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Do Symantec make Antivirus or VIRUS software?

Just bought myself a brand new Windows Media Centre PC with some pre-installed software. Among this was a trial version of NIS/NAV - not my choice I'm glad to say.
Obvious thing to do was uninstall it, didn't want the free trial anyway. One small problem everywhere you go to try to uninstall it the only option is to use Windows Add/Remove programs - just one SMALL problem there was no entry for it!
A search on the internet found that someone had found a program called symNRT that removed it and I followed the link and downloaded it. Upon running it said it was made by Stmantec and had expired, visit their website for a new version. No mention, conveniently as they want people to use their AntiVirus software, on the site but a search showed a new version was being released that day.
Downloaded the software and lo and behold no more NAV/NIS what joy could now install my prefered software. Just need to get my windows updates downloaded and installed and we're away.
PROBLEM I could select the updates but the screen froze and wouldn't do a download, eventually times out with a non-descript Microsoft error.
Back to the search engine again and found: http://www.talkaboutsoftware.com/group/microsoft.public.windowsupdate/messages/156524.html
It appears that a lot of people had been down the same route and although symNRT removes NAV/NIS as it says there is an unadvertsied side effect that it screws up your registry so that you can no longer run Windows update.
Now my definition of a virus is a nasty piece of software that interferes with the normal operation of a PC - somehow this seems to fit the bill! Not only do Symantec cause/allow their AntiVirus software to be installed with no easy uninstall route as is provided by most other software manufacturers they also provide a tool to do the remove, when you can find it, that causes you more problems.
 
I've uninstalled Norton several times with no problems( other than the fact I had to uninstall it cos it had screwed up).
I've checked and it IS on the uninstall list on my PC (under "N" for Norton rather than "S" for Symantic).
 
Hi CC
I also have unistalled Norton successfully, when I have installed it - the problem here was that it was installed automatically as part of the original software, along iwth AOL & Wanadoo stuff. Because of this there was no uninstall entry - don't ask me why - there were only a handfull of entries in the add.remove programs list, they almost fitted on one screen, and there was DEFINITELY no entry under Norton or Symantec other than the one for liveupdate which warned that NIS/NAV should be removed first.
 
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Just as Zantos says, you often find that pre-built PC's, especially Media Centre ones, will not include certain 'sponsoring' third party software in the Add/Remove list. That's why I never buy pre-built systems, but obviously it's not an option for everybody to build there own.

In the future this could get much worse, with DRM (Digital Rights Management) being able to physically lock you in to using certain software.
 
Hi Mark
This was the point I was trying to make, unless anybody was web savy and could find the remove program they had two unworkable options
1) try and delete the directory with Norton in and be left with loads of error messages.
2) try and run regedit and remove all references to Norton/Symantec - nearly impossible
Other than that there only option is to pay to use the service as you can't install another anti-virus program sucessfully with one already in place.
 
If I want to use a different browser, I can
If I want to use a different email client, I can
If I want to use a different media player, I can
If I want to use a different cd-writing program, I can

Why are companies like Symantec allowed to get away with this? People bang on about Microsoft but this is taking away the choice of the consumer.
I have seen this first hand with my customers, one of them had a packard-bell laptop, he tried uninstalling Norton but couldn't find it in Add/Remove, he wint into Packard Bell Software Library & every pre-installed program was there to be installed or uninstalled with a red "X" or green "tick" except Norton, it was there but without the "X" or "tick", he was told after 3 months he could uninstall it or pay the £60, I wonder how many people pay the £60?

pcblues
 
Im assuming this was a dell pc maybe?

I recently looked at a freinds, to see if he could add a graphics card (he had a powerful pc, except for the integrated graphics). Lo and behold, it doesnt have an agp or PCI e slot.

Anyway, on going through windows, it had AOL, freeserve, and all manner of nasty uneeded stuff on it. Much of which loaded up on bootup. Really, whats the point? If you buy a PC you really shouldnt have it all on there by default.

The fool didnt take up my offer of building him a pc, oh well.
 
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Old dude said:
Anyway, on going through windows, it had AOL, freeserve, and all manner of nasty uneeded stuff on it. Much of which loaded up on bootup. Really, whats the point? If you buy a PC you really shouldnt have it all on there by default.
.


I have just purchased a new Medion Computer from Aldi ....it has AOL loaded and I cannot get rid of it...whatever I do, it still shows up in Add/Remove grrrrrrrrrr.

