Uninstall of Norton necessary?

[jericap Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close jericap]

I believe I have a virus on this computer, just by the way it's acting. Everytime a virus scan is run, it always pulls up some low risk tracking cookies and then I have to fix it. I currently use Norton Internet Security and also run Spy Sweeper on a Windows XP platform.

Does anyone know if I can run another virus program, such as AVG, without uninstalling my Norton first?

[Arkansas Winger Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Arkansas Winger]

You can run another virus program while Norton is installed. Everything I have read basically states you do not want to have more than one progam running at a time.

So shut off Norton while you are checking for virus with another program. Both Avast and AVG are free to use and I feel do a decent job. I use Avast for my anti-virus software on my computers.

Also, you might want to install the AVG Anti-Root kit to check for virus that won't show up when checking with a regular Anti-virus scan.

I agree with bigfrank and timeos2. I would never have Norton on my computers....

[Nancy Platinum Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close Nancy]

Tracking Cookies

Tracking Cookies come up everytime I run Norton. Just delete, keep going and then delete again next time I run Norton.

Nancy

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

Try using the online scaner at Panda first before going to AVG Antivirus, anti-spyware, anti-spam, firewall. Protect yourself with Panda Security After it is down throw Norton out the window and use Avg

[timeos2 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close timeos2]

Try using the online scaner at Panda first before going to AVG Antivirus, anti-spyware, anti-spam, firewall. Protect yourself with Panda Security After it is down throw Norton out the window and use Avg

Agreed. Send Norton packing as it is basically worthless and a resource hog.

[jericap Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close jericap]

Okay..For the life of me, I can't find where to disable or shut down Norton!! I used to be able to right click and disable. Can't do that now, it only gives me 3 options..open, show notification and show in the sys tray. I opened it, went to the hellp and support..it runs some of sort of scan...I do a search and put in disable and no help
Does anyone know how to do disable this thing so I can take the appropriate steps???

BTW, I have either Norton 2007 or 2008..just installed it 3 months ago

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

Okay..For the life of me, I can't find where to disable or shut down Norton!! I used to be able to right click and disable. Can't do that now, it only gives me 3 options..open, show notification and show in the sys tray. I opened it, went to the hellp and support..it runs some of sort of scan...I do a search and put in disable and no help
Does anyone know how to do disable this thing so I can take the appropriate steps???

BTW, I have either Norton 2007 or 2008..just installed it 3 months ago

Listen here forget disable do a compleat uninstall!

[Nancy Platinum Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close Nancy]

Good Uninstall

If you want to do a total uninstall, go to Norton and find where they send down a program to uninstall everything.

Nancy

[T. R. Oglodyte Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close T. R. Oglodyte]

If you want to do a total uninstall, go to Norton and find where they send down a program to uninstall everything.

Nancy

It is impossible to uninstall Norton by running Norton's "uninstall". Norton will still leave pieces of itself behind in your system files and will likely occasionally interfere with normal system operations.

There are only two ways know of to truly uninstall Norton. One is to search and edit the system registry - only recommended if you really, really, really know what you are doing and how to work with and edit a registry.

The second is to reinstall Windows.

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

It is impossible to uninstall Norton by running Norton's "uninstall". Norton will still leave pieces of itself behind in your system files and will likely occasionally interfere with normal system operations.

There are only two ways know of to truly uninstall Norton. One is to search and edit the system registry - only recommended if you really, really, really know what you are doing and how to work with and edit a registry.

The second is to reinstall Windows.

What about having windows do an uninstall?

[Nancy Platinum Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close Nancy]

Windows uninstall

Windows leaves more than Norton. I needed to do an uninstall on 2 of my 4 computers and tried Windows uninstall. It left parts so that I could not install a new version of Norton. I had to use Norton's (from website) uninstall.

Nancy

[JWC Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close JWC]

It is impossible to uninstall Norton by running Norton's "uninstall". Norton will still leave pieces of itself behind in your system files and will likely occasionally interfere with normal system operations.

There are only two ways know of to truly uninstall Norton. One is to search and edit the system registry - only recommended if you really, really, really know what you are doing and how to work with and edit a registry.

The second is to reinstall Windows.

Steve, you are absolutely correct. I had Norton System Works Professional Installed for a few years. This included the AV software. I decided to get rid of Norton about 4 years ago and use BitDefender Professional instead. Not only do you need to get rid of the Norton AV but also Live Update. It took me a lot of work to get rid of Norton completely. Yes, I had to do go into the registry and get rid of all the references to Norton and Symnatec. That was not an easy task and I know exactly what I am doing. Once I was able to get rid of Norton completely, my computer performance improved tremendously.

[T. R. Oglodyte Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close T. R. Oglodyte]

What about having windows do an uninstall?

Steve, you are absolutely correct. I had Norton System Works Professional Installed for a few years. This included the AV software. I decided to get rid of Norton about 4 years ago and use BitDefender Professional instead. Not only do you need to get rid of the Norton AV but also Live Update. It took me a lot of work to get rid of Norton completely. Yes, I had to do go into the registry and get rid of all the references to Norton and Symnatec. That was not an easy task and I know exactly what I am doing. Once I was able to get rid of Norton completely, my computer performance improved tremendously.

Windows Uninstall often does not remove all pieces of an installation. Many software packages - Norton and AOL being two with which I am unfortunately familiar - are written to never uninstall completely having once been installed.

As John said, you have to clean them out of the registry. If you can't clean the registry by hand, reinstalling Windows will do it for you. Of course, after a reinstall cleans the registry, you have to reinstall all of the software you do want, since those entries are also gone.

It's also tough to get all of the Norton files out of the operating system. If you look around you will probably still find entire folders that are clearly Norton or Symantec - totally neglected by the uninstall routines. Then there will be additional system files - DLLs mostly - still hanging out in the system folders. But those aren't always obvious. If you successfully kill the registry references to those files, they probably don't do any harm any longer except for occupying space.

And, as John notes, LiveUpdate is a real pain to get rid of.

[jericap Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close jericap]

I think this may be too complicated for me....maybe I will have someone else do it for me.

[grest Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close grest]

I just had a terrible virus on my laptop that totally by-passed Norton. Fortunately we have a friend who could rebuild my computer, the only way to fix it...no more counting on Norton for me...
Connie