Forums | MacLife

mtpalms · 2008-05-16 11:09 am

The work PC (WinXP) I inherited from my late boss had a subscription to Norton Internet Security, which I just let ride until it runs out. Well it runs out on June 15th, and I want an alternative to Norton. Prefferably something low/no cost.

I'm using the free version of AVG on my MBP (running Tiger), but I rarely do anything online when I am using Windows on that, and I only run Windows when I take my work home with me and have to fire up the Windows version of Quicken or the occaisional spreadsheet. I can't seem to do bank downloads into Quicken through Parallels, but that's another matter.

One, I would like recommendations on what to replace Norton with on the work PC running XP.

Two, I would like to know how to remove all traces of Symantec crap from my PC.

I don't do much casual surfing on the PC, but I do have to access a lot of secure sites in my work (bookkeeping), including banks and government sites. Also I am still using Outlook Express, and although I know it isn't the optimal for email, I loathe having to fool around with Windows, so I put up with what I know rather than switch email clients. For a Mac user, I guess I'm a pretty typical PC user. big_smile

PHUSMC · 2008-05-16 12:26 pm

Use Avast!. Its good, and its free.

dvpierce · 2008-05-16 12:36 pm

AVG is fine.

Or you can re-up your norton subscription - but that's not free.

Removing ALL traces of Symantec from your PC? I've tried it. I think it may be impossible, but after you've uninstalled all that it will let you, you can use msconfig to disable the remaining software.

test · 2008-05-16 3:48 pm

PHUSMC wrote:
Use Avast!. Its good, and its free.

Seconded.

For the moment Avast is much less resource intensive than AVG. This may change as Grisoft sorts things out and gets it running right but for now AVG 8 uses 200-300 MB more RAM than Avast on my system and causes various performance, reliability, and connectivity problems. YMMV.

Bat · 2008-05-16 5:07 pm

!

200-300MB more?!

D'Eyncourt · 2008-05-16 5:09 pm

You should examine your contract with Symmantec to check for automatic payments for re-upping your installation. There have been some funny shenanigans with such, involving such moves as a requirement of a cancellation be issued at least 30 days before the end of the contract or a payment will be made automatically.

mtpalms · 2008-05-16 9:15 pm

The computer used to belong to my boss and I bought it from his widow along with some other office stuff I needed to keep going with the clients I also inherited. The renewal was on his credit card, so I logged onto his account, cancelled the automatic renewal and then forwarded the renewal email and login info to his wife with an explanation of what was going on. The subscription was for 3 computers (his hers and mine), so it's up to her what she wants to do with the Symantec account. The sub was for 3 computers and mine is now with me and she has shut his down.

On reason to get all traces of Norton off of mine is so it can't 'phone home'.

Now I need to find software of my own, and I don't mind paying a subscription if there is a compelling reason to do so, but I've heard that AVG and Avast free services are adequate.

test · 2008-05-17 7:17 am

Bat wrote:
!

200-300MB more?!

Yep. Blew my mind when I saw the difference. I suspect at least some of it is due the new http scanning in the paid version as it uses ~100 MB more than the free version which doesn't have the http scanner.

To clarify, with AVG free my RAM use is ~200 MB higher than with Avast free, with the paid version of AVG Anti-virus it is ~300 MB higher than with Avast free. For example, right now with Firefox open typing this post Task Manager reports 721 MB in use. With AVG I usually had 900MB to 1 GB in use even with no apps running and never less than 1.1 GB in use with FF open. Kinda boggles the mind.

nayrk · 2008-05-17 9:42 am

Bat wrote:
!

200-300MB more?!

I had no idea either!!! blush

dvpierce · 2008-05-19 9:18 am

/me switches to Avast, apparently.

sturner · 2008-05-19 11:34 am

Anything to keep Windows from telling me continually that my computer is unprotected.

This even after I encased it in it's very own condom!

test · 2008-05-20 3:45 pm

I'm not sure with Vista but I think in XP you could turn off Security Center alerts.

sturner · 2008-05-20 3:51 pm

You can, but I hate drilling down through the layers, and having it pop back after installing other things.

Bat · 2008-06-01 8:27 pm

sturner wrote:
You can, but I hate drilling down through the layers, and having it pop back after installing other things.

Oddly, Quicktime does that on me. It's more persistent than msimn was... shut it off via msconfig, a week or two later it's back in the tray. Grr.

dvpierce wrote:
/me switches to Avast, apparently.

AVG 7.5 was supposed to expire today or yesterday, no more updates after May. Was going to switch today, when 7.5 updates itself on boot. confused

Anyone up on the status of AVG 8.0, if those kinks have been resolved?

