[GLAD]

Hi again trying to figure out how to send you a request for help.

My client had Norton Internet Security installed from retail product last year. Her subscription was getting ready to expire and she had upgrade messages. We discussed the pros and cons and decided to go with the upgrade which included the Basic System Works [for free?] and Go Back feature.

She could not use Go Back because of her RAID controller. So that did not install. We had problems getting the old version to completely uninstall so we were advised by the Symantec tech to use their uninstall version since our XP add and remove was not getting it all. Then to clear out all registry items with the Symatec word in them.

Well as you can imagine we went from bad to worse. Finally Norton installed ok but then her email client lost its spam folder icon and then all of a sudden the audio was gone and now one cannot get into the control panel system device hardware nor is the printer working to name a few things. We get a spooler not working error message.

Obviously this is a major disaster since the installation XP that came with her DELL computer is not the latest version. She now has Service pack 2 installed and for some reason "system restore" was not turned on and she has no ability to restore her registry with that feature since today is the first option day for restore.

I need to expedite this restore. She wants to get rid of Norton now and go with your sites recommendation according to another user, to use Webroots combination of Spyware Blaster and anti virus program. I have used the spy program myself and know its good.

Norton has hooks everywhere in her system, plus she is going to dispute her charges so we don't want to alert Norton she is dumping it until she has her computer back to normal.

I know this is a mouthful, any suggestions as to the best course of action without formatting and starting over?

Thanks
you can cc me a copy to email address removed to protect you since I may be here checking the answer to the mail.

I hope you can help us.

Glad

Edited by ScHwErV, 17 January 2007 - 07:16 AM.

[Advertisements]

GLAD

Welcome to Geeks to Go.

In case you were wondering what happened to the post you had made, I moved it. Your post had nothing to do with the other thread, so I gave it its own thread.

Generally, we do not help professional users who are making money off the suggestions we give to you for free, however in this case, since I deplore Symantec, I will try to assist you.

If you had a bad uninstall of Norton, your system will forever be unstable. Norton sinks its teeth into the most inner workings of the Operating System and gives *at best* a mediocre uninstaller to remove said teeth. The best thing that you can do for this user is to backup their data and format that computer to start fresh.

From a business standpoint, you can spend hours searching through the registry and trying to get all the files, or you can spend an hour to format and reinstall, the choice is simple.

She wants to get rid of Norton now and go with your sites recommendation according to another user, to use Webroots combination of Spyware Blaster and anti virus program. I have used the spy program myself and know its good.

Let me make a clarification. Spywareblaster is from javacool software. It is not antivirus, it is a resident protection that keeps IE from opening activeX controllers from known bad websites. It offers no protection beyond that.

Webroot software makes SpySweeper. SpySweeper is one of the most advanced Malware detection and removal softwares available. When paying for a product, I highly recommend paying for SpySweeper. However, it is also not Antivirus, it is Antimalware and you still need to get an Antivirus program.

As it appears you are working on a business computer (important one since it has RAID?), I would recommend that you not only purchase SpySweeper, but you also purchase nod32 or Kaspersky Antivirus for antivirus protection. Both of these softwares are top notch and are very highly rated for both detection and removal.

If you have any questions, go ahead and post them here. Ill see what I can do.

ScHwErV

[ScHwErV]

GLAD

Welcome to Geeks to Go.

In case you were wondering what happened to the post you had made, I moved it. Your post had nothing to do with the other thread, so I gave it its own thread.

Generally, we do not help professional users who are making money off the suggestions we give to you for free, however in this case, since I deplore Symantec, I will try to assist you.

If you had a bad uninstall of Norton, your system will forever be unstable. Norton sinks its teeth into the most inner workings of the Operating System and gives *at best* a mediocre uninstaller to remove said teeth. The best thing that you can do for this user is to backup their data and format that computer to start fresh.

From a business standpoint, you can spend hours searching through the registry and trying to get all the files, or you can spend an hour to format and reinstall, the choice is simple.

She wants to get rid of Norton now and go with your sites recommendation according to another user, to use Webroots combination of Spyware Blaster and anti virus program. I have used the spy program myself and know its good.

