Norton Internet Security / Norton AntiVirus

[cdwillison]

Hi all! When I upgraded my NIS2011 to the NIS2012 I took adavantage of the online vault to be able to access my passwords from my desktop and my laptop. Yesterday, I was logged into my Norton account and my identity safe on my desktop, I started up my laptop (which also runs NIS2012, but I am not sure if I have logged into the identity safe on it before) and wanted to log into the vault. When I clicked on it, it showed that I was logged into my Norton account and asked me to set up a new password. I was lightly puzzled, but I did it, chosing the same password as with my desktop, assuming that it would log me into the same safe. Well, it did log me in, but the vault was empty, as if I had never used it. This morning when I wanted to log into it again from my desktop this (see picture below) is what I get, a list. However, an empty list, where there should be websites. When I logged into the webportal of the online identity safe, it is completely empty.

Does somebody have a clue what happened here? Are my logins still floating around somewhere? Or were they erased by logging into the same online vault from my laptop? Which should not be the problem, since that is what the vault is there for, right? Please tell me what I have done wrong, so that I can prevent it from happening again. Once I have recovered all my logins - somehow.

Thanks a lot! Any insight is really appreciated!

[AllenM Norton Fighter]

Hi cdwillison,

Welcome to the Norton Community. What version of NIS 2012 do you have? You can find this from Support > About. Also what version of Windows and SP do you have and is it 32 or 64 bit?

Are both your laptop and your desktop computers on the same subscription product key? Can you confirm that NIS on your laptop is logged into the same Norton Account as the desktop?

We cannot view your image yet since it must first be approved by a moderator but I'll check periodically and reply again once I can view the image.

Is your login list now showing empty from the desktop computer when you log into the online ID safe vault? Do you recall how your first setup the online ID safe vault?

Provided that both computers are logged into the same Norton Account, it should be as simple as just logging in from any computer and it should see that you already have an online vault and prompt your for a password. When you first attempted to log into your online ID safe from the laptop was it asking you to create a NEW password or to enter a password? A NEW password would have had TWO password boxes whereas logging into an existing ID safe vault would only have ONE password box.

Do you have an ID safe backup which you performed before upgrading from NIS 2011 to NIS 2012? If so this can also be used to restore your ID safe.

Best wishes.

Allen

[cdwillison]

Hi Allen,

both machines have NIS version 19.2.0.10 and the same serial number (purchased it for 3 computers), Windows 7 32bit, desktop = pro and sp1, laptop = home and none.

Both were logged into the same Norton account yesterday, I only have one ;-), which is why I do not understand that on the laptop it asked me to create a new password, re-enter it and enter a hint.

Yes, I do have a back-up, which is only a month old and that I have already restored. But I am running it locally right now and am very (!) hesitant to put it on the cloud again.

If you can shed some light, it would be appreciated. Until then, I guess I will work locally. Thanks!

[AllenM Norton Fighter]

HI cdwillison,

Thanks very much for the update.

This is not part of the problem you had with ID safe but I would highly recommend that you install SP 1 on your laptop.

How did you set up your online ID safe vault? There are a couple of options that you could have chosen. Was it the Move Data Online option or did you set up your online vault and then merge (restore backup) your ID safe backup?

Either should have worked but it helps to know which one you used. There might have been some glitch but I have been using online ID safe since 2012 came out and the only time I had a problem like this was when there was an internet routing problem which prevented NIS from communicating properly with the online ID safe Symantec server. This was not a Symantec issue and once that was resolved I've have no further problems.

As long as you have a recent ID safe bacukp, there is no risk in trying to set up the online vault again. I also recommend as a precaution that you back up your ID Safe data periodically such as when you add new logins or change existing ones.

If you are willing to try this again please do the following. Go to Settings > Web > Identity Safe, then Export data to create a fresh backup. I'd recommend setting a password for your protection on the backup. Then click on the Move Data Online option. If the password you use on your local vault is not strong enough NIS will prompt you to configure a strong (new) password, otherwise it will automatically use the one you have on your local vault.

