After 360 V1 to V2 update Norton apps "fail to initialize"

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After updating 360 V1 to V2 Norton apps on startup display "Failed to Initialize". When you run uninstall or any Norton tool you also get the same Failed to Initialize message so you cannot cleanup or reinstall. I have contacted support three times. Each time they have connected into my computer poked around about an hour, do a restart and I never hear back from them? It appears that some of the services are running but I am unsure of the status of the application as a whole. Also one of the side affects of the update is that I have to boot twice to get network access, after the second boot everything works as expected except any Norton apps.

 

Any help/pointers appreciated.

 

Thanks,

Bill

 

 

Hi BWDI

 

Can you try this please.

 

1. Download the latest version of N360 from here .

 

2. Download and run the Norton Removal Tool and reboot as instructed.

 

3. Install N360 from the download, then run Live Update SEVERAL TIMES, rebooting when required, until no updates are left to install.

 

Let us know if the issues persist.

 

Thanks

 

 

Message Edited by johna on 09-22-2008 12:31 AM

Hello Johna,

 

Thank you for the reply. Unfortunatly I cannot run any of the Norton tools, budump, removal etc. As I sid in the first post all Norton apps abort with a "Failed to Initialize" message. I guess that my only alternative is to physically go into the registry, services and directories and  remove everything Norton related? I was hoping that someone else may have experienced this and would have experience in resolving. As I noted the Norton help desk has been unable to resolve my issue. 

 

My OS is XP Pro with SP2

My computer is a Dell PowerEdge Server.

 

Again Thank you for the interest.

 

Bill   

Hi BWDI,

 

A "failure to initialize" error can indicate a problem with permissions related to your Windows user account. For testing purposes, can you create a test admin account and see if the install (or removal, or budump application) launches properly?

 

Thanks,

 

Matt

I'm having the same exact problem.  I got the email to upgrade to 2.0 for free so I thought "cool!".  Didn't realize it was going to be such a pain.  When I installed the upgrade, once I get to the step "do you want to remove Norton files used during install" (doing that from memory), clicking yes just seems to freeze the install.  I looked at my processes and msiexec is still running so I assumed something was still happening.  I waited 2 hours and nothing, msiexec was still running.  Then whenever I attempted to run anything Norton 360, I get 'failed to initiliaze errors'.I used to the norton removal tool, ran it several times actually.  The first time I had to run it in safe mode because I was getting the same failed to initialize errors.  No matter how many times I reinstall, clean the registry, start my windows xp in 'Selective Startup', run the norton tool, I always get the 'failed to initiliaze' error no matter what I run, whether it's liveupdate, mainstub.exe, etc.  I really don't want to reinstall windows so please help.  I even tried installing the latest windows installer (version 4.5) and still the same thing.  I've got all the latest windows updates as well.  I can't even run the norton removal tool when it's in this state, I have to boot in safe mode.  I've installed 3 other non-Symantec applications after this to make sure something was not run with my machine, and they all installed fine (office, competitor AV, and Firefox).  

 

 

 

I tried your windows user account test, Matt, and still not luck.  The new user did have local admin rights and still has the same errors.  I think the issue is that at some point the install is getting stuck, and some required files are not being installed, thus not allowing the program to register with MS correctly.

Got it fixed.  I just downloaded the trial version instead of the full version and Iā€™m back in business.

Well, the trial was the older version of 360.  When I tried to upgrade to version 2 again, same errors began to occur.  Luckily, I had a ghost image this time of the good 360, so I guess no upgrade for this machine.


mlopezjr wrote:
Well, the trial was the older version of 360.  When I tried to upgrade to version 2 again, same errors began to occur.  Luckily, I had a ghost image this time of the good 360, so I guess no upgrade for this machine.

Hi mlopezjr

 

Can you click on Help>About and let me know the version number please. The trial version you downloaded should have been Version 2, by running live update several times, restarting when prompted, until no more updates are available, should bring you up to the latest version.

 

Is the problem occurring when you run live update after installing the trial version? By the way, here is the correct download for the latest version.

Hi johna,

 

1.3.2.4 is my version.  I ran LiveUpdate several times until no more update were available.  The link you sent me is the exact download I've been trying to install going on like 10 times now.  I even tried the Premier version with the same results.  This seems to be occuring to few more folks as I have researched it and seen a handful of people with the issue.  I just doesn't seem to be all that common.  Like I said, it goes through the install just fine until you get to the portion that asks you if you want to remove Norton files used during install.  No matter if you click Yes or No to that prompt, the install just seems to abort (silently).

 

I installed version 2 on my other 2 machines and was hoping for a 3rd one, so I'll just stick with this version for now.  On the two machines that it worked on, after clicking Yes or No to the remove files prompt, the configuration wizard would load allowing you to run LU and such.

 

Edit:  Also forgot to mention that the other two machines were also upgrades from version 1.  

 

Thanks!

 

 

Message Edited by mlopezjr on 09-27-2008 06:45 PM

Hi mlopezjr

 

I would like you to try a manual uninstall to see if we can try to resolve this. Can you please follow the steps below:

 

 NOTE: Before proceeding it is wise to backup your registry either manually, or by running System Restore and creating a restore point.

