Greetings all,The past couple of evenings, when I fire up FSAutostart prior to simming, my ZoneLabs firewall has been popping up the following message:"WMI is trying to communicate with systemrootsystem32smss.exe by opening it's process. Application: wmiadap.exe"I'm not getting this warning when I open other programs. I've run Ad-Aware, Spybot, and my AVG anti-virus...nothing out of the ordinary is turning up. I'm running WinXP, Service Pack 2 along with the patched version of FS9.I've just been hitting the "deny" button when this message pops up, but find it odd that it should have started appearing recently.Any ideas on what might be causing this?Regards,ScottKJMS

Hi Scott,Found this:http://www.processlibrary.com/directory/files/WMIADAP/Reads that this should not be shut down.Maybe FSAS. is trying to shut it down?Hope this helps,JimActiveSky Sales and Supporthttp://www.hifisim.com/images/asv_dev_team.jpg http://www.hifisim.com/images/asv_proud_supporter.jpg

Jim,Thanks for the reply and link to the page containing the skinny on that application! Guess I better let it do what it wants to do.Actually, FSAS is not trying to shut it down. Zonelabs firewall is having a problem with it the past couple of days. Like I said, I've been running Zonelabs for months and yesterday is when I started getting the message.On a side note - love your ActiveSky product! Can't imagine simming without it!!Regards.ScottKJMS

Hey there,On a side note, for what it's worth, I see you use AVG. I used to as well, but then a virus snuck through so I went hunting for a better free antivirus. I've since switched to Avast's free version (www.avast.com).Just thought I might let you know. I don't know if it's truely any better than AVG, but it makes me *feel* better :)

I don't know if this is germane to the discussion, but the most recent version of ZoneAlarm, for what ever reason, seems very, very picky about "warning" you that something is happening. Sometimes it will retain a setting that it is given, sometimes it doesn't. One of the more interesting things that I've noticed, is that it doesn't like CC Cleaner to wipe its logfile and prevents that from happening. Don't know if this is just a version that is naturally more aggressive(ZoneAlarm), perhaps not as thoroughly beta'd as usual, or just more irritating by nature. Ed GreenKCLThttp://www.panelshop.com/DEV.jpg

Ian, Just a comment about AVG vs. AVAST!...First, there is no "perfect" antivirus program. In the two years that I have been using AVG, I have never had a virus. However, this was not the case when I was running Norton. Antivirus programs are only as good as what virus's are known and how fast definition files can be created to detect those virus's.I have used AVAST! in the past (and liked it for the most part) but found that it used more of the system's resources than AVG does. So I use AVG with a good track record.As far as firewalls go, for the most part, there job is not to stop viruses but to detect port intursions. Of course some virus's travel within worms, ect. and can be brought in without a good firewall to protect a system. That's why it is important to use both antivirus and firewall programs together. It's all about lines of defense. I use both hardware and software firewalls with antivirus on my computers, and fortunately, they have not been successfully attacked by outside intrusions and virus's for a long time.Just be aware that switching from one antivirus program to another doesn't guarentee that a virus won't get through. For the most part, AVG and AVAST! are very simuliar programs as far as there capabilities are concerned.So even though AVG missed a virus in the past on your system, it could just as well have happend when running AVAST!, Symantec's Norton, Macafee, or any other anti-virus progam. You can't run at 100% protection, or your computer would never be able to access the internet or other networks in a timely manner.When it comes to information security, it's all about the trade-offs!Just an opinion from a current information systems security officer.Happy Simming!Scott :-)Working for: Colorado Information Security ServicesATP/CFII/DA20 Type Rated - Instructor Pilot (part time) - USAFA (KAFF), Colorado Springs, CO & at KCOSAOPA #00956593, since 1987Background in Corporate, Airline, and General AviationB.S. Degree in MISGamming System Specs: (Built this one myself)AMD Athlon-64 3000+ Gigabyte K8NS nForce3-250 Chipset 8x AGP Main Board 1GB DDR400 PC3200 Memory 160GB 7200 rpm Hard Drive 16x DVD-ROM Audigy 2ZS Gammer Sound Card5.1 Channel Surround Sound Speakers256MB GeForce-5700 8X AGP Video Cotytech Gaming CaseCH Products Yoke, Rudder Pedals, Throttle QuadrantSaitek Cyborg Gold Joystic for Helo's & Stick equipped aircrafteDimensional Force Feedback HeadsetsSaitek Eclipse KeyboardWindows XP Pro SP2Home Network for using the Instructor StationFS9 Sliders maxed with other settings (except weather, kills the FPS) at their best quality positions.

>I don't know if this is germane to the discussion, but the most recent version of ZoneAlarm, for what ever reason, seems very, very picky about "warning" you that something is happening

Thanks everyone for the replies!Yes, I've noticed since this last update of ZoneLabs it's been a little touchier than usual.Regards,ScottKJMSParttime CFIIFulltime 911/EMS/Law Enforcement Dispatcher