# Worse than the Norton 2003 Worm



## ship (Jun 9, 2006)

Never attempt to remove Norton Anti-Virus 2003 from one’s computer to upgrade to the 2006 version. Bad week for me, here I was going in to renew my subscription and I learn that they were no longer actively supporting the 2003 version. Fine, I’ll buy into the 2006 version on-line. Bad idea to start in downloading from on-line for those more simple as to how computers work such as I.

So I go to install 2006 and get an error message saying it conflicts with 2003 and I need to de-install 2003 before I can do 2006. Funny, most programs when from the same manufacturer get along with each other or are able to remove and replace where needed older versions, but fine I’ll do it. 

Deleted 2003 than go for the next attempt at install but find another error message. 2003 is still somewhere in the system. I delete what I in searching further find than attempt again. No luck again. Go to remove everything that says Norton on it no matter the year and try again, nope, it’s still in there somewhere. Contact Norton in E-Mail (nope I’m not paying $30.00 to speak with someone on the phone about their problem,) they advise of another way to remove their program. Fine I do this, my Mom’s also a computer expert and she tells me of another way and I find more Norton by way of her also to remove. Try again, still no luck, there is more programs as if a virus/worm in my computer. I do another search and remove more yet I still can’t get rid of all of it so as to successfully install the 2006 version. 

My computer is also starting to have problems beyond 90% of it’s memory now being filled. Removing Norton either by way of some virus already in the system or the action of removing it has started to make things go missing and the computer malfunction. Who can tell other than stuff the day before worked well now does not and there is elements of Norton the worm somewhere in the computer even their people can’t find which will not allow the newer version to be installed.

Somewhere in or around the third attempt to install the protection and in having it fail, I was now blocked in accessing what I paid for on line. I was now stuck with not only no 2003 protection, no 2006 protection. Fine I went to the store and bought the hard disk version in now paying double, but I’m sure in being two days late for a reply about the refund, they will be right on it as opposed to last time I had just bought the upgrade but got a new computer, I did not get the refund or any response. Just two days late in requesting a refund, I’m sure they will be right on it.

None the less I attempted to do the disk version of the upgrade and it would not work either. Just something about the 2003 version still stuck in my computer they recommended I remove yet I could not find each time. Thanks guys... The more I removed of it, the closer to the final hard drive crash I came to as the end result. Nope, not just paying for the program twice, I was now out for a new desk top computer. Will have needed one eventually anyway but it was not yet in the budget of course. Hard to say if Norton caused the old computer to crash or if it was something else but curious that all I was attempting to do was remove a program and in doing so suddenly it crashed.

In any case, I now have a new computer. Next challenge was to get the data from the old computer installed onto the new computer. Mom helped do this though I am still missing most of my files. They are in the computer somewhere which is a good thing and I’ll eventually find them I’m sure. The old hard drive even is slave mode now causes the new computer to crash if left connected, it thus can’t be left installed. Love/hate computers.

What’s worse than all, my dual screen video card from the old computer was not the right shape as a circuit board to fit into the new computer. Mom’s working on finding the proper video card for the new computer and figuring out how to turn off the single screen monitor mode, but for the time being I only have one monitor. [email protected]!!! a single monitor, how does one function?	

What’s worse than four days wasted in attempting to remove and upgrade, than format the new computer, much less all the lost files somewhere in the system is the single monitor. I’m never buying another computer until next time.


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## audioslavematt (Jun 9, 2006)

Makes you want to punch whoever developed the program in the face doesn't it? I have a friend who owns a PC repair business and he claims Symantec products have made him over $100,000 over the past three years. The only time I tried to use Norton, I ended up formatting because it would not uninstall. I believe it stems from the same evil roots as AOL. None the less, I'll stick to my AVG Free Edition.


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## dvsDave (Jun 9, 2006)

My recommendation is using ESET's NOD32 (which, in the interest of full disclosure, we run in the banner rotation on this site) This is the antivirus program that every computer in my house runs on. Since 2002, have never had an issue with. NOD32 detected the 2002 blaster worm _before_ ESET put out the new virus signatures (Norton and cther programs call them definitions). It also isn't a RAM hog like Norton is. 

I also use Sunbelt Software's CounterSpy for antispyware, and Sunbelt Software's Kerio personal firewall. (again, both of which we run banner ads on). The firewall is easy to use and actually makes sense when you need to define a custun rule (allow/deny x traffic on y port incoming and/or allow/deny g traffic on h port outgoing). The antispyware program does more than just scans your computer for problems, it actually actively protects your computer from ever getting spyware/malware/adware in the first place. 

That's what I use and none of the 3 programs have ever given me problems.


