Upgraded to XP now have Norton AV problems

[TR Custom Parts]

Upgraded from ME to XP Home edition to try and get my computer up to speed for another year before I give it to my son. Anyway, did the upgrade program before I did anything and the install went fine EXCEPT for the Norton Antivirus 2005 program. No where did it say anything about uninstalling the program before doing the upgrade and now that XP is installed I can't uninstall or use Norton. Get an error 1606 message but can't seem to get it to work. Any tips???

 

[suicide six]

Isnt Norton 2005 no longer offered or supported?The 2006 package is way better once your system learns it.I would think your support service for 2005 has ended.

 

[Jbenn911]

go to symantec.com and search for SymNRT...Nifty program from Symantec/Norton that will remove programs after failures. On the support section of the site, there is also a how-to for a total manual removal...It's saved me TONS of headaches with our departments machines...

 

[suicide six]

The ME and XP systems of Norton are most likely not compatable.

 

[TR Custom Parts]

go to symantec.com and search for SymNRT...Nifty program from Symantec/Norton that will remove programs after failures. On the support section of the site, there is also a how-to for a total manual removal...It's saved me TONS of headaches with our departments machines...

Already tried that. Their help page just ends up freezing. Going to try going back to ME and then see if I can uninstall Norton then. Why do they have to make simple stuff hard to do????

 

[Jbenn911]

Mark, if you continue to have trouble, drop me an email or PM with a number to reach you at. I'm on till noon today, I'll try to walk you through it. I've done it a few times..

 

[tjthorson]

NEVER, NEVER, NEVER do any major upgrades or installs with ANY Symantec product on a machine. Their installer/uninstaller technology is horrible. I have had to pick up the pieces of more then a dozen machines in my life where people did an upgrade of OS - or a service pack, and a Symantec product took down the machines.

I never do OS upgrades anyway - you are asking for trouble. Always install fresh. I have had machines blow up even trying to deinstall SYmantec products. This includes Norton, but all their crappy Internet Security stuff and Winfax as well....

You may have to reload to make it right. I suggest you back up or find all the drivers you can find and reload the thing.

Unless of course, its an eMachines box - then I suggest you stay on 98SE - never ME.... Many of them do not like XP - and even ones purchased with XP will have driver issues when going to XP SP2 - and the company has no plans to fix those drivers.....

Good luck with your attempt to save this - but I suspect the machine will not be very reliable even if You get Norton off of there....

 

[Phatman]

NEVER, NEVER, NEVER do any major upgrades or installs with ANY Symantec product on a machine. Their installer/uninstaller technology is horrible. I have had to pick up the pieces of more then a dozen machines in my life where people did an upgrade of OS - or a service pack, and a Symantec product took down the machines.

I never do OS upgrades anyway - you are asking for trouble. Always install fresh. I have had machines blow up even trying to deinstall SYmantec products. This includes Norton, but all their crappy Internet Security stuff and Winfax as well....

I not on top of this stuff at all, but this is what I've found as well.
Winfax is crap!!!!!!!

 

[TR Custom Parts]

Well, after a long night I ended up going back to ME but then a freaking Norton file wouldn't let the machine boot up. Would try going to safe mode which it would do but couldn't run a system restore on it.

After getting pissed off I ended up reinstalling ME from scratch and then doing the XP upgrade. Just finishing up reinstalling all the software/hardware and everything is working fine now. Sure glad I backed up all my info before doing this, that's for sure. I always used Norton stuff in the past but would rather run NOTHING than going back to one of their products.

Is there a product out there that doesn't cause more problems than it solves???

I do have one problem I can't figure out. I saved all my email folders going back to when I started the TR Custom Parts business and would like to reinstall these back into Outlook Express but don't have a clue how to do it! Any tips???

 

[GNandGS]

I cannot recommend any Symantec (Norton) or Mcafee security products. Ever.

If you just MUST purchase an AV product, I would take a look at Trend - http://www.trendmicro.com/home/default.asp

I didnt run AV at home for YEARS. Its more about your habits than anything. What I have always had is a firewall... Either software based or hardware.

For others, unless on dialup, I recommend:

1. Hardware firewall (router). Pick your poison, it almost doesnt matter.

2. Any two adware/spyware & prevention/removal programs. Here are three:
--- Ad-AwareSE http://www.lavasoft.de/
--- Spybot 1.4 http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html
--- Windows Defender (2000/XP only) http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx

3. Antivirus - it seems certain combos dont play nice together. While Ive never had trouble with say AVG, you might. It may help (with any software) to read the forums for that product to see what others say. Most programs have either a dedicated forum or you can find an unrelated forum out there discussing that product. Make sure for AV or any other program, that your operating system is supported.
--- AVG an excellent free antivirus program. Small footprint (doesnt "own" your system like Norton). http://www.grisoft.com/doc/1
--- ClamWin is another popular AV program. http://www.clamwin.com
--- Avast is yet ANOTHER AV program. Like the others, its free. http://www.avast.com/
--- AntiVir, works, still free. http://www.free-av.com

4. Browsers... I use IE all the time but if you spend time in the bowels of the internet, or seem to always be having trouble, make Firefox your default browser. http://www.mozilla.com/firefox/ There ARE other choices even but I like IE and Firefox if neither of those will work for you, then likely none will.

