Norton Security.......Automatically Uninstalled

Clarification:

C:\Users\Public\Downloads (Norton - original downloaded files)
C:\Users\your user name\Downloads (original down loader file)
C:\Users\your user name\AppData\LocalLow (any folder in reference to Norton)
C:\Program Files\(Norton Security folder)
C:\Program Files (x86)\(NortonInstaller folder)
C:\Program Files\Common Files\AV\(Norton)
C:\Program Files\Common Files\(Symantec Shared)
C:\ProgramData\(Norton folder)
C:\ProgramData\(NortonInstaller folder)
C:\ProgramData\(Symantec folder if present)

Glad to hear you got it sorted.  

Yes, odds are you wont find many of those folders left over but best to check before reinstalling especially if the program became corrupted for some reason.    

anon743,

According to this link your version on XP should be in maintenance mode and not subject to version upgrades. 

https://community.norton.com/en/forums/norton-maintenance-mode-windows-x...

There were some users posting about recent emails they received from Norton stating they were upgrading NIS users to 360. However, I wouldn't think this would apply to maintenance mode versions. 

I would recommend contacting Norton Support directly and getting their take on your issue.

Only other option I could recommend would be to remove your current version and reinstall NIS v21 http://www.norton.com/oldnis. Once the installation is complete, immediately disable the option to receive Automatic Download of New Versions.  However, it looks like you've been down that road a few times in the past.

anon743,

The quickest way I know to resolve your issue will be to contact Norton Official Support directly. They're going to be the only ones who can shed some light on whats going on with the reinstallation and or whether they're actually pushing an upgrade to your NIS maintenance mode version.

Click this link, then scroll down a bit and in the middle of the page select "My issue isn't listed above".  Fill out the blocks and then click on "Get Phone Number"

https://support.norton.com/sp/en/us/home/current/contact-phone

Sorry I cant be of more help 

Here's what I suspect may have happened: the latest Live Updates may have included a faulty component patch which, despite the user preference of not checking (and installing) any newer software option, ignores (or revokes) such preference/command, which would later simply initiate an automatic older version uninstall and replace it with a newer version, against the user's wishes.  If that's the case, then this should be regarded as a serious issue and Symantec should investigate and fix that.

However, what I cannot explain is that, after the forced NIS v21.x uninstallation, the newer v22.x installer fails to continue after a system restart.  Normally when such software upgrade occurs, the newer version installer would (and should) take care of the rest of the installation process after system restart.

As for reports that Norton is forcibly upgrading current NSP subscribers to N360, IMHO as a similar measure, no comment on that but IMO Norton may be going too far.

@peterweb

That still doesn't explain why Norton has to forcibly update v21.x to v22.x...
And I'm sure it's deliberate, as after my initial system restore and running Live Update the v21 uninstallation occurs almost instantly.  (In the past, when I accidentally stumbled into a (faulty) v22 upgrade, I simply ghosted back my system to the previous workable state, then run Live Update again, and that's it -- no more hassle.  But now it's no more......)

Maybe the update patch component that forces current NIS/NS subscribers to N360 is doing the same detriment to older system users, in that (under the same policy/command/etc.)  NIS is to be force-updated (upgraded?) to the last current workable version as determined by the old system (XP/Vista)?

Also regarding Maintenance Mode: say, if NIS v22.x has been installed on an older OS (XP/Vista) then all additional protection functionality will not be available.  Then function-wise, what's the difference when compared with the previous v21.x?  Since only basic update capability (definitions etc.) is being retained.

And just a recap: the reason for me to retain v21.x functionality:
https://community.norton.com/de/node/1350971

Now that I'm forced to use v22.x (updated to 22.15.2.37) I now live in fear and don't konw when this NIS version will cripple my XP system again......

On separate note: I have NIS v21.x installed on one w7p (x64) laptop as well, but have not booted up after this fiasco.  Next time when I boot up, will v21.x be automatically removed but instead upgraded with N360?  In this case I'd rather have v22.x installed, but what if that's not even possible?

You said Norton may have forgotten the older OS users.  If you read my chat transcripts from my previous post, you'll see how sneaky (and ignorant) are when they simply scoff people like me for having used older system and software versions, and all that they say is that the only viable solution is to upgrade, upgrade, upgrade to everything new.  JEEZ!!

