Gray icon in system tray won't turn green

Norton Security | Norton Internet Security
1

Howdy-

 

Any help is appreciated!  I'm out of ideas.

 

Problem: the NIS icon in my system tray always shows the gray icon with the slash.  Gray Icon.jpg  According to the NIS help files, this means that NIS is disabled.  My NIS main screen says that my status is secure, but the icon is worrisome.  Am I really?

 

 

Things I've already tried:

 

-I've read the popular thread dealing with this issue: http://community.norton.com/t5/Norton-Internet-Security-Norton/Gray-Circle-on-NIS-Taskbar-Icon/m-p/338562#M137841.   For some reason I couldn't reply to that thread, so I started this new one.

 

-I've reset my machine plenty of times.  This doesn't help.

 

-I've waited for green.  The gray icon stays indefinitely (for hours).

 

-I've moused over the items in the NIS list, to find things that are set to be ignored (as described in the thread).  None of them are set this way (the 'ignored' option is available for all items).

 

-My startup preference is already set to aggressive, as described in the thread.

 

 

The only useful clue:

If I start up my machine and log in as root, I get the green icon right away.  My normal log on is a user account (not an admin).  This is Windows 7 best practice for security.

 

So thinking that this is the deal, I logged in as root, found ccSvcHst.exe, and checked the box that makes it run as admin for all users, in the properties dialog.  

Properties Dialog.jpg

 

After doing this, I reset my machine and logged in as a user and as an admin (with a reset in between each).  In both cases, the system tray icon disappeared totally.  In addition, ccSvcHst.exe wasn't in my task manager processes list at all--it doesn't run if I check this box.

 

I've run out of ideas at this point.  

 

My machine specs:

-NIS 18.5.0.125

-Windows 7 Home Premium SP1

-Acer Aspire 5742  w/ 4 gigs of RAM.

 

Thanks!

-Matt

2

I have observed the same issue with that (grey circle with a slash) icon. I was sitting here about get a

screen shot of the icon when it turned to the green checked icon.

 

I had been trying to see what Norton processes were running and it looked like an intense background process finished at the same time it turned green. Not sure what Norton was doing, but like you, everything in the main panel looks good even when this grey icon appears. The only thing I have different from default is I