I’m going to do a “return to factory settings” (not sure of technical term) on my Win7 64-bit. PC came with a Norton Security Product, but I have retail disk Norton 360v4 and want to use that instead. I can’t find Answers anywhere about FIREWALL presence or absence while changing Norton products. The Norton loaded on PC is working, but I didn’t know how to change safely. I won’t go online without a Firewall. 1. I know I must download and run the Norton Uninstaller before installing 360v4. 2. Do I need to be online while I run the uninstaller? I’m afraid to go online anywhere for updates without a Firewall. 3. When I do the" Return To Factory settings", Att what point should I install 360 (retail disk v4)? 4. When 360 is installed, will a Firewall be in place before I go online to update 360v5, Win7, etc? 5. Is it BEST procedure to update Win7 before updating Norton? 6. If updating Norton before Win7, should I turn OFF Norton, (except for the FIREWALL), Before I update Win7? I tried to be as orderly as I could with this because I am NOT technically knowledgeable. I have read many comments about Norton interfering with Windows or the opposite scenario. I am hesitant to tackle this and would appreciate some help very much. Thank you.
safe-or-sorry:
When you return to factory settings, your Norton product will likely be expired. Have the norton removal tool on a flash drive so that you can remove it completely after the restore. Remove it first using add/remove, then use the removal tool to clean up. You should find that the Win 7 firewall which is quite decent will be activated as soon as Norton is removed.
Back up your logins to the flash as well.
When you install the new N360, you should actually install the newest version which is v5 either standard or premium. Make sure you have your key as it may not pick up the activation automatically after a restore to factory.
Once it is installed, activated or not, it will turn off the Windows firewall and use the Norton firewall.
www.norton.com/n360s_5
www.norton.com/n360p_5
Norton removal Tool
Thank you delphinium… If I was much younger, I’m sure I’d understand your directions better. Could you please clarify some things for me? The Norton product says 2 months left, would it expire with the RTFS? IF IT Doesn’t expire, does that make a difference in how I must do this procedure? How do I put the Norton Removal Tool on a Flash Drive. (is a USB stick or thumb drive the same thing? Will the NRT stay there? I’ve read one has to run NRT several times to get all files. THANK YOU for telling met the Win 7 firewall reactivates automatically and the Norton 360, activated or not, will turn off the Windows firewall and use the Norton firewall. What do you mean by “backup your logins”. I’ve my activation Key for 360 v4… Are you saying to download the v5 and enter the key somewhere? Thank you for the information and links. I’d never set up a computer before and it’s been difficult. I tried the Norton “Ask Me”, but couldn’t get the right question to get my Firewall question answered. Do I do all this with my DSL running? I hope I DID this correctly… Thank you… Big Smile. “Everyone is Ignorant… Only on different subjects” Will Rodgers
If what you have on there now is a trial with two months left, I don't think it will be useable after the restore.
PC came with a Norton Security Product, but I have retail disk Norton 360v4 and want to use that instead.
When you restore the machine, you will most likely need to remove whatever product is on it, because the different programs are not compatible. If NIS is on the machine, it will cause problems if you install N360 over the top.
We can give you a link to the newest N360v5, and you will be able to activate it using the key that came in your new N360v4 purchase. Keep the disc because it is also a bootable tool. We do need to know the version of your N360. Is it standard or premium. We need to give you the correct link because they are not interchangeable either.
Yes, a flash drive, thumb drive, USB drive are the same. You can download the file to the desktop, copy it to the thumb drive, and once the restore is finished, copy it again from the thumb drive to the desktop. It will remain on your desktop where you put it. I saved it in my downloads in case I need it in the future.
It does not hurt to run the removal tool, reboot, run it again and reboot.
If Norton does not put your passwords into websites for you, you are not using Identity Safe, so you might not have any logins to save. If you do use IdentitySafe, we will provide backup instructions.
It is handy to have the internet connected. The removal tool will connect to a website so you can tell Symantec why you are removing it. It will also facilitate the downloading of a considerable number of definition updates. The whole job should only take about 20 minutes, give or take.
I'm no spring chicken either, safe-or-sorry, not to worry. It is difficult, from a first post, to determine the skill set of a poster. 
The Windows 7 firewall is excellent, and it should automatically be activated when Norton is uninstalled, so it should be no worries.
If you are behind a NAT router, you are automatically firewalled with blocking of all unsolicited inbound traffic and do not have to worry about a software firewall at all.