Fresh install on Windows 11 Pro 22H2 has serious issues

Norton Security | Norton Internet Security
1

Yesterday, I installed Norton Security Ultra on a brand new machine with Windows 11 Pro 22H2, fully updated to the latest release build. I downloaded the installer from within my Norton account to the machines download folder and executed from there. I was logged in under an admin account as always.

The initial installer began as it normally does. Upon completion of the install, I checked the initial version that was just installed, verified it to be 22.23.5.106. I then manually ran live updates twice, received two patches, rebooted as each single patch was installed as I was prompted to do so. Ran live updates a third time with no other updates available, the installed version was then 22.23.10.10, the most current version released. At the time I had NSU installed.

Norton security ultra ui logo.png

I rebooted once again. When the computer booted I logged in and found the following issues:

-The desktop icon shows as Norton Security Ultra, opening the main UI shows Norton 360.

Screenshot 2023-12-06 124534.png

Remote management is greyed out, cannot enable. YET!! The license count in the main UI is correct for Norton Security Ultra. 

Screenshot 2023-12-06 125100.png

Installer version

Screenshot 2023-12-06 125416.png

- Fast Startup is disabled, I disabled it right out of the box as I always do on a new machine during setup.

- Support tool doesn't find anything wrong with the installation.

- I have nothing in the Windows Event Viewer suggesting Norton had install issues.

*Next step will be running the MATS tool and see what that yields.

I DO NOT want to run the R&R tool to remove this just yet. I would like someone at Norton to please explain how this is taking place, on a brand new machine, without ANY pre-installed antiviral or malware software, current build of Windows 11, and a clean system.

@Gayathri_R

SA

2

@Gayathri_R Thanks to you and the Norton team for assisting with this fiasco.

SA

3

To date, everything looks good with the exception, the number of devices uses does NOT show the same across all devices. That is minor considering all the headaches this has been. There are still old incorrect devices listed in My Devices within my account that I cannot remove although those license seats and the incorrect version of Norton have long been removed and replaced with the correct version. 

SA

4

Update: The team has apparently corrected the issue of, installing the incorrect product / changing the current product to a different product remotely, incorrect subscriptions used for activation issues. Six devices have been cleaned / cleared of ALL Norton file and remnants. They now have the correct versions, are all activated under the correct subscriptions. I have 3 more devices to complete yet. One issue still remains, NONE of the devices show the same number of licenses used in the main UI. They are incrementally one number different after each reinstallation. Remote management is on, I am signed into the product on each device. After all this time this is good news to me. Hoping that nothing reverts itself with the new version release to 22.24.1.6 but waiting before allowing that update to install on any of the other machines just yet.

Edited: I do have 22.24.1.6 on my daily machine to test that upgrade for further issues in my account.

SA

5

xjoex. Thanks for the kind words. Unfortunate this indeed is. There are 4 devices that are correctly installed with the correct product and activated under the correct subscription. I use these devices daily so those will remain on Norton for the time being. ALL other devices will be purged. In doing that I am NOT in any manner suggestive that I am moving away from Norton permanently, just moving away from the headaches that other devices are seeing until this is resolved. I am 100% certain from my side this is an issue with my account regarding renewal of Norton Security Ultra. When Norton has a resolution for me I will try an install on one device again and only one to validate. From there, my decision to use other software or not to use other software comes into play. Norton is the best A/V out there as far as I am concerned and I like an A/V suite that protects all the everyday end user protection areas, and it moves one or two protection levels up. Remains there, focuses on ALL those areas at once. Please have a look at the below screenshot.

From the purchasing website for NSU please note the differences between the UI of my installation of NSU and what the Norton screenshot there shows: Their screenshot shows "My Norton" as N360 does and the left hand logo is also different. My screenshot shows the correct UI as it has always been and remains so on the current version of 22.23.10.10 . 

NSU advertising issue.png

If I had to move on to another software solution my choice would be ESET Node 32. Expensive as it is, and as resources intensive as it can be, I have the hardware resources on my machines that will hardly notice its there. The expense is the major factor for me due to the need for NSU covering what the old Core Router offered with unlimited devices. I have used NSU since Core was retired for that reason. ESET doesn't offer unlimited installs across multiple platforms like NSU. And I haven't found an A/V company that does. 

Cheers!!

6

I sincerely respect your decision in these matters. It is unfortunate that you have experienced these issues and have not received any response from Norton. No one deserves that sort of support.

Also I highly value your knowledge on other matters as well as Norton. Can you tell us what products you are considering installing in place of Norton?

7

Anyone following the thread. Unfortunately for me. Beginning tomorrow. The removal of Norton products from all my devices appears to be the only solution at this point. Clearing the licenses and devices within my accounts subscriptions leaving nothing installed means no more issues, nor wasted time on my part. The Norton Security Ultra subscription renewal is the only logical cause, since this entire scenario began with that taking place. I am getting zero feedback from Norton other than its supposed to be being looked at. Over a month has passed. That isn't the case from my side of things. Hoping that none of you out there, see this issue or anything similar, take place with your renewals. Its one serious headache.

