add or Remove Programs but I would always advise anyone to make a system image before trialling new software, just in case something unexpected like this happens.

    Even though I was able to uninstall it via Add or Remove Programs, I also restored the previously saved image afterwards to remove any remaining traces.
     
    Last edited: May 2, 2014
  3. Coldmoon

    Coldmoon Returnil Moderator

    Joined:
    Sep 18, 2006
    Posts:
    2,981
    Location:
    USA
    Hi taleblou,
    From the description of the issue, it is likely that you attempted to uninstall QZ with the virtualization (Quietzone protection) active and/or tried to use a third party uninstaller. To create the virtual environment (the sandbox), QZ includes a driver that must be installed and then uninstalled in a very specific sequence and like our older generations of RVS/RSS we still have the same warning that uninstallers like REVO do not do this properly.

    the report that there was no add/remove programs entry for QZ indicates that the software did not install properly and is most likely where the problems began. Can you take me through the steps from install to when you encountered the inability to uninstall. Please include any/all errors if you can remember them.

    Does the following directory still exist on your system?

    * Win Vista/Win 7/ Win 8: C:\ProgramData\Quietzone\RQZ\Log
    * Win XP: C:\Documents and Settings\all users\application data\Quietzone\RQZ\Log

    @pegr,
    The only remnants of a Queitzone install that should remain following an uninstall would be the log files that are the same type of text based troubleshooting logs that you know from the older RSS/RVS and the uninstall is a similar process including restart to complete the uninstall.
     
  4. taleblou

    taleblou Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jan 9, 2010
    Posts:
    1,349
    Hi:

    Thanks for reply. I do not know what happened but when tried to uninstall, I did not have the uninstaller of quietzone. It could be that maybe one of my malware scanners may have detected it falsly and removed it maybe??. Anyway I revert to a older good image and behold the quietzone has the uninstaller intact. Sorry for jumping the gun.

    Now I have another issue that if you could help with quietzone for me.

    Why is it when quietzone protection is active, when I try to install softwares (I test them before install them), most of them pop some type of errors and do not install or install with issues such in-active components? This only happenes when quietzone is active. I did not have this issue with toolwiz timefreeze and others. By the way I choose all drives in quietzone protection.

    Thanks in advance for your reply.
     
  5. Coldmoon

    Coldmoon Returnil Moderator

    Joined:
    Sep 18, 2006
    Posts:
    2,981
    Location:
    USA
    What is the text of the errors you are seeing?
     
  6. taleblou

    taleblou Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jan 9, 2010
    Posts:
    1,349
    Varies error based on the apps installing. For example for online armor I get driver install error. For 360 internet security after the rror poped up, it installed but the shields were turned off and would not turn on. Comodo firewall had driver install issues. There are others. Not all applications showed errors. Some installed and ran fine. The majority had to do with security apps installs.

    These ran fine when quietzone was turned off.
     
  7. taleblou

    taleblou Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jan 9, 2010
    Posts:
    1,349
    I will try and install a few security apps for test and report here the errors.
     
  8. taleblou

    taleblou Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jan 9, 2010
    Posts:
    1,349
    I tested a couple of security apps that have issues when quietzone is active:

    Online armor pro:
    Partly through install gave error " Socket error # 11001. Host not found" and disconnected my internet as a result.

    360 internet security:
    Installed fine but when opened anti-logger and sandbox was OFF and would not turn on.

    Emsisoft antimalware pro:
    Installed fine but when opened all protection was OFF and would not turn on

    Comodo Internet Security:
    Installed fine but afterward it gave " comodo security agent could not be started" and would not load.

    This is a few apps that have issues when quietzone is on. They work fine once it is turned off.

    by the way my system is windows 7 home premium 32bit.
     
  9. Brummelchen

    Brummelchen Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jan 3, 2009
    Posts:
    5,868
    Returnil is good for nothing.
     
  10. taleblou

    taleblou Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jan 9, 2010
    Posts:
    1,349

    I have to add that the issue is only during install. Once the installation is finished with quietzone off and the program runs, then afterward if you turn quietzone on, it will not interfere except some small incompatibility with comodo and online armor.

    Therefore for testing or installing apps, specially installing security apps when quietzone is active, I would not advice as it will cause issues with many of them.

    On the other hand, toolwiz timefreeze has no such issues.
     
  11. Coldmoon

    Coldmoon Returnil Moderator

    Joined:
    Sep 18, 2006
    Posts:
    2,981
    Location:
    USA
    The issues as you note are directly related to driver installs. Like the older generations of RVS/RSS, the only apps that can be installed and be expected to work properly are mobile apps that do not require a restart of the computer. Quietzone and its predecessors are focused on enforcing a clean machine state and not about simulation support.

    This means that what you are describing is exactly what our software is supposed to do - a feature and not a bug.

    One thing you might want to consider seriously are the security implications of an app layer (WTF) solution that supports installing drivers, even if "temporarily". When your focus is on Instant System Recovery as part of a security, rather than simple restore to productivity goal, you will encounter some inconveniences so you need to weigh the risks vs benefits of a strategy that includes the type of hole that app level solutions can bring to the party like WTF...
     
  12. taleblou

    taleblou Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jan 9, 2010
    Posts:
    1,349

    Thank you for clearifying this. By the way does quietzone protect against TDL-4 TDSS and bootkit infections or not?
     
  13. Coldmoon

    Coldmoon Returnil Moderator

    Joined:
    Sep 18, 2006
    Posts:
    2,981
    Location:
    USA
    Yes, but it depends on whether all vulnerable disks are protected. Think of the bouncing ball scenario where part of the payload makes changes on alternate disks while the system is protected. While the changes to the system and primary disk are dropped at restart, some land mines might persist on unprotected disks that could come back to haunt you later on and why it is still important to have some form of feedback in the security strategy that includes detection/filtering capabilities.
     
  14. taleblou

    taleblou Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jan 9, 2010
    Posts:
    1,349
    Thanks.
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.