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## jwl868 (Jun 9, 2006)

ship 

You have my sympathy – When I had to upgrade to a new computer, my McAfee anti-virus software could not be successfully reloaded. I ended up bailing and using the Norton Antivirus supplied with the computer. Though I can’t prove it, I think the part of the problem stemmed from the software/file transfer program that I used to move files from the old computer to the new one. Although that program reported that it could not transfer the McAfee program, it must have transferred just enough to screw it up. And the McAfee company wasn’t much help.

Joe


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## drawstuf99 (Jun 9, 2006)

Hahaha oh man...

My dad and I always say that the viruses usually dont do near as much damage as Norton does. 

Sorry, man. That really sucks  Hope everything is working as it was now.


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## soundman1024 (Jun 10, 2006)

I'm running through the internet naked
No firewall
No antivirus
No active spyware protection

Once a month or less I'll run a scan on Adaware and I'm doing fine. Viruses these days aren't half of what they used to be. Most of the time so long as backups are decent there isn't much need for virus protection. Unfortunately the lesson of backing up usually happens after the need for a backup comes. For me it makes more sense to not bother with antivirus. Even with antivirus there is still a need for backups. I caught a virus once, but it was a minor problem. I'm glad it was a small issue.


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## Eboy87 (Jun 11, 2006)

Well, I've never gotten a say in what virus protection we get, so my dad buys Norton. I've got norton on the computer in my room, and the server for our little home network, the only computer connected to a working printer. Norton thinks that when I want to print a paper, that I'm another computer hacking into the one with the printer, and won't let me print. What should take 30 seconds is now 5 minutes, for one paper.

Plus, I swear that viruses put a blanket over Norton. My dad's old computer had a virus, one that we knew about and could see working in the task manager, but when Norton scanned the computer, it said it found nothing, yet the computer was slow and files started to go missing. Plus when you scanned x folder that you knew had, say, 15 files in it, Norton wouldn't scan that particular folder. It scanned, but I have no idea what. All this while the virus ate away at the hard drive.

In my opinion, Norton is no better than Paypal, but don't get me started on that topic. (No offense to anyone who uses it, not my intention to start a war.)


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## len (Jun 11, 2006)

IMO, all virus protection is just to give peace of mind. They don't actually work. I leave my pcs on 24/7 and never have problems. 

I do run AVG and adaware every day, but they seldom find anything.


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## pattrick1 (Jun 11, 2006)

By the nature of your troubles, I'm assuming this was a Windows PC (although I do understand that Norton caused the damage)...
I'm a Mac guy, anti-PC if you will, and although I do sympathize that you spent a lot of money (I'm dead broke), I got a little chuckle out of this.
Hope everything works out with your new computer.
And by the way, what do you do with a dual screen computer? (I only wish I had that)
Patrick T


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## moojoe (Jun 11, 2006)

your comment on macs reminded me of something...

http://www.ctrlaltdel-online.com/comic.php?d=20060513

not trying to start an argument or anything, just find it amusing.


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## Radman (Jun 12, 2006)

moojoe said:


> your comment on macs reminded me of something...
> 
> http://www.ctrlaltdel-online.com/comic.php?d=20060513
> 
> not trying to start an argument or anything, just find it amusing.




jytdd hahahahaha


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## soundlight (Jun 12, 2006)

HA! I read ctrl+alt+delete every day that there's a new one, and that has to be one of the funniest for me.


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## ship (Jun 12, 2006)

Believe I remember there having been a virus for Mac's recently.

Hmm, it's almost two weeks now and I'm still yet to hear back from them on my refund. Just like last time in getting no response on a refund.


As for what I do with the dual screen monitor, lots.
Look at a website and have Outlook open.
Have a E-Mail open and write a reply on the other screen.
Have technical data open on one and use the data on another
Have a website or two open and pull stuff off one onto something else.
Play a game on one monitor and if a E-Mail comes in I can see what it is and simply go to it if not reply while still playing the game.

This is all either by just looking from one monitor to another or dragging stuff back and forth.

Instead of switching between screens on one monitor, I actively use both. When say I'm opening up a program or waiting for one program to think, I am doing something on the other monitor say reading mail or something.

It's kind of like using a wave keyboard, takes a bit of getting used to but once used to it, there is no other type that works as well.