@peterweb

I'm experiencing serious new problems after such forced v22.x update.  This time it's worse than before...

Please see these screencaps for the Referenced memory error, with the VERY SAME values every time it occurs.  A bunch of programs are affected, such as PS, Goldwave, VideoRedo, Notepad, Acrobat... just to name a few (the list will grow).

https://i.postimg.cc/pd3125Nm/2020-03-05-182009b.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/63RbT6wY/2020-03-05-190252b.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/L5pCPd8R/2020-03-05-190830b.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/43HBF4Ks/2020-03-06-070214b.jpg

When these programs are opened but no tasks are carried out and then closed, the error message won't occur.  However, whenever a task is being completed ie. each time when a new file is saved, the referenced memory error occurs every time during program exit.

In the case of Acrobat (v8.3.1), just opening a large PDF file then close it would result in the same error (although opening smaller PDF files might not).  But the error again appears whenever a new PDF file is saved, before program exit.

I recently had to perform another system restore (to the very same previous state as discussed in my previous posts) and thus discovered the aforementioned referenced memory issue.  When still in NIS v21.x such symptom didn't happen at all, until it got force-upgraded and updated.

Simply put, someone needs to seriously inform Norton to STOP force-upgrading any old NIS version esp. on older systems ie. XP/Vista.  Users (myself included) oftentimes choose not to upgrade because of (petty?) problems like these.   Let these users choose what's best for their cause and assume all risks -- but NOT hijacking them into such upgrade...

A few years ago when 22.x was initially deployed, I still had a chance to remain in v21.x.  Now the choice is gone and I'm left with a crippled XP system just because of this NIS 22.x.  Is there any additional memory protection on v22.x that may cause such problem, and if so, how do I switch off those features?

Can somebody please help?

@peterweb

I also sent PM to the admin who posted this notice
https://community.norton.com/en/forums/announcing-norton-security-221522...

Ir looks like they're desperately deploying this upgrade without careful consideration.  Simply put, this practice needs to STOP!!

Also, reading the following, there seems to be no indication that older software versions are to be forcibly killed off:
https://support.norton.com/sp/en/us/home/current/solutions/v126160909
https://support.norton.com/sp/en/us/home/current/solutions/kb20080410115...
https://support.norton.com/sp/en/au/home/current/solutions/v95977279

Let's hope Symantec does not hastily change any policy regarding software update/upgrades etc.  Otherwise, this will be a disaster.

@ peterweb

It's a WRONG move and is disregarding the concerns of legacy users, esp. XP.

And yes it was me who contacted Gayathri_R over the hijack issue.  But instead, he posted that notice justifying such software hijack.

IMHO more affected customers need to stand up and voice their concerns.  As long as the bugs from v22.x are not carefully addressed, more people will be hanging on to the older v21.x version, however old the "software engine" is.  Simple as that.

Hi everyone,

We have fixed this issue in our latest release Norton 22.15.3. Please let us know if the fix works. Thank you for posting your feedback on the Norton Community. 

-Gayathri

Are full offline installers for this new version available for download from the Norton FTP servers (e.g., something like NS-ESD-22.15.3.20-EN.exe for the EN-US version of Norton Security Standard / Deluxe)? Norton customer support provided download links for the old v22.15.0.88 NS/NSBU installers that I posted in my 2018 thread Download Links for NS/NSBU v22.15.1.8 Installers (XP and Vista) but it would be nice to have updated versions of the full offline installers for clean reinstalls.

I was wondering that myself!! I would very much like to obtain/download a "full" offline .exe installer of 22.15.3.320 should the need for a clean reinstallation of Norton ever become necessary. It would be a lot easier than installing older versions and then having to run LU and restart the PC extra times just to get the Engine updated. 

Could you also clarify what the 08-Mar-2020 announcement Active Customers in Legacy Version Are Being Upgraded means for Win XP SP3 and Vista SP2 users with older CPUs (e.g., Pentium III and older) that do not support the SSE2 instruction set and cannot run Norton v22.x products.  I know of a few users with these older machines who said this forced upgrade had corrupted their v21.7.0.11 installation (see my post today in 1mcrtd's thread I am still a NIS user, but... for one example) and I'd like to know if a clean reinstall of v21.7.0.11 would fix their problem or if Norton has discontinued support for v21.7.0.11 altogether.