1. Go to start>run>type regedit>highlight 'my computer'>edit>find>type symantec>tick all boxes, including 'match whole string only'>find next. When you see the value 'symantec' come up in left pane, right click and delete it. Next, press F3 and repeat the procedure. Keep pressing F3 until the search is finished.

2. Do exactly as in 3 above, but type norton in the search field instead of symantec. When done, close the registry editor.

3. Go to start>search>type symantec in the search field>advanced search>tick all boxes except 'case sensitive'>search. Delete any folders that come up except the Symantec folder in My Documents. If any wont delete drag them over onto your desktop and delete from there.

4. Do exactly as in 5 above, but type norton in the search field instead of symantec.

5. Go to start>run>type temp>edit>select all>press Delete.

6. Go to start>run>type %temp%>edit>select all>press Delete.

7. Go to start>run>type prefetch>edit>select all>press Delete. When done, restart your PC.

8. Next, run the Norton Removal Tool and restart.


9. Download N360 V2 from this link, it is different from the one you have been using, and install.

 

10. When the installation is complete, run Live Update SEVERAL TIMES until no more updates are available. Restart your PC when prompted, and run Live Update again as described above.


You should now have the latest version of N360 with all the updates applied. Check your version number by clicking Help and Support>About. Please advise the version number showing.

 

See if this works and get back with the results. Thanks!

Hi Johna,

 

Thanks for all the help.  I did exactly as you said and still getting the same initializing error.   Like I've said, once you get to the install step where it asks you if you'd like to remove files used by install, it just seems to mess up.  Even running Liveupdate (have to do LUALL from runbox since 360 won't open) and get initializing errors with it as well.  I can't run the removal tool either once in this state (initializing error yet again) and I have to run it in safe mode.  Long story short, I just ran the removal tool in safe mode, reinstalled ghost, and recovered my pc to version 1.  I will give up on upgrading to version 2 for now as this has cost me way too much time.  Hopefully the next version will install without issue.  Just for giggles, I downloaded just about every trial ware out there for symantec and they all installed just fine, so I'm at a loss.

 

 

Hello johna,

 

I finally got some time to try your suggestions. I performed a mannual uninstall of my 360V2 per your instructions. That seemed to work OK. After the removal tool completed it prompted me to copy down a new version of 360V2 and I did. The install copied a bunch of updates down and proceeded and then completed. A prompt of "Updated setup files were copied to your computer do you want to remove them" yes or no. I chose yes, a little disk activity then nothing and then back to the "failed to initialize"  on any norton application start attempt?  I'm going to manual uninstall again and then go back to V1, I don't know what else to do? Appears to be the same behavior that mlopezjr is seeing........

 

Thanks for the help,

 

Bill

 

 

I'm sorry if I missed details in this thread, but I'd like to know exactly what it says is failing to initialize.  Can we get screenshots?  I'm concerned that this may be due to an issue in the registry.

 

Please follow the steps in the following KB document and let me know if it fixes anything for you.

 

Nothing happens when you attempt to start Norton 360 after installation

Message Edited by NateR on 10-01-2008 04:19 PM

Hello Nate,

Any Norton application that you try to run will not start. A pop up screen with "appname.exe failed to initialize" displays. As previously posted removal tools, norton 360 etc all produce the same results. This started after I received a pointer on an email offering a free upgrade to 360 V2. I copied down, installed and this started happening. Tonight I uninstalled per johna instructions and reinstalled 360v2 again but still the same results. I just uninstalled manually again and re installed 360 V1 and all is working again.

 

Bill  

BWDI,

 

Can you please search your registry for "auditmode" and "auditinprogress" to see if either exists and let me know what you find?  Thanks.  Additionally, do you have any other 3rd party security applications?

Hello Nate,

 

Neither auditmode nor auditinprogress were found in the registry. There are no 3rd party security applications, only what XP may have included if any. I have V1 back up and running OK. If you want me to try another upgrade I can do that, but otherwise I will stay on V1 for the time being.

 

Bill

x2 on everything BWDI said since my last post.  Sounds like he's having the EXACT issue I am.  Unfortunately, I can't be of any help any longer as I just went ahead and did a clean XP install since my machine was due for one anyway.  Version 2 worked fine afterwards.  I also have my Ghost configured to do periodic backups and after each program installation to try to avoid this in the future :)

 

Thanks

1 Like

mlopezjr,

 

Glad to hear all is resolved for you.  Wish we could've figured out what was hosed up in your system before the nuke and pave.

 

BWDI,

 

If you're happy with v1, then I don't want to push you into v2 at this time.  If you do choose to go with v2, I'd suggest trying again with a cleanboot.  Are you familiar with the use of MSConfig to disable all other services and apps from loading?

 

 

Hello Nate,

 

If I get time I will try in the next day or two to upgrade again. Is there anything specific that you would like me to look at, search for, check on etc before, during or after the upgrade? Isn't MSConfig a little drastic for just performing a standard update?

 

Bill