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## Peter (Jun 12, 2006)

Ya, about dual screens... tape a patch over one eye and look through a cardboard tube with the other one for a while, and then take it all off.. and that is roughly what it feels like to go from one monitor to two! I cant wait to figure out an easy/cheap way to go to three monitors! (yes, i know there are options out there... but they tend to be expenstive and not for Laptops)


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## kingfisher1 (Jun 12, 2006)

Ahhhh Paypal. my dad had his credit card info stolen twice.
hey ship, i suggest writing an angry letter, placing an angry phone call and kindly let them know about the clout you weild here, and the bad name your giving them here 
contact info for norton
1-408-517-8000

20330 Stevens Creek Blvd.
Cupertino, CA 95014

BTW did you know that these guys have "threat levels" just like the Dept. of Home land security! (that must mean they really cool)


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## ship (Jun 14, 2006)

I E-Mailed the person from them who was giving the advice on how to get rid of it. At least with them to their benefit, once you get a service rep, you can continue contacting them. This as opposed to other web based companies where within say 24 hours of your last contact with them, you no longer have the ability to re-contact that same person if even able to reply directly without starting over again each time. 

Response the second time around from them over a two day period in further refining the issue of the refund as opposed to them still thinking I was trying to install the on-line version, was a conformation that I got my refund. They just did not bother confirming this originally by way of E-Mail in providing the refund. Guess I was supposed to just watch my bank statement for the decision by way of them as to if they gave or did not give the refund - this in spite of like 30 days to get the refund. No problem by way of not sending out conformations, this as long as you hound them to verify the refund.

All is good now.

Hmm, 3 monitors.... yep, I could see that in my situation also some day especially at work. 

I normally have Outlook open for mail, File Maker Pro for PO's and lamp tracking, Word Perfect for lamp specs and price/vendor tracking and weblinks, R2 these days replaces Hire Track for accessing the shop inventory or converting barcodes to serial numbers, and at least the McMaster website open all day long in adding items every few hours to the daily order or looking up stuff. This in addition to other websites I open at the same time to search for info on gear. Plus there is PDF's and other stuff constantly being opened. All with stuff sent to me in the despised Word at that are open, photos if not even Cadd or Vectorworks where needed. By far too much stuff at work open at a time not to have at least two if not some day three monitors. Plus I’m a NPR fan and if I’m at my desk I will frequently have it playing by way of Window’s media player and have the wave pattern going in one monitor because it’s cool looking and relaxing. Next step is also to link my desk phone with outlook so I can have it dial phone numbers to vendor contacts for me.

As an example for why a three screen monitor would be a good and feasible concept for those laptop types: At times say yesterday, I'm writing a PO (Purchase Order) for say Altman parts. I'll have File Maker Pro open in doing the PO, the website open for the fixture type and it's linked to PDF open for the exploded pictorial of the parts making it up the fixture. Than a Outlook E-Mail from the vendor rep open which links the parts I’m looking at to a Word Document from the dealer Price list on the parts I'm looking for. Three monitors would work well for doing Altman orders. Otherwise it’s lots of closing one to see another or moving stuff from one screen to another. 

(Altman is second to McMaster in having the best website. I like their on-line help. Unfortunately like with many, once they discontinue a product they wipe it’s drawings and data from the website. Have to go back to the hard copy parts lists for say 1KAL fixtures. That part I don’t like. Should be able to access all gear on-line. This much less once sold out of a discontinued part, it’s left up in the air in you being screwed or figuring it out for yourself by trial and error what might be an alternative. Frequently their parts will be only slightly different but for the most part universal, they just won’t offer that advice on alternates at times. This verses McMaster, - if not in stock they will get it at a reasonable price no matter the part. For layout and how it works, McMaster website is the best I have ever seen.)

Otherwise such at today I had a E-Mail quote for some E-Tape I needed to both copy into the Word Perfect price tracking file and copy into File Maker for a PO. As opposed to moving the E-Mail between screens as I finish one, it would be easier to bring it up on one screen and leave it there. Than in reply to the vendor, I was doing a web search for other types of E-Tape I wanted the supplier to get for me by way of the weblinks to tape in having those links pop up a website to search for E-tape options, and also writing what types I found as notes into my own price/vendor tracking as I found other options. Three or more different things being done on only two monitors.

Lots of other applications for a tripple monitor at work but it was like giving blood in just getting flat screens, this as opposed to the normal desk top monitors taking up 3/4's of my desk before getting them last month. Dual screen monitors is the norm at work, had them for about six years now. All the staff have them - it's the norm, I believe some who have laptops also do a dual screen plug in at times. Anywhere from my boss having an open E-Mail with a request for gear on a show and on the other screen working in the R-2 system filling out that request as a show, than figuring out how to fit the gear request into the system, to others doing Vector Works on one screen and what ever notes they have on another. Even the MAXXYZ, Hog's and Grand Ma's come with dual screen monitors. It's just the way of the normal these days.

