Solution: You're correct in assuming the error has to do with ZoneAlarm. VSMON, which runs in the background when ZoneAlarm is enabled, is the program ZoneAlarm uses to monitor network activity. VSMON conflicts with a few applications, and there is anecdotal evidence it's incompatible with several popular software programs and utilities. Because you successfully ran ZoneAlarm for such a long time, it's likely another application you recently installed is conflicting with VSMON and causing the error message. That also explains why reinstalling ZoneAlarm didn't help.
The reference to Wsock32.dll indicates ZoneAlarm is conflicting with outdated 32-bit Windows Socket software. The software comprises the basic tools Windows uses to handle network and Internet communications. If (and only if) you're using Windows 95, download and install the Windows Socket Update 2 located at http://www.microsoft.com/Windows95/downloads/contents; scroll down the Windows Update page to the Administrative Tools section. Under Networking Tools, click the Windows Socket 2 Update link. Read the information before downloading the update. If you're using Windows 98 or a later OS, other software installed on your system may be at the root of the error messages.
The technical support site for ZoneAlarm (www2.zonelabs.com/services/) lists Datek's Streamer and McAfee's V-Shield products as being incompatible with its firewall software. If you use Streamer, you'll have to uninstall either ZoneAlarm or Streamer. Currently, it isn't possible to make the two applications peacefully coexist on the same machine. Zone Labs has a five-step fix on its Web site that lets V-Shield work with ZoneAlarm at www.zonealarm.com/services.
Users are reporting other software conflicts with ZoneAlarm, including Norton CrashGuard and Spinner .com's Spinner Internet radio tuner. We found no official support at press time, but you can try uninstalling or disabling these programs to see if your VSMON-related error messages go away.
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