I'd be curious about that one too.

@Gayathri

We will be posting the installers for 22.15.3 in the coming weeks, that you can directly download from your Norton Account.
And we currently don't support older processors such as Pentium III. Thanks.

Please address imacri's second question in more detail.

And if the issue regarding the SSE2 instruction set is true, then your company MUST let those affected users stick to the older v21.7.xx, as well as letting other concerned customers to continue to install and use this older version whenever necessary.

That also means your company must fix up the Live Update mechanism as well (which AFAIK has been exploited for years for sneaky software upgrade downloads, against customer's preference in the software admin settings) and make sure NO software version upgrades are being force-feed and auto deployed without user consent.  If the LU mechanism is meant for minor version updates and other AV (and web protection) definitions update then your company should ensure just that.  Otherwise, your company is violating your own software policy and betraying customers' trust in the said mechanism.

Meanwhile, I'd also like to know if a full offline installer for the v21.7.0.11 is also available for download.

User Update : 

Okay, so, I guess this is "Day 2" of the new 22.15.3.20 Engine, and I am pleased to report that after a day of downloading files, editing/saving new images and audio, I have not seen nor experienced a single Application Error so far...

HOWEVER.... with the exception of ONE SMALL instance...

Upon system shutdown, at the "welcome" screen as Windows was shutting down, I got one of those "Application Error" messages in regards to the Norton product itself. 

This is NOT necessarily new (even v21.7 did this on occasion), but the parameters were completely different this time. 
The message box cited N360.exe in the "Application Error" popup with the following  : 

Application popup: N360.exe
Application Error: The instruction at "0x00000001" referenced memory at "0x00000001". The memory could not be "read". Click OK to terminate the program.

Because the system is shutting down I cannot manually click OK to close/terminate the program, but it doesn't much matter cos the shutdown does it automatically by, well, shutting down.

For now, the only workaround I have found to avoid that popup error is to not shut down my system too promptly after a manual drive scan (which I may have done today), thus allowing Norton time to complete its post-scan operations in the background (before restarting the PC).

Everything restarted and loaded fine - no problems there. And I am confident my day of computing today will be without "Application Error" incident (or at least I am HOPING so). 

I just find the parameters peculiar - why so "basic"? 

I suspect it was just a random fluke, which will probably happen again but not necessarily become overly habitual or problematic. All the same, though, it'd probably be a lot better all-around if it did not happen at all. 

This may not be anything major, but if there's any way Norton can have another look at that and figure out why the Norton product tends to illicit that message (occasionally) during system shutdown (restart), it would be appreciated. 

According to this link your version on XP should be in maintenance mode and not subject to version upgrades. 
https://community.norton.com/en/forums/norton-maintenance-mode-windows-x...

As an XP user myself, I can attest to being well aware of this "maintenance mode" thing that was implemented a while back. It suited me just fine to know my product would no longer be automatically upgraded.

However, that peace of mind was blown all to hell when on March 2/3 (depending on your time zone), they forcibly upgraded the product. 
It came with all the previous glitches and bugs that prevented me from electing to upgrade sooner, but fortunately, after MUCH pitching and bitching, Norton FINALLY corrected those bugs (it only took them 5 or 6 years and incessant complaining from angry and stubborn old gits like me).

There's only one small bug that remains and that is one that occurs while shutting down the computer, and it seems to be triggered by Norton itself. I brought it to Norton's attention, but of course, rather than actually revisit the previous fix they did and extending it to include how the problem affects Norton as well, they are wasting time and passing the buck onto us customers and making us do all of the legwork again - download this, install that, collect this data...  which is impossible considering the circumstances ; how can the SymTool collect data when the computer is shutting everything down?

The LAST thing I need is to find out THE HARD WAY that one of Norton's half-baked trouble-shooting ideas ultimately causes a severe hang in my computer, locking it up during shutdown and rendering it unable to complete because some arrogant piece of Norton crapware is getting in the way trying to run in the background... or worse ; corrupting my OS somehow by "interfering" with normal operational protocols like shutdown/startup. 

I dunno if this really pertains to the topic of the thread, but I'm putting it out there anyway.