I agree, these companies could easily just include a free disc, but of course, they know that most people will just bin them..

No doubt the computer makers are on a back hander from the likes of AO (hel)L... :(
 
Sorry about the delay in responding, I've been away until 1/2 an hour ago.
Sorry Zantos I wasnt aware that the pre-installed software differed from the normal in that way.
As a suggestion for anyone else in this situation (and I cant guarantee it will work) try downloading SystemWorks 2005 via bittorrent, installing it using the hacks provided; this should overwrite the pre-installed "trial" version; you should then be able to uninstall the "Hack" version, leaving nothing behind.
 
Hi, Just out of curiosity...what AV and firewall programs are good/best?

My NIS/AV are now showing me the 'renewal subscription' notice, though personally I've never had any real problems with Norton. Well 1 to be exact, can't recall the cause but a un-install/refit solved it.

What do you guys use/recommend??

:)
 
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I found AVG failed to pick up some stuff that Norton did, however I dont use Norton Firewall either, its carp; i use ZoneAlarm and have done for 8 years.
 
Sygate has recently been acquired by Symantec. (I found the free version to be a very good firewall, but way too demanding on processor time).

I just use the free version of Zonealarm for outbound protection, The router I use has got a stateful firewall built in anyway.

NOD and Kaspersky seem to be the most highly rated Antivirus solutions.
 
Mel said:
NOD and Kaspersky seem to be the most highly rated Antivirus solutions.

NOD? Whats that,please.

Well i dunno, i seem to get on ok with NIS..or maybe i just dont know any better :shrug: I only bought it when i went broadband, i was told a good firewall is in order for it! Though i dunt seem to get very many intrusions at all..as i said in another thread last night, i have a Binatone ADSL router (with a few forwarded ports)..from NDO (still my isp) i do not believe it has one built in..so i must be doing something right?! Obviously get the odd thing pop up..but who doesn't right. I've heard talk of routers havin NAT, but i dunt understand what that is/does..but seems to contribute to fewer 'intrusions'?.

Cheers for the advice thouh,everyone. It's not wasted as my friend is wanting the free kit (goin for AVG Free+Zone Alarm Free) to protect her dail up.
:)
 
Cheers Madman, you pipped me to NOD..i found a piece in another thread by Kits sayin what it was! :)

Ah, NAT..i get the gist now.

Thanks for your time. :cool:
 
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Jeez, just when you think it's easy and stick with NIS...i just had a browse around..and for all-in-one internet security packages...Zone Alarm Pro gets a top write up. I figure it cannot really be much more daunting to configure than NIS,right??
The site i looked at link rated it miles above NIS. Though NOD AV sounds good..it seems nice to get it all in one package. ZA Pro IS appears to be able to do all that NIS does..only better, right?
I never thought about it all slowing down the system..with 1.7g i can do without that!

Admin..sorry the path i've taken this..should be in Firewalls/AV etc..apologies. :)
 
Aweegin said:
Cheers Madman, you pipped me to NOD..i found a piece in another thread by Kits sayin what it was! :)

Ah, NAT..i get the gist now.

Thanks for your time. :cool:
Always happy to help. If you ever need to know the definition of something, Wikipedia is usually the best place to check, as the articles are (usually) written by people knowledgable on the subject they're writing about (whereas sites you find through search engines are usually done by people who think they know what they're talking about).
 
ZoneAlarm is so easy to use even my sister can manage; and my sister is the girl who famously once phoned me to say she couldnt get our mothers PC to switch on after spending 4 hours waggleing the mouse. (no joke).
 
Aweegin said:
Jeez, just when you think it's easy and stick with NIS...i just had a browse around..and for all-in-one internet security packages...Zone Alarm Pro gets a top write up. I figure it cannot really be much more daunting to configure than NIS,right??
The site i looked at link rated it miles above NIS. Though NOD AV sounds good..it seems nice to get it all in one package. ZA Pro IS appears to be able to do all that NIS does..only better, right?
I never thought about it all slowing down the system..with 1.7g i can do without that!

Admin..sorry the path i've taken this..should be in Firewalls/AV etc..apologies. :)

http://www.av-comparatives.org/seiten/comparatives.html has some recent anti-virus test results including for nod, kaspersky and Norton. They also do a test with out of date signature files that may give some indication how well AV programs perform against new unknown virus variants.
 
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