ZoneAlarm vs. Sygate

This will be more likely a personal opinion. But it’s worth mentioning since it’s a personal experience. Well, let’s get started. On the ratings here in AO, ZoneAlarm appears to be ahead, but some of the AO guys tested and used Sygate SPF. I’ve been testing it too, but some issues bother me. Check it out.

My BoX
SoftWare
Microsoft Windows XP
Professional
SP2
Internet Connection Firewall (SP2 built-in) is ON.

HardWare
Intel Pentium III
868 Mhz
256 MB of RAM

ZoneAlarm [Z] vs. Sygate [S]

Description
1. ZoneAlarm
version:5.5.062.011
TrueVector version:5.5.062.011
Driver version:5.5.062.011


2. Sygate Personal Firewall
Version 5.6
Build 2808


INSTALLATION
1. Z – smooth
2. S – one small error warning, but it continues to install. Product: Sygate Personal Firewall – Error 1406. Could not write value to key \Software. System error . Verify that you have sufficient access to that key, or contact your support personnel. – I thought this error is because I am using an alternative user with Admin rights, however, for the benefit of the doubt, I uninstall and reinstall under ADMINISTRATOR user, and still the same error message pops up. See attached.

STARTUP
1. Z – smooth
2. S – error message. After installing Sygate and everytime it restarts, this message is being logged – Faulting application Smc.exe, version 5.6.0.2808, faulting module trident.dll, version 5.5.0.0, fault address 0x0007394a. See attached.

CONFIGURATION, INTERFACE & PERFORMANCE
1. Z – Working worthwhile with ZoneAlarm, I find it easy to configure. Adding that the interface helps well in navigating the menus and options.
2. S - I don’t get it, with this cool piece of tool, why it is very slow in my box? Overall performance of my PC is very slow when: 1) Configuring SPF 2) ONLINE.

Is it something with my PC not complying with the requirement of Sygate?

BTW, SPF doesn’t even have an Uninstall icon readily available, LoLz

Need some input on this like some of the advantages of SPF over ZoneAlarm.

Thanks a lot.

Yo!