At home I already have for all intensive purposes a tipple screen monitor system. Somewhere in the probably year or two old general postings is photos of my cantilevered counter balanced computer swing arm that sits about 16" above my desk. It has both monitors on it and down range of it centered between and below the two is a TV I watch as I'm typing. 17" and 19" desk top monitors atop a 4' swing arm counter balanced by somewhere over 200# of stage weights and steel plus the computer itself 1' off to the other side of the axis point. Works well but takes two people to install the arm onto it’s boom base.

Just went wireless in keyboard and mouse. A few less wires but I’m now getting used to a different keyboard. The “End” button isn’t in it’s proper place, instead the Delete key is where I’m normally hitting. Dooh! At least the "H" key works as opposed to the last few months where at times my posts would be missing a H in words.


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## koncept (Jun 14, 2006)

I must admit i liked the mac cartoon

tehre are some easy ways to do three monitors on laptops
http://www.tomshardware.com/2005/06/08/add_a_monitor_using_usb/page2.html

for those of you using desktops and about 500$ to burn, they have 4 and 8 screen cards that can be used in a computer


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## bdesmond (Jun 18, 2006)

Yeah, two monitors is a one way thing - you can't go back. I have a pair of Dell 1095FPs at home on my desk. Right now I have tabbed IE for this and IM going on this monitor, and two email clients (work and personal) going on the other. In general I usually have Email on one and my task on the other. When I need data for the task I have it going on the email screen. Simple example is putting a spreadsheet of calculations together - I have all my data I've collected on one screen and my spreadsheet that I'm entering formulas into on the main screen.

As far as three screens, I had this at a previous job. I had screens one and two for work, and screen three which was in my periphery had system/network monitoring data that I could glance at. Red would catch my eye pretty automatically when the page would refresh without me needing to pay attention to it every few minutes.


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## soundlight (Jun 18, 2006)

I got triple monitors in the booth, but the internal graphics port on the Dell that we have didn't work. I already had a dual-VGA port AGP-slot card that I had installed in the machine myself, and that worked well. Two monitors was, I must say, quite useful. Now I just need the dual-screen portable laptop... (or triple...i can imagine that...twould be very thick...open the top, fold out two wing monitors...that would be crazy expensive, crazy heavy, murderous on batteries, and require a crazy graphics card, esp. if you were running cad programs or other design programs, and also be nearly impossible...but hey, we're here to do the impossible, right?)


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## ship (Jun 18, 2006)

I believe on laptops, most I suppose if set up for it allow you to plug into a second monitor in doing one if not in doing a dual one and no longer once plugged using the laptop's monitor. I don't do laptops but know of many that plug their laptop's into their desk's monitors yet use the laptop. I don't get along with laptops - never figured out the thumb pad in the center much less my hands don't get along with the keyboard.

Still waiting on the second screen to become active, need a new video card for dual screen. Single screens suck. Been over a week now in living with one, I don't know how I survived the 90's with just one.


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## koncept (Jun 19, 2006)

soundlight said:


> I got triple monitors in the booth, but the internal graphics port on the Dell that we have didn't work. I already had a dual-VGA port AGP-slot card that I had installed in the machine myself, and that worked well. Two monitors was, I must say, quite useful. Now I just need the dual-screen portable laptop... (or triple...i can imagine that...twould be very thick...open the top, fold out two wing monitors...that would be crazy expensive, crazy heavy, murderous on batteries, and require a crazy graphics card, esp. if you were running cad programs or other design programs, and also be nearly impossible...but hey, we're here to do the impossible, right?)



that would be rather neat. it was about three years ago i read an article on notebook monitors, they were in the process of developing ones slimmer than what is currently being used and would not need to be backlit, because the material it self glowed. I think once they get that out on the market we might see double screened laptops....


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## icebook1 (Jul 6, 2006)

I'm a Mac guy. Sorry about the virus. You should switch over. Come on, drink the KoolAid ;-)

But seriously now... here's my setup. I have a 17" widescreen iMac G5 that runs at 1440x900. All my work gets done on that. Web browsers, mail, Word, etc.

I have a second 15" LCD that's off to the left. It's an old Micron that swivels 90°. I told OS X to rotate the image on that screen, so that runs sideways to fit better on my desk. It goes at 768x1024. I keep my AIM buddy list on there. I also have an iTunes "floater" that shows the song/artist/album of whatever I'm listening to, along with the album art if there is any.

Having dual monitors on a Mac is amazing. Never had dualies on a PC...


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## JPcrew109 (Jul 7, 2006)

I have the perfect thing for this... http://hallpass.com/media/bashthecomputer.html


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## koncept (Jul 7, 2006)

i need that like a week ago...oh well its fun


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