Choosing Anti-virus program: NAV or AVG?

To anyone dealing with Symantec.

I agree with Mike

Just a litle hint, sugggestion, or direct order ( you decide ).

I would not want to see you getting into the BAD situation that I did.

Once you get any parts or ( or all of ) Symantec products removed.

I believe it would in your best interest to remove any and all of the System restore points ( or RB00X.CAB files if you are using 98 ) and make new ones.

If you do not and then restore one of them that may contain any of Norton you may be ( and I was ) in worse shape than you were before. Especially if only part of Norton existed in the backup.

Norton may be more troubleshome in part than it is in total. In 98 SE it would only restore the Registry but not the actual program files.

BillyBob

 

Hey folks I wrote to Symantec asking them for a procedure to COMPLETLY remove all traces of NAv 2003-(I used the excuse I wanted to image my computer on as cleanest system as possible then reinstalled the applications I had on CD) This is what they mailed back to me.

This I think along with Mike "s suggestion should get rid of it.
Paul


Hello Paul,

Thank you for contacting Symantec Online Technical Support.

In your message you wrote:
>I would like complete instructions on how to completely remove my Norton AV 2003 from my computer.

Paul, in order to uninstall Norton AntiVirus (NAV) completely from your computer, please follow the steps provided below:

1. To uninstall Norton AntiVirus (NAV), please refer the document provided in the link below:

Title: 'How to uninstall Norton AntiVirus 2003 or Norton AntiVirus 2003 Professional Edition'
Document ID: 2002061016251406
> Web URL: http://service1.symantec.com/Support/nav.nsf/docid/2002061016251406

2. Rnav2003.exe is a utility that manually uninstalls the program files and registry entries that are installed by NAV 5.0/2000/2001/2002/2003. The following document from our Online Knowledge Base will assist you in uninstalling NAV 2003 using the Rnav2003 removal utility:

Title: 'How to uninstall Norton AntiVirus by using the Rnav2003.exe removal utility'
Document ID: 2001092114452606
>Web URL:
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/nav.nsf/docid/2001092114452606

3. To delete the Norton AntiVirus program folder and the virus definitions folder:

1. Start Windows Explorer.
2. Navigate to and select the C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus folder.
3. Press Delete, and then click Yes to confirm.
4. Navigate to and select the C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared folder.
5. Press Delete, and then click Yes to confirm.
6. Exit Windows Explorer.

For your convenience after creating an image when you are going to reinstall all software, please refer the document on how to install NAV 2003:

If you are installing NAV 2003 from the CD:

Title: "How to install Norton AntiVirus 2003 or Norton AntiVirus 2003 Professional Edition from the CD "
Document ID: 2002072414263906
>Web URL:
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/nav.nsf/docid/2002072414263906

If Norton AntiVirus came preinstalled, Norton AntiVirus should be on the manufacturer's CD that came with the computer. If you did not get this CD, then I recommend that you contact your computer vendor for a copy.

If you have further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to respond to this message.

Regards,

Sindhu KP
Symantec Authorized Technical Support

 

mflynn/Mike:

Within this thread, you re-posted instructions on how to clean out the NIS/NAV components. In your first set of instructions (to another person) you indicated to boot into safe mode before the uninstall process, and in the second set of instructions (to me) you did not indicate safe mode boot (maybe due to OS differences) and noted to use the Norton (un)install?

quote:

"So the "basic" steps to clean Norton (all covered in this thread).

1. Use its own install "


Well, I like to be cautious, so I was following the "boot into safe mode" route and encountered the error -- "Windows Installer Service could not be accessed, this occcurs in safe mode, or if Win Installer is not correctly installed ".

So, I'm thinkin (I am?) that maybe I could skip "safe mode" since you did not mention that in your second set of instructions, and just go for it. Sound OK?

Also: on your note in the second set of instructions to use the Norton (UN)install -- I do have an uninstall selection for NIS, but NAV does not have one, so again I'm thinkin that I'll use the Norton uninstall that I have for NIS and go the regular control panel "remove" to obliterate NAV (or did they manage to hide the NAV uninstall somewhere off in the twilight zone to mess people up?).