SA

8

Well the opening post was 6 December 2023, we are now arriving in a new year, its 02 Jan. 2024 with the holidays said and done. COVID has prevented me from doing much of anything since December 23rd as far as a deeper dive into what may be happening on the physical machine side of things. I'm now in a better position physically to restart that progress. That being said, the Norton Team should have identified the cause of this issue way before now. Knowing I am not the only customer who is having a issue, I believe, I have been more than patient with this. To date, no one Norton has posted in this thread. Something in that regard would be greatly appreciated.

SA

9

A "positive" update of sorts. I had the opportunity to personally have a look at my step-daughter's laptop just a bit ago. I appears, she gave inaccurate information to me regarding her Norton Security Ultra status. Her machine, as it stands per this posting is still NSU. She is logging into an RDP session where her employer has her logging into her Windows 11 machine at her work desk. Evidently she was confused.

Edited: I also have 3 older laptops that haven't been booted for some time now that also had Norton Security Ultra installed. Hoping they too are all good to go.

SA

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The holiday is just a handful of days away, and I don't expect any solution until after the New Year has come and gone. If then. Zero answers thus far. The solution I posted earlier in the thread is looking more and more, like the best one in my specific case. 

11

The latestns link is for the old/pre current 360, Norton Security product. The Norton Security Ultra is a newer product that we have not seen a direct download link to.

12

No idea why this would be happening. Personally I would install via direct link.... norton.com/latestns

13

Thanks for posting. Now we have others also experiencing similar issues. Hoping my issue, which MAY be somewhat account related, yet there are backend issues as well. All get corrected and soon. R&R, only to have this repeat itself, is the "real time test" that there is a larger issue at play.

SA 

14

When I see things like this that you have experienced it degrades my trust in Norton as a security product. These issues should never occur and I hope Norton resolves this for you and others quickly.

My own install of Norton 360 Deluxe reports as "Security" on the classic interface.

15

An even NEWER twist on things. A few minutes ago, a notification appeared on the Windows 11 PC that is the subject of the original issue with the below:

norton issue.png

Amazing that this goes from an install of Norton Security Ultra being REMOTELY activated to Norton 360 Deluxe, a removal only scenario completed and manually removing all left over files. A FRESH install of Norton Security Ultra, that again, activated as Norton 360 Deluxe a second time using a license seat from Norton Security Ultra. NOW! Trial version has expired. So, I performed the following:

- Logged into my account on the affected machine. Found that the previous license seat for this PC had been "automatically" removed from the licenses for Norton Security Ultra. I didn't remove it.

- Clicked "Activate Now", the next screen listed 2 subscriptions, Norton Security Ultra was selected with a green checkmark. Norton 360 was "greyed out" as it should be, and could not be used. Used Norton Security Ultra to activate a 3rd time. We are now back to the original issue which is. The Norton desktop icon states NORTON SECURITY, system tray icon states Norton 360. Windows 10 Pro 22H2 reports Norton 360 Deluxe installed. I restarted the machine and rechecked. Same same. I mean what is this?

SA

16

Being pro-active, after removal of Norton from the affected Windows 11 PC, I REINSTALLED. Got the same results as before. Instant N360 vice Norton Security Ultra. Leaving it that way for now because there is a far worse scenario taking place with this. 

Another family members laptop had NOT BEEN BOOTED since late June, so, I decided its time to run Windows updates and get it current. As soon as it fully booted and had WiFi connected, I was greeted with the exact scenario as the Windows 11 PC she owns. This laptop, With Windows 10 Pro 22H2, had Norton Security Ultra installed on it since it was brand new. Now, it appears something backside at Norton is forcing devices on my Norton Security Ultra subscription, onto Norton 360. This laptop, as does her PC, both have activated N360 under licenses for Norton Security Ultra, they still show under that subscription. Norton 360 was never downloaded nor installed on either device. I have screenshots from her laptop, however, cannot add screenshots due to the files being too large from a mobile device. I have those attached.

Matters get even worse. My step-daughter has a work from home laptop which has ALWAYS had Norton Security Ultra installed since new. I had her check her installation and desktop icons. Her machine HAS ALSO been forced onto Norton 360. Are the rest of the machines going to go through this same scenario? How is Gods name can this be happening? I have a question for my Norton contacts regarding something that shouldn't be posted here which may be related. I will ask that question in PM and see what the answer is.

FWIW!! These machine are remotely being changed to another product without any intervention my side. And I am not going to remove and reinstall only for the same issues to be presented again, I have already validated that it will on at least one machine. Neither am I going to get logs on all these machines because they are not all located where that is possible. Someone @Norton needs to get directly involved with this immediately. 

SA

 

 

17

Problem solved by completely removing Norton 360 ( as it is labeled by the installation ). Restart, Microsoft Defender is the active A/V on this machine at the present time. I WILL NOT reinstall Norton again until such time as someone Norton, is willing to take the time to explain how a direct download from my account for Norton Security Ultra, got installed as Norton 360 Deluxe. Its just not worth the headache for reinstallation with the probability the issue will persist.

SA

18

Update: This machine updated this morning to Windows 11 Pro 23H2, no changes noted on the affected machine. 

SA