Your opinion on Norton, please

I have Norton SystemWorks 2002. My subscription to Norton is up and wanted your opinion. I can renew my subscription, but they no longer support SW2002. What is your opinion on SW 2005 and NIS 2005? I have not heard good things about them. I would like some help in making a decision.

I am running Win 2000 pro, use ZA, Adaware, Spybot, and one reason I like SW2002 is the GO BACK.

Thanks for your help,

Jeane

 

Hi Jeane,
I'm following up your question on TotalUninstall asked in this thread: Looking for the best antivirus and firewalls http://www.windowsbbs.com/search.php?searchid=80032

If you didn't install with TU, the following advice works almost 100% in getting rid of software traces to be followed up with a reg cleaner like RegSeeker, I've used these techniques myself.

The following is from a thread at Wilders: Which is the best tool for uninstalling programs? http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=87614

Regards - Charles

 

Hello, Charles

There's an older, freeware version of TU available from Major Geeks and of course the current version costing $29. Would I be missing anything vital by going for the "freebie" version? Thanks.

btw: what is your opinion of System Mechanics? Is this something the average Joe User can get along without, using the tools that come with Windows XP?

 

Hi James,

http://www.martau.com/ Home page

http://www.martau.com/tu3_vs_tu2.php
Total Uninstall 3 versus Total Uninstall 2

Latest free version is 2.3.5.257 which IMO does the basic job, just w/o some of the bells & whistles of the paid version which would be most useful in an enterprise setting where installing/uninstalling is done over many systems.

System Mechanics - not familiar with that one, if you can supply a link, I'd like to look at it.

Regards - Charles

 

Thanks for the information, Charles.

Here's the link:

http://www.iolo.com/sm/5/

 

btw, Charles

I've a question about TU. Now... most who come to a program such as this one, are coming with a system that is not brand-spanking new. Many programs have already been installed and existed on the system for months (if not years). Supposing you wanted to remove one or more of these programs that TU obviously did not monitor since it had not been installed prior to that program's installation. Are you suggesting that it would be the best course of action to uninstall it first, then re-install it and have TU then try to remove the re-installation?

What about programs that you may no longer be able to re-install since they're now unavailable?

 

Jeane,
I don't know how this thread got sidetracked to Total Uninstall, but Norton Internet Security 2005 has been performing very well for me, no problems. I would not put it on an older machine, or a machine used by someone who is going to constantly "fiddle" with the settings.

HTH
Johanna

 

Hi Johanna,

I "sidetracked" it because Jeane asked about TU in that thread I referenced in my first post and because changing Symantec versions can't be discussed w/o taking into consideration the difficulty of removal of any Symantec software.

Regards - Charles

 

Agreed, Charles. I don't think there is any such thing as a "successful" uninstall of Norton, except wiping the drive and reinstalling the OS. It has been my experience that Norton is so deeply entwined in the OS that it is best installed immediately after the OS, and before going online. Any attempt to "uninstall" or "repair" it will probably not be successful. Symantec has published pages of "manual uninstall" instructions that could only be understood by a geek, and only implemented by someone with a great deal of time, patience and very sharp tweezers.

BUT, when Norton is installed properly, configured correctly and NOT messed with, it is a sophisticated effective software capable of protecting a computer, and keeping detailed event logs. A newer computer won't "notice" the resources it uses, and a user like my mom (my test for whether software is "easy to use ") will hardly notice it. Case in point- I installed Norton 2004 on her computer about a year ago, password protected it, and didn't tell her. She does not know she needs a password to change the settings.

I bet Dave (Noahdfear) that he couldn't get past Norton on my computer even if I "gave" him two consenting clicks. He still hasn't collected, because he still hasn't gotten past it.

But, I will concede that his choice, eTrust, is lighter and leaner, and just as dependable. In fact, when he is testing (infecting) his system, he has to remember to disable eTrust completely, and move the startups, or it will automatically clean and filter the "bad guys" before he has a chance to examine the damage.

Johanna