Lastly! I installed RegScrubXP and did a trial run to see what to expect and as a benchmark for comparison after the NOrton/Symantec uninstall...and came up with 409 registry "problems" (does that set a record?). I'm thinkin again that I will just proceed with all the instructions for the Norton uninstall, cleaning up only the Norton/Symantec stuff in the registry, and then install AVG and my replacement firewall, deferring any other cleanup of the registry for another day, maybe until such time as I have some idea of what I am doing with the registry (sounds like some guesswork is involved in what to fix and what not to...). Sound OK?

Thanks for your patience and sound advice...

 

If NIS installed properly there should be very few ( if any ) things left in the registry. Unless NIS has been installed more than once without cleaning up from the first.

Running the NIS install program will ( or should ) give you the oppertunity to Uninstall NIS which will take out both NIS and NAV.

I have had better luck removing NIS this way than from the Control panel. NIS uses it own install/uninstall log.

I also found using the NSW setup to remove/modify it is better than from the Control Panel.

deferring any other cleanup of the registry for another day,

I would suggest against doing that. Get it cleaned up as much as possible BEFORE installing anything new.

And once cleaned up make sure that you have NEW BACKUPS. Again before installing anything new.

BillyBob

 

thanx billybob

what about Mike's advice to do the uninstall in safe mode?

do I need to be concerned about that with XP ???

also, I guess "NSW" means Norton System Works? If so, I do not have that, I have this norton/symantec stuff as a result of procuring the NIS 2002 package which included NAV... any implications for me from the perspective of not having NSW ???

 

thanx billybob

You are welcome.

what about Mike's advice to do the uninstall in safe mode?

Me no got the faintest idea. I have never gone too the safe to remove software.

do I need to be concerned about that with XP ???

No idea there either.

I am using 98SE where I have my own way of removing software. ( If I need to ). I just go delete files and folder and then use the best reg cleaner I have ever used. My manual one.

BB

 

Well, thanx again bb, I will probably just give it a shot, heck I got everything (?) backed up anyway (a "system state" backup using NTbackup -- think that is adequate to recover?)...

At your suggestion, I did knock out about a third of those registry "problems" that seemed safe, mostly lower keys with missing files that were somewhat recognizable, but I'm thinkin that the rest of that stuff falls into the I-ain't-sure zone to a registry newbie like me, and will probably defer any further chance of causing problems by "fixing" the unknown; which leads me to a parting question -- is there a good sourceof info for getting up to speed quickly on recognizing what all those "problems" mean and just how viable they are as candidates to be "fixed "?

 

You are right on track. If in doubt DON'T.

As far as anything else goes it is mostly USER knowledge that is learned as time goes on.

Even with the best reg cleaner you still need to know what to knock out or leave.

And with XP to may well be a whole different ballgame. In the few days I had XP I did learn one thing. And that being that I may have change my ways. SE does not fight me. XP did.

The only two reg cleaners I have ever used are me and Norton Windoctor.

Of the two I trust me ( BillyBob ) the most. At least if something does go wrong I know who is to blame and what that same who did.

And believe me. Scanreg /restore has bailed my sorry butt out of trouble more than once.

One thing I can say that it HIGHLY recommend by ALL. BACKUP before making changes.

 

Thanks BillyBob. I re-installed and its fine but I can't understand what happened

 

KeyWester

I uninstall almost everything in safe mode. As well, I do system cleanups.

In cases when I am advising safe mode for the uninstall of anything I do so because I can not be sure the user has really terminated it so that it can be uninstalled cleanly.

So safe mode is the safe way. And it works in all 9x 2k xp.

Mike

 

Just different ways of doing things.

In fact I am not sure this thing even has a safe mode. it has not been used for so long.

Last time I used the safe mode was to remove and old video card ( and drivers ) to make room for the new.

