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Original poster

Probs with Norton 2008 and freezing

33 replies

UnquietDad · 27/10/2007 18:16

I've upgraded to the latest version of Norton Protection Centre and I've not found it as satisfactory as the 2007 version. The old version used to clear out almost all my nasty spammity-spam - I had maybe one message every two months. With the 2008 version I get about 10-15 a day. Some of them are marked [SPAM], some not. There doesn't seem to be any way of customising the email scanning facility. The window is pretty useless.

Secondly, when doing a Full System Scan I always seem to get a seize-up after scanning about 5000-odd files (just a few minutes into the the scan). This has happened 3 times now.

I've been getting freezes a lot on the screen in the past few weeks and have found CTRL-ALt-DEL and ESC not to work, and in the end a "cold boot" (switching off, in English) is the only thing that has brought my PC back to me. (Don't know if it is related to Norton - sometimes it has happened just when using Firefox.)

I've had a quick scan of the PC Hell site but there doesn't seem to be anything suggested that I haven't tried.

If anyone can cast any light I'd be most grateful.

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Wisteria · 27/10/2007 18:20

Haven't a clue about Norton but bumping for lapin - isn't she some whizz at computers!?

FWIW - I ditched Norton a while ago and downloaded 2 freebies called zonealarm/ zonelabs and Lavasoft Ad-aware which (so far) have proved far more up to date and effective than Norton at wheedling out virus'/ spyware etc (and they're free).

This is probably not much use to you but may bump for someone with more knowledge than me (in fact anyone ).

WanderingTrolley · 27/10/2007 18:22

Sorry, can't cast any light but you have my sympathy - I too am a victim of Norton.

I'm doing the cold boot (usually preceded by "I'll unplug you again, fecker!") increasingly, and I feel a new pc will be joining me soon.

The only thing I can suggest is regularly scanning disks, defragging etc. Also, have a look around symantec's site for any add ons - they don't like to advertise these, it took me forever to find the anti-banner ad add on for my 2007 version.

Again, sympathy.

PenelopePitstops · 27/10/2007 18:23

get rid of norton its shite and just slows up your computer, its the biggerst con ever.

like wisteria says get avg antivirus and lavasoft for spyware.

sorry have no advice about norton.

Wisteria · 27/10/2007 18:24

Really can't recommend the others enough - do you want a link UQD?

WanderingTrolley · 27/10/2007 18:32

Yes please from me!

Wisteria · 27/10/2007 18:38

adaware

zonealarm

Wisteria · 27/10/2007 18:39

Zone thingie has really good parental control stuff as well x

RustyBear · 27/10/2007 19:30

I used to have Norton (2005 I think) & it did just the same to me, freezing after about 6-7000 files. Shortly after it started a whole round of regular BSOD & eventually had to have its RAM repaced. But I never went back to Norton, like Wisteria I use AVG & ZoneAlarm.

WanderingTrolley · 27/10/2007 19:37

Thank you!

Have bookmarked and will try them out (as long as pc doesn't die in the meantime...)

Original poster
UnquietDad · 27/10/2007 20:30

Thanks for links & advice, everyone.

Have to point out that Norton 2007 was NO trouble at all. These things have only started happening with 2008 version.

Increasingly getting freeze-ups after I leave the PC and the screensaver kicks in - it's one cold boot after another.

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Original poster
UnquietDad · 27/10/2007 20:31

Used to have Adaware but ditched it because of scare stories about it introducing more nasties than it pivked up, Ditto spybot.

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Original poster
UnquietDad · 27/10/2007 20:37

There seem to be different versions of ZoneAlarm - is the freebie one sufficient protection or do you really need to get one of the bought ones for it to be any good? And if you have the freebie, do they continually plague you with requests to "upgrade"?

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Wisteria · 27/10/2007 20:54

They've both been fine for me - I have a teenager constantly on all sorts of sites (msn etc) which used to cause me a lot of spyware probs. Have had no viruses at all (which weren't picked up and quarantined) since installation.

I've never had any requests for upgrading etc. My pc doc (mate who's seemingly very talented) recommended it to me - but you do have to manually update (I do it once a week/ fortnight)to be sure you have the correct virus definitions.

RustyBear · 27/10/2007 21:02

I suspect the scare stories about Adaware originated with people selling competitors...

There are a few doubts about AdAware 2007 though, so I'm sticking to the SE version

Original poster
UnquietDad · 27/10/2007 21:10

The freebie one is only a 15-day trial and you have to buy after that - is that right?

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RustyBear · 27/10/2007 23:27

Well they haven't asked me for any money yet...
There are free versions of AdAware (anti-spyware), AVG (anti virus) & Zone Alarm (firewall)
There are also paid-for versions, which you can probably get a free trial of.
Have a look at the Most Popular Downloads bit here (scroll down a bit & it's on the right) That's the newer version of AdAware, which I haven't tried & the ZoneAlarm is a newer version - it'll probably tell me there's an update soon - it does periodically.

Wisteria · 28/10/2007 09:27

It tells you when there's a newer version, but no, you never have to pay for it.
When you're installing it tells you what to do to get the freebie for good - if you have any probs then let me know.

Original poster
UnquietDad · 28/10/2007 09:52

Thanks - have spent my "extra hour" this morning stripping my PC of Norton baggage and the trial ZoneAlarm, and downloading and installing the freebies of ZoneAlarm and AVG. I've already got AdAware. We'll see how it goes!

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foxinsocks · 28/10/2007 09:55

the same has happened to us UQD

computer freezes all the time, it's a total pain. Also, starting up the computer takes at least an extra 5 minutes!

It's definitely because of Norton 2008.

Original poster
UnquietDad · 28/10/2007 11:21

Glad to know I am not the only one!

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foxinsocks · 29/10/2007 21:03

did it work UQD? I'd be interested to find out. I haven't deinstalled ours yet because I haven't had the time.

Original poster
UnquietDad · 30/10/2007 10:51

It's going much better, touch wood, ever since I purged Norton and added ZoneAlarm and AVG. I've also adjusted my monitor power-off settings - it was powering off before the screensaver came in, and I'd come back to find it frozen, which doesn't seem to happen when it just gores to the screensaver.

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clerkKent · 30/10/2007 12:54

I am too late for UQD now, but I once found the Norton helpdesk very helpful. When I switched from dial-up to BT broadband, either Norton or broadband woudl not work, The Norton guy talked me through it.

Like other people here, I switched to AVG about a month ago (after a hard-disk failure on a laptop). The PC boots and closes down much more quickly, and no problem with viruses so far. I did wonder whether to retain Norton GoBack, as that saved me a few times in the last couple of years.

Original poster
UnquietDad · 30/10/2007 16:35

Does Norton GoBack do a kind of System Restart?

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Original poster
UnquietDad · 30/10/2007 16:40

System Restore, that's what I meant. Where it takes your computer back.... in.... tiiiiime.... wooooo......

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