Safe bootups with Sygate 5.5 free

I am using a cable modem connection. Knowing that there is a lag in time between XP OS making internet connection, and Sygate's firewall taking the control. Some unprotected dangerous time there !!!

For that reason I think it should be safer like this:
1. I unplug my cable modem power cord and then do a startup or a restart.
2. After all is running properly, I connect the cable modem's power cord. Internet still not working, but I go and sign out the user I am.
3. Log back in, and voila, all is working.

Any comments of my procedure, recommended?

 

It is difficult to know when firewall protection is enabled during the boot process unless you have some knowledge from the makers of that firewall. Most firewalls enable the firewall engine during the boot sequence long before the GUI is loaded in the systray.
Someone here may know when Sygate loads its engine and what mode it is in at the time. If not, you may want to try Sygates Forum.
A firewall should not require someone to go thru such a complicated proceedure as you have described. If it is an issue, they need to address it. This is referring to all firewalls.

 

Hi Jarmo P,

i read your post at the Sygate Forum, and realize you are using version 5.5, so my comments below may not be helpful to you since i am still using version 5.1 (free). But to see which applications were listed in TaskManager while the computer was starting up, i rebooted my computer and checked TaskManager. It was a bit tricky keeping it displayed as the splashscreens of the different apps began to appear, but i noticed that along with NOD32 and TrojanHunter's THGuard, Smc.exe was also there running as a system service as the other programs' icons began to display in the Systray. Smc.exe was the only app showing with a cpu of 99 in TaskManager so i know it was active. Then as the other programs finished loading their icons, Sygate's cpu slowly began to decrease. It was only after all the other programs were finished loading that Smc.exe's cpu went down to 00, and Sygate's icon appeared in the systray.

Like root says "Most firewalls enable the firewall engine during the boot sequence long before the GUI is loaded in the systray." i believe this is what is happening since we cannot see what is loading until our monitor displays it.

When i start my computer up, as soon as the desktop shows, the very first splashscreen that appears Filechecker, then NOD32's splashscreen, and so on, with the last icon to display, being Sygate's. But that doesn't mean that Sygate isn't loaded already, it just means that Sygate's icon waits for all the other applications' icons to display first in the systray, then it appears. At least, that is how it is working on my system (XP-Home) with Sygate 5.1 (free)

Not sure if the above would ease your worries about Sygate being there protecting you as your system starts up, but maybe the Mods at the Sygate Forum will be able to offer you another way to check that?

best regards,

snap

 

Thx for the reply.
I sure will be happy, if it is only the systray icon, that is showing on as the latest and not the actual prgram starting up. I did post the question too to Sygate forum.
The Pro version of the program has the security option of blocking off all traffic until smc.exe has started, but it is not possible to check that one in the free version.