Norton Internet Security / Norton AntiVirus

[jedi105]

I have been trying to get rid of this since I reformatted and reinstalled my computer the other day. In the process, of course I had to reinstall NIS. The downloader pulled the latest version and installed without a hitch. Unfortunately, it installed this Norton Gadget on the desktop (Windows 7). I am a minimalist at heart and I dont like anything on my desktop. I tried to remove it the normal way, clicking the x to close it just resulted in it closing until I rebooted. I also tried many of the suggestions including trying to see if multiple copies of the gadget were runnning. Nothing. I was able to "Delete" it from the gadgets list but the next time I rebooted it was there again but its not listed in the gadgets list anymore.

Please, I really dont want this thing on my desk top. Is there a setting in the NIS Settings that I can use to disable it or even a registry hack. Thanks in advance

[Ben10]

It really shouldn't happen.  Can you try reinstalling your Norton product:

Download the Norton removal tool from www.norton.com/nrt AND the Norton Internet Security installer from www.norton.com/nis12

Disable your internet.

Uninstall the Norton product via the add/remove programs or the start menu (DO NOT use the removal tool yet.

Reboot

Run the Norton removal tool

Reboot

Re-run the Norton removal tool

reboot

Run the Norton Internet Security installer you downloaded from www.norton.com/nis12

Run LiveUpdate repeatedly and rebooting as necessary.  Re-run after reboot until there is no more updates (or the only update that is installed is pulse update).

Reboot

Check if problem is still remaining.

[KBPrez]

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jedi105 wrote:

I have been trying to get rid of this since I reformatted and reinstalled my computer the other day. In the process, of course I had to reinstall NIS. The downloader pulled the latest version and installed without a hitch. Unfortunately, it installed this Norton Gadget on the desktop (Windows 7). I am a minimalist at heart and I dont like anything on my desktop. I tried to remove it the normal way, clicking the x to close it just resulted in it closing until I rebooted. I also tried many of the suggestions including trying to see if multiple copies of the gadget were runnning. Nothing. I was able to "Delete" it from the gadgets list but the next time I rebooted it was there again but its not listed in the gadgets list anymore.

Please, I really dont want this thing on my desk top. Is there a setting in the NIS Settings that I can use to disable it or even a registry hack. Thanks in advance

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Windows 7 has an option that can be used to remove desktop gadgets.  First right click on the desktop and select the "Gadgets" option.  You should then see the Norton gadget listed (probably along with some other gadgets).  Right click on Norton's gadget and select "Uninstall".  This should remove it permanently.

[jedi105]

Thanks. I have done all of that as well but it still keeps showing up. Uuuugghhh

[jedi105]

Thank you for the quick response. Unfortunately, I have already done that several times and each time I reboot its back. This is really getting on my nerves. I hate software that doesnt listen to what I tell it. hahaha. Is there maybe a registry hack I can try? I dont want to disable windows gadgets because I use a couple of them but this norton one is useless

[KBPrez]

That's weird.  Norton also shows up in my gadget list, but it's not on my desktop.  Afraid I don't have any other ideas.  Sorry I couldn't help.

[jedi105]

I thank you for trying

[SlamDunkley]

Hi jedi105, I think I may have a solution

1.Download CCleaner from here http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner/download/standard

2. Follow the instructions to install it.

3. Once it's installed, open up CCleaner and you should have 4 options on the left side. 

4. One of these options is "Tools". Click on "Tools" then click on "Startup"

5. Now you should see a list of programs that are scheduled to start up with Windows, look for a program called "Sidebar" tin he list.

6. Click on it then click on the "Disable" button on the right.

That should do it, I hope this helps :)

[Cybert]

In case the suggested solution with CCleaner doesn't work (I suspect it doesn't, because i tried to do the same thing with msconfig.exe, Norton Startup Manager and a couple of registry hacks) the following solution definitely works because I used it myself.  I am running Windows 7 Home Premium x64 SP1 and NIS 2012 19.2.0.10.  Go into Control Panel and click Programs and Features, then click Turn Windows features on or off.  When the Windows Features window pops up scroll down to Windows Gadget Platform and uncheck tthe box, then click OK and restart.  Of course, this solution only works if you don't want to run any gadgets, since sidebar.exe will no longer be running.  If you want to see the Web page I found about this via Google click the following link: www.howtogeek.com.

Cybert 

[jedi105]

Thanks. I was able to fix it by uninstalling the program and reinstalling it about 4 times. I guess each time I uninstalled it, true to Norton form, it left bits and pieces of its program behind