Do Norton IS have problems or is my computer f*cked

[HELPFULHATTIE]

For the last week my Norton Internet security has been displaying at risk. It keeps connecting to their site to diagnose "fix" the problem...after numerous failed attempts it has now suggested that I use their removal tool and reinstall.

As the software was bought as a disk but has subsequently been renewed via download will I be able re-install it via disk then update?

Im also having problems with the removal tool - it just doesnt seem to work!!

I am wondering if my computer has a general problem or is this a general problem with Norton. This all seemed to start after a program called Norton safe web (or something similar) decided to install itself when I was on facebook...

Im starting to get cross with it!!

Yes you can reinstall via disk and it will autoupdate.

Removal tool is shit. Try just installing over the top and this should trigger correct element of Norton.

Sounds like you have actually upgraded by accident from the basic product to one which also monitors web traffic - there's a privacy thing I believe you can turn off.

I'd say this is a Norton problem.

Norton tools were superb when Peter Norton did them, but Symantec seems to have made the software 'feature rich' (ie gets more functions and slower as well, just like Microsoft does)

I stopped recommending their System Tools in about 2004 as the uninstall was getting harder and harder.

Since you renewed your licence you perhaps have a serial number or other acknowledgement from them as e-mail, which would be enough to prove your payment if you uninstall and reinstall.

Norton/Symantec is a horrible tool in my opinion. It's also very tenacious and bits of it will hang around even after you have allegedly removed it from your computer.

For normal home use you don't need anything that big and clunky. I got rid of Norton (I hope!) a couple of years ago.

I have Avira anti-virus and ZoneAlarm firewall. Both free, and serve me well. Oh, and Malwarebytes for anti-malware. Every so often I also give the PC a good scouring with CleanUp!, and every month or so I use Windows Advanced System Care.

Those were all recommended and installed for me by a PC engineer with many years' experience. So you're not just taking my word for it.