Conflict with Norton Security 22.7.0.76 and Windows 10

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1

Hello,

I had some extra free time this week so I decided, for testing purposes, to install Norton Security 22.7.0.76 on my Windows 10 x64 systems. (Both clean installations, since August 2015, and running all that time without NS).

First of all, my systems do not exhibit the Full System Scan issue reported by many users. I ran 4-5 manual full system scans, all completed without problems, and the duration was similar to previous versions of NS.

However, I have observed the following issue, when NS runs Norton Insight idle task, and the W 10 system is running the Automatic Maintenance, the following error is shown, under Event Viewer and Reliability History.

Steps to reproduce: 1) Let NS idle tasks, and particularly idle Quick Scan and Norton Insight, run at the same time time with Windows 10 Automatic Maintenance which is triggered 4 minutes after the pc is idle. SystemSettings.exe is the executable responsible and running for W 10 Automatic Maintenance. The error, at least on my systems, is logged. 

2) Open NS and manually run the Norton Insight task, (by pressing the appropriate arrow, at the same time, open W 10 Control Panel, Security & Maintenance, and click on Start Maintenance. The above error is logged a few minutes after. I uninstalled & reinstalled NS 3 times, when NS is not present, no error, as soon as NS is installed, the problem starts.

If you look at the screenshot, Exception code 0x0000005 indicates a memory access violation so, somehow, NS and SystemSettings.exe do not play fine together.

The workaround, but not a viable solution, because under W 10,  Automatic Maintenance is better to run, from time to time, is to apply the following key in the registry in order to disable Automatic Maintenance.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Schedule\Maintenance

MaintenanceDisabled  DWORD 1

Since it appears that Symantec & Microsoft are working closely together for issues like that one, it would be nice if you can take a look to that problem.

P.S. @ all Gurus, please forward this thread to mods, so they can escalate this to the Norton team. Thank you.

Regards,

 

2

Hi @Apostolos,
I've sent you a Private Message requesting logs, Please check it when you get a chance.

3
Mohan_G:

Hi @Apostolos,

Thanks for reporting this issue. We'll look into this.

Thank you very much Mohan_G, greatly appreciated.

Regards, 

4

Hi @Apostolos,

Thanks for reporting this issue. We'll look into this.

5

Norton Insight also seems to work properly.

NS.jpgRegards,

6

Restored a full backup image, then modified permissions for SystemSettings.exe then installed NS.

Automatic Maintenance runs ok, I can open Settings and no errors. See below:

AM.jpgRM.jpgCheers,

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Hey Krusty,

Without NS installed, sfc /verifyonly detects nothing, no integrity violations, and Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth is OK,  same after installation of NS and modified permissions for SystemSettings.exe.( see my post about quick update).

Without NS installed my system is error free at the exception of event ID 7031, which affects virtually everyone, even computers running at Microsoft test labs. More info: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3118867

Now, if I uninstall NS there are no errors, Automatic Maintenance runs ok, I can open Settings etc, no errors.

So I believe it's something that NS detects in SystemSettings.exe when it wants to run, maybe under System, or All Application packages or Administrators, and since they have not Full Control permissions, (only TrustedInstaller has), NS might prevent it in the first place from accessing the memory, maybe for a few ms, but enough for Event Viewer to log an error. After modification of permissions not a single error with NS installed.

Symantec, should take a look at this, it won't harm. (and potentially work with Microsoft on that).

Now for your crashes, you may want to look at the Exception Code number and the app which crashes, in my case SystemSettings.exe. I have not Chrome, but never experienced a single crash from IE, I must admit however that IE 11 runs without any AV installed and even Defender is permanently disabled on my systems.

Cheers!

8

FYI, I've had both IE 11 and Chrome crashing regularly crashing on my machines with ntdll.dll reported as the faulty module.  Also Windows Live Mail 16.4 with ntdll.dll as the faulty module.

Both machines = Win10 x64.

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Quick Update:

I had the same error when I tried to open Start Menu - Settings.

See screenshot:

System Settings 2.jpgSo I opened  C:\ Windows\ImmersiveControlPanel\SystemSettings and I rightclicked SystemSettings,-Properties, - Security tab.

Owner was TrustedInstaller with full permissions, and Adminisrtators, Users, System and All Application Packages had Read and Read & Execute only permissions. Other W 10 users might check and report if these settings are also the same on their systems.

Anyway, I temporarily took ownership of SystemSettings, granted Administrators, System and All Application Packages full control, then gave back ownership to TrustedInstaller.

I'm making some more tests right now but this seems to resolve the problem...  so far.

I'll report back later with additional results.

Regards,

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