Bat · 2008-06-02 12:15 pm

...and again this AM. So much for no updates after May.

I do plan to try Avast on the new machine anyway, so maybe it's bye-bye AVG for now. It's been.

test · 2008-06-03 8:58 am

Blink Personal, from e-Eye is another option maybe worth looking at. You can use it for a year free. I used it on XP for a while and it seemed to work fine with minimal impact on system performance.

Now that a 64 bit Vista compatible version is available I'm running it again. RAM use is higher than Avast but doesn't seem as high as AVG 8, at least on my system. But Blink is more than just AV so the trade-off seems reasonable to me; if you are just looking for basic anti-virus and anti-spyware then Blink is probably overkill.

Download link near bottom of this page.

LLEVIATHANN · 2008-06-03 9:12 am

Look at options from your ISP.

Being a AT&T (Ameritech-SBC) DSL customer they offer a free protection package. Last year it was made by CA but since the new year it's a strange version of Norton Internet Security. I'm callinging it NIS LITE. NIS LITE is nice for the price (free) to customers. I know Comcast offers something too and I think it's some flavor of McAfee.

Bat · 2008-06-05 4:26 am

6/4 AM's update brought the clarification of an extension of AVG 7.5 updates to June 25.

Relatedly, Extremetech ran an article on spyware.

This article is brought to you by the good guys at PCMag.com

June 2, 2008 -By Neil J. Rubenking

Nine Ways to Wipe Out Spyware

The goal of antispyware software is extremely simple. If any kind of malicious software is present on the system, the antispyware app should remove every trace. And if the system is clean, the app should prevent malicious software from installing. Simple. The hard part is making it happen.

The '10th of nine' was old standby Spybot S&D 1.5...

I didn't initially include Spybot - Search & Destroy, because I'd long ago given up on it as a useful way to protect a computer from spyware. I didn't realize, however, that not all of you agreed. After a considerable outcry, I decided to give the old app a new look, making it the tenth of our nine antispyware apps. Let's just say no one has taught this old dog any new tricks recently.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2261193,00.asp

Guess it's due for replacement.

mtpalms · 2008-06-10 3:33 pm

Well, this is fun. I'm uninstalling Norton prior to installing Avast. Zzzzzzz...
Okay Norton is gone, but when I tried to remove LiveUpdate, it says there are other 'some other Symantec applications registered with LiveUpdate. You should not remove LiveUpdate unless all Symantec applications have been uninstalled first' confused

I don't see anything else on the Add or Remove Programs list besides LiveUpdateNotice just below LiveUpdate, and it gives a similar error: 'You are attempting to unintsall a program that is required for other Symantec products to run on your PC. You are unable to rmove this program at this time'.

Any suggestions?

LLEVIATHANN wrote:
Look at options from your ISP.

Being a AT&T (Ameritech-SBC) DSL customer they offer a free protection package. Last year it was made by CA but since the new year it's a strange version of Norton Internet Security. I'm callinging it NIS LITE. NIS LITE is nice for the price (free) to customers. I know Comcast offers something too and I think it's some flavor of McAfee.

Verizon offers Verizon Internet Security Suite, which they charge for, I just can't find anywhere on their site that says how much. I'll try something free first.

mtpalms · 2008-06-10 4:30 pm

http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/sh … &ct=us

whaa

Warning In the next steps you will edit the Windows registry. Back up the registry before you make any changes to it, because incorrect changes to the registry can result in permanent data loss or corrupted files. Delete only the specified registry key.
For instructions, read Backing up the Windows registry.

Can't I just disable it and leave it in there?
cry

Bat · 2008-06-11 5:55 am

Editing the Registry needn't be quite that scary. Follow those instructions carefully, mindful that Registry changes take effect immediately, navigate carefully, and it needn't be painful at all.

Most of the intermediate-to-advanced users hereabouts have done it. I must've done one or two score RegEdits manually over the years without making anything asplode. Countless more done via utility.

Making that go away for real will help avoid any future software conflicts. Of course, if you really don't want to, don't be pushed into it. It's your machine and data.

Bat · 2008-06-11 6:38 am

Btw, after Patch Tuesday and all of its ~20MB DL worth of patches ate nearly 200MB space (reported), began surgery on XP. AVG 7.5 gone, Avast installed. Looks promising. That and other measures reclaiming disc space to more comfortable levels pending nuke/ pave after new box online.

mtpalms · 2008-06-11 8:29 am

Backing up the registry was no big deal. I'll bite the bullet and do what has to be done to get rid of LiveUpDate.