Let me make a clarification. Spywareblaster is from javacool software. It is not antivirus, it is a resident protection that keeps IE from opening activeX controllers from known bad websites. It offers no protection beyond that.

Webroot software makes SpySweeper. SpySweeper is one of the most advanced Malware detection and removal softwares available. When paying for a product, I highly recommend paying for SpySweeper. However, it is also not Antivirus, it is Antimalware and you still need to get an Antivirus program.

As it appears you are working on a business computer (important one since it has RAID?), I would recommend that you not only purchase SpySweeper, but you also purchase nod32 or Kaspersky Antivirus for antivirus protection. Both of these softwares are top notch and are very highly rated for both detection and removal.

If you have any questions, go ahead and post them here. Ill see what I can do.

ScHwErV

[GLAD]

[font=Comic Sans Ms]Thanks so much for your reply and for moving the post to the correct place.

I am not a professional, lol I work part time for a friend and I work on a number of things as a personal assistant. I just wanted to clarify that, I am not a tech. I am going to call her professional who will advise her on what you suggested. I am sick about this because she uses McAfee on her lap top. Yes this is a business hobby PC but not really one that has too many business records so fortunately I don't think it will be an impossible task.


Heres where I think the problem lay. When add remove programs did not clear up all the registy entries System Works would not install properly. So Sym told me to do a search on the word Symantec and remove every entry in the registry with that word, well you can imagine....I am still not sure. I did it and there was no more Symantec but all of her windows programs like control panel, audio, etc not working and the print spooling service is not working.

So before we talk about formating which I know will be hard for her, can I fix the problems by reinstalling her cds from Dell, she has a Dell PC. I cannot use their XP since she now has SP 2 and when I tried to reintall her windows it said I would lose stuff since present version newer.

Even though I am not responsible for Nortons over invasive hooks and this dilemma, I am the person who helped her set up Norton and I am the one who has to fix it. I just called her tech guy and he agrees that Norton has corrupted the operating system. So we have to back everything up as far as user data and format and reintall.
Thanks again
Glad



[color=#993399][size=4]

GLAD

Welcome to Geeks to Go.

In case you were wondering what happened to the post you had made, I moved it. Your post had nothing to do with the other thread, so I gave it its own thread.

Generally, we do not help professional users who are making money off the suggestions we give to you for free, however in this case, since I deplore Symantec, I will try to assist you.

If you had a bad uninstall of Norton, your system will forever be unstable. Norton sinks its teeth into the most inner workings of the Operating System and gives *at best* a mediocre uninstaller to remove said teeth. The best thing that you can do for this user is to backup their data and format that computer to start fresh.

From a business standpoint, you can spend hours searching through the registry and trying to get all the files, or you can spend an hour to format and reinstall, the choice is simple.

She wants to get rid of Norton now and go with your sites recommendation according to another user, to use Webroots combination of Spyware Blaster and anti virus program. I have used the spy program myself and know its good.

Let me make a clarification. Spywareblaster is from javacool software. It is not antivirus, it is a resident protection that keeps IE from opening activeX controllers from known bad websites. It offers no protection beyond that.

Webroot software makes SpySweeper. SpySweeper is one of the most advanced Malware detection and removal softwares available. When paying for a product, I highly recommend paying for SpySweeper. However, it is also not Antivirus, it is Antimalware and you still need to get an Antivirus program.

As it appears you are working on a business computer (important one since it has RAID?), I would recommend that you not only purchase SpySweeper, but you also purchase nod32 or Kaspersky Antivirus for antivirus protection. Both of these softwares are top notch and are very highly rated for both detection and removal.

If you have any questions, go ahead and post them here. Ill see what I can do.

ScHwErV

[ScHwErV]

Format and reinstall was definitely your best bet.

You asked about reinstalling your CDs from Dell. While this may have fixed your problems for the time being, a "dirty install" of windows is always going to be prone to problems. Its only use should really be to get the system running long enough to get the data off.

Just remember this time, no more Norton.

Ps.. Mcafee is almost as bad