Guess I better check it out in the AM.

BB

 

YEEEEEEEEEEH-HAAAAAAAAH!

A final report on my intrusions into this thread...

With your help, I have purged all that Norton/Symantec NIS/NAV "STUFF" from my PC and have replaced it with AVG AV and Agnitum Outpost and now I no longer have to put up with the Symantec/Software Spectrum offshored, backofficed UNtechnical supporters that never managed to resolve serious problems (like NOT being able to use Outlook with NIS...).

Best of all, I am MUCH more pleased with the new setup than I had (optimistically) expected to be. The Outpost firewall appears to have been developed by someone that actually had common sense and a knowlege of "user freindly" GUI's. Great software, after using three other firewalls over the last several years, it gets my vote for the best interface.

Thanks for all your help Mike and billybob...

 

YEEEEEEEEEEH-HAAAAAAAAH!

Back to ya.

Very glad to see that you have gotten things under YOUR control.

Of course you know that I have AVG.

But I am now in the process of changing Firewalls. Right now I have Kerio sittin here just waiting for me to hit the INSTALL button.

And you are quite welcome.

BillyBob

 

BillyBob:

Kerio is great, I reluctantly had to uninstall KPF to install Outpost, as Outpost insisted on only "one driver ".

And, altho I feel that the Outpost interface is better and Outpost SEEMS to offer more "protection" in the way of features and plugins, at this early stage I would cautiously state that KPF (even in tandem with NIS) does appear to be a little "faster" than Outpost, as I have noticed that my response time online is now slightly slower with the Outpost firewall active, but not enough to make me switch back (not yet anyway, only had it hooked up for 24 hours and could be some "vultures on the line "...). Guess I should add tho that the (barely noticeable) slowdown might also have something to do with the AVG antivirus that I installed at the same time as Outpost, as I noticed that "BigFix" immediately jumped up and pointed out that it could not coexist as-was with AVG and that I had to choose whether to have BigFix "stand down" to AVG or not, so that might imply that AVG is getting some bandwidth... And yeh, the slowdown could also be attributable to that or a number of factors, like the fact that I have not gone back to clean up the registry yet, which could be affected by the major installs, uninstalls, and more installs that I did recently, who knows... Anyway, Outpost looks great, but KPF seems to be right up there with it or ahead of it, but (so far) both are way ahead of the rest of pack in my opinion, especially when it comes around to that annual renewal fee of nothing! Good luck with KPF...

 

AVG doesn't actually use bandwidth, it does use CPU cycles to scan what's incoming and outgoing though, which will account for some slowdown.
You can shut off the automatic stuff if you want, and only run the A/V when you like via shortcut if needed.

After testing Ingitum Outpost and Kerio, I stayed with Kerio. Outpost does have a slowdown issue that I didn't notice at all with Kerio, but only when browsing. It did not affect FTP or email performance enough to measure.

 

I was using AVG which I really liked but had problems getting updates.Am now using Avast Free AV and find it great.

 

And this was ressurected from 11 months ago because?

 

What does that mean?

 

Re trojans, I run Spybot and Adaware and used to use Tauscan. Should I do so again?

Is Jammer also desirable?

Could any of these cause conflicts if all are used?

You could spend more time protecting data than using it especially since many of these programmes can't be run automatically!

 

Thanx for the Resurrection, it answered my Q's because
I'M DONE WITH NAV- symantec finally jerked my chain too often. Today techsupport again offered Zero support and "no longer supported" on my current subscription. Most recently:

1) "Norton AntiVirus was unable to send your email message because the connection to your email server was interrupted." and after several failed fixes, they seid to turn off email scanning! Ain't that part of the reason for NAV?

2) Starting last week my box began to auto-dial out for a connection at system startup. Turns out that Symantec says this was caused by their latest update, and I should "Uncheck the Publisher's and Server's certificate revocation fields in Internet Explorer" to fix it.

Fixing the symptoms, not the causes. Grrrrrr.

On to AVG!