THanks for everyone's input, it's been very helpful.

I have one last question but it's kind of off topic:
I haven't upgraded to spk3 because, like I mentioned beofre I inherited this machine from my late boss, and it is registered under his name. Does it require a password? Is it terribly important to make this upgrade?

mtpalms · 2008-06-11 10:55 am

damn,damn,damn...

I got all the way to step 4 and down to number 2:

(http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/sh … &ct=us):

3 Delete LiveUpdate folders from the hard drive
1 In Windows Explorer, navigate to the following folder:
C:\Program Files\Symantec
2 Right-click the LiveUpdate folder, and click Delete.
3 Go to the appropriate folder for your version of Windows:

Windows 2000/XP

C:\Documents And Settings\All Users\Application Data\Symantec\
Windows Me

C:\Windows\All Users\Application Data\Symantec\

Windows 98

C:\Windows\All Users\Application Data\Symantec\

Note If you upgraded from another version of Windows, your path may match that of the older operating system.
4 Delete the LiveUpdate folder

And I got an error:

"Cannot delete AluschedulerSvc.exe
Access is denied.

Make sure disk is not full or write protected and that the file is not currently in use."

Now what? I've already done all the previous steps.

I knew some stupid crap like this would happen. Words in a family forum cannot fully express my irritation.

PS: Is it alright to get online anyway? I have bank downloads, bill paying, and other bookkeeping to do for my clients.

Last edited by mtpalms (2008-06-11 10:57 am)

mtpalms · 2008-06-11 11:02 am

dvpierce wrote:
AVG is fine.

Or you can re-up your norton subscription - but that's not free.

Removing ALL traces of Symantec from your PC? I've tried it. I think it may be impossible, but after you've uninstalled all that it will let you, you can use msconfig to disable the remaining software.

I just reread this thread to refresh my memory. What is msconfig? Will that solve my problem?

I just found it thanks to this:
http://www.netsquirrel.com/msconfig/msconfig_xp.html

Under Services, I unchecked
Symantec NetConnect Service
LiveUpdate
LiveUpdate Notice Service Ex
and
LiveUpdate Notice Service

That sort of explains the error message that included something about the program might be running.

Last edited by mtpalms (2008-06-11 11:14 am)

Forums | MacLife

#1 2008-05-16 11:09 am

Norton is finally expiring, now what?

#2 2008-05-16 12:26 pm

Re: Norton is finally expiring, now what?

#3 2008-05-16 12:36 pm

Re: Norton is finally expiring, now what?

#4 2008-05-16 3:48 pm

Re: Norton is finally expiring, now what?

PHUSMC wrote:

#5 2008-05-16 5:07 pm

Re: Norton is finally expiring, now what?

#6 2008-05-16 5:09 pm

Re: Norton is finally expiring, now what?

#7 2008-05-16 9:15 pm

Re: Norton is finally expiring, now what?

#8 2008-05-17 7:17 am

Re: Norton is finally expiring, now what?

Bat wrote:

#9 2008-05-17 9:42 am

Re: Norton is finally expiring, now what?

Bat wrote:

#10 2008-05-19 9:18 am

Re: Norton is finally expiring, now what?

#11 2008-05-19 11:34 am

Re: Norton is finally expiring, now what?

#12 2008-05-20 3:45 pm

Re: Norton is finally expiring, now what?

#13 2008-05-20 3:51 pm

Re: Norton is finally expiring, now what?

#14 2008-06-01 8:27 pm

Re: Norton is finally expiring, now what?

sturner wrote:

dvpierce wrote:

#15 2008-06-02 12:15 pm

Re: Norton is finally expiring, now what?

#16 2008-06-03 8:58 am

Re: Norton is finally expiring, now what?

#17 2008-06-03 9:12 am

Re: Norton is finally expiring, now what?

#18 2008-06-05 4:26 am

Re: Norton is finally expiring, now what?

#19 2008-06-10 3:33 pm

Re: Norton is finally expiring, now what?

LLEVIATHANN wrote:

#20 2008-06-10 4:30 pm

Re: Norton is finally expiring, now what?

#21 2008-06-11 5:55 am

Re: Norton is finally expiring, now what?

#22 2008-06-11 6:38 am

Re: Norton is finally expiring, now what?

#23 2008-06-11 8:29 am

Re: Norton is finally expiring, now what?

#24 2008-06-11 10:55 am

Re: Norton is finally expiring, now what?

#25 2008-06-11 11:02 am

Re: Norton is finally expiring, now what?

dvpierce wrote:

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