5. Email... Nothing wrong with Outlook Express but it, like IE, is always a target for evil. You might try Thunderbird instead if express gives you fits. http://www.mozilla.com/thunderbird/

Backup your data. I dont mean the whole machine... while thats a good idea too you may not have the means or the space. I mean just data... the kind you normally forget... this is a quick, FREE, easy way: http://fabs.dyndns.org/autobackup/index-en.htm

 

[tjthorson]

Hmm - Outlook uses a .pst file to hold your contacts, email, and calendar.

Express uses a convoluted series of .dbx files that are stored under your profile. DO a search on .dbx files - they are going to be stored in the name of your "identity".

Here is some dry reading:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q270670

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q276511

You also need the windows address book - its a .wab file....

Good luck!

 

[David65]

I do have one problem I can't figure out. I saved all my email folders going back to when I started the TR Custom Parts business and would like to reinstall these back into Outlook Express but don't have a clue how to do it! Any tips???

The dbx file locations in Outlook Express should be here: C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\{65843B32-39F0-4068-93C5-C412B2DEA10D}\Microsoft\Outlook Express

To put back the ones you have saved, open Outlook Express and create a new folder with the same name as the one you saved. Close OE and copy the saved dbx file to the above location. It will ask if you want to overwrite the existing file as it has the same name, go ahead. Open OE and the saved folder should be there then with all the emails in it.

David

 

[GNandGS]

Not real sure how we got to discussing OE! I only mentioned it as a "value added" recommendation. While knowing the paths may be handy (they are) the link I posted to Fab's software backs up Outlook Express but it also will do these:

Shared Docs
My Documents
Desktop Files
Explorer Favorites
Explorer Cookies
Outlook Express messages AND settings
Outlook Express address book
Outlook PST file
Windows Activation file
Office Activation file
Opera bookmarks and settings
Firefox bookmarks and settings
Thunderbird profiles
Lotus Notes data
Rasphone pbk file (dialup settings)
Windows Fonts
TCP/IP parameters

You can pick_n_choose any or all of these and back them up to any connected or mapped drive, with or without compression. Naturally it has a Restore function!

On topic: If on dialup with win9x I almost recommend an older version of Sygate (ver 5.x). Exactly what version I cant say as win9x is too flakey to be specific - spf5.5b2710 is my best guess. Sygate is a software based firewall. Another choice is ZoneAlarm, not sure what its quirks are but I didnt like it when used several years ago.

No matter what AV or Firewall program is the "best" now, if you give it time, it will suck later.

 

[David65]

Not real sure how we got to discussing OE! I only mentioned it as a "value added" recommendation.

Um, if you would've read Marks post, you would've seen I was showing him how to restore his folders in Outlook Express.

David

 

[tjthorson]

The dbx file locations in Outlook Express should be here: C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\{65843B32-39F0-4068-93C5-C412B2DEA10D}\Microsoft\Outlook Express

To put back the ones you have saved, open Outlook Express and create a new folder with the same name as the one you saved. Close OE and copy the saved dbx file to the above location. It will ask if you want to overwrite the existing file as it has the same name, go ahead. Open OE and the saved folder should be there then with all the emails in it.

David

Well, that *might* be true - providing his "identity" is Administrator. If he was using any other ID when he setup the OE accounts, they will be in the folder of the identity he used. Secondly - that would be the path if he originally used Windows XP.... Since he was using ME, the path would be c:\windows.....

Not to confuse the poor guy more....

 

[GNandGS]

Um, if you would've read Marks post, you would've seen I was showing him how to restore his folders in Outlook Express.

David

Sorry David, I did miss that line.

 

[TR Custom Parts]

I think I may know what the problem is on why I can't restore the emails. Was messing around and it said what program should open the email and I clicked on OE! Think that was a no no!? And of course the box was checked for always open this type of file with this program.

Assuming this was wrong how can I go back? And to think, all this started because of the Harmony Universal remote I couldn't program on WINME.

Still undecided on what route to go with an AV program but will stay away from McCaffee and Norton. How about Panda? Any good?

BTW, XP is running great so far. :smile: If I knew I was going to be wiping the hard drive clean I would have gone for the full version but the XP upgrade was already paid for, that's why I reinstalled ME and then did the upgrade.

Ended up finding a program that will open dbx files WITHOUT going thru OE, maybe would just be easier going that route??

 

[BigTurbo6]

I did the exact same thing and couldnt get it fixed. Cant get NAV off the machine nor can i reinstall a newer version. SAmantec couldnt help me and wanted to charge for customer service.....ultimately gave computer away =(

 

[TR Custom Parts]

Well, got a happy ending to mine at least. Running the XP now, what a difference!! Just learned my lesson NOT to use Norton ever again. Got a firewall but no virus protection as of right now and it is like a new computer.

Even solved my email problem by downloading a program that rescues email and let's you read it without using OE.

 

[turbobuickman]

I like to use a free version of AVG anti-virus, but highly reccomend spybot and adaware too. They are my bread and butter. The drawback is none of these "protect" your system from infection they just allow you to remove stuff after the fact. 95% of keeping your system safe is knowing what links not to click on, what webpages not to go to, and what not to download. The folks at www.computing.net are awesome if you need anything.