Log out and back in a couple of times on that computer. Once you confirm this is working OK, then try from the other computer and make sure it works.

Please let us know how it goes.

Best wishes.

Allen

[cdwillison]

Hi,

yeah, I was actually surprised that sp1 was not on the laptop, which is the older version of the two. Anyhow, I am almost 100 % sure that it was the move local vault to online option and not the restore backup one.

I'll try again, but probably not today. Can you see the picture in my original post now? Because that is also quite weird that there is a drop down list of login websites, but no actual websites/urls, isn't it?

I'll let you know how things go. Thanks!

[AllenM Norton Fighter]

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cdwillison wrote:

Hi,

yeah, I was actually surprised that sp1 was not on the laptop, which is the older version of the two. Anyhow, I am almost 100 % sure that it was the move local vault to online option and not the restore backup one.

I'll try again, but probably not today. Can you see the picture in my original post now? Because that is also quite weird that there is a drop down list of login websites, but no actual websites/urls, isn't it?

I'll let you know how things go. Thanks!

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Hi cdwillison,

Unfortunately I cannot yet see the image. On weekends it does take a bit longer sometimes to be validated / approved so that everyone can view it. I'll keep checking back.

From what you describe it almost sounds like something caused the data to become corrupted before it got to the Symantec server but hopefully I'll be able to tell a bit more once I can see the image.

In the meantime please do let us know how it goes when you try this again.

Best wishes.

Allen

[AllenM Norton Fighter]

Hi cdwillison,

Just to add one quick thing. Before you try this again, please attempt to log into your online ID safe but enter the wrong password 3 times. It will then ask you if you want to reset your online vault. Answer YES to this to ensure it is completely wiped to a clean slate.

Then attempt to move data online as I described earlier.

Best wishes.

Allen

[cdwillison]

Sorry, I'm a bit confused. Where exactly do you want me to log in first 3 times? I logged into https://identitysafe.norton.com/  3 times, but all it gives you after that is a 'click here to try again'. Or do you want me to set up the online vault i.e. move my logins online again, log out of it and then try logging back in with the wrong password 3 times to reset = wipe it? Thanks!

[AllenM Norton Fighter]

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cdwillison wrote:

Sorry, I'm a bit confused. Where exactly do you want me to log in first 3 times? I logged into https://identitysafe.norton.com/  3 times, but all it gives you after that is a 'click here to try again'. Or do you want me to set up the online vault i.e. move my logins online again, log out of it and then try logging back in with the wrong password 3 times to reset = wipe it? Thanks!

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HI cdwillison,

I mean to do this from NIS, though it would probably work from the ID safe web portal as well. By logging in incorrectly 3 times in a row NIS will offer to let you reset your ID safe which WILL in fact wipe it out completely. This is what I want in this case to ensure that when you move your ID safe data online again, it is going to set it up on a clean slate instead of possibly attempting to merge it into a vault which might be corrupted. Just make sure you are resetting the online vault and not your local vault. Of course even if you reset your local vault you can get it back easily as well from the backup you have.

As I mentioned you have an ID safe backup so this data is easily restored. I also suggested making a fresh backup before you do the reset, as an added precaution.

After the online ID safe vault is reset it will offer a window so that you can set up the valut again with a password. Go ahead and close this window and then choose the "Move Data Online" option while logged on to your local vault.

Hope this clarifies.

Best wishes.

Allen

P.S. I saw your image from the first post now. I agree that is very odd and it would seem that the vault somehow got corrupted in some way as I suspected before.

[cdwillison]

Hi Allen,

just to let you know that I have followed your recommendations and so far everything is working. I just have this nagging feeling that it might happen again, and I still don't know why it happened. A bit unsettling, but - oh well.

Thanks again and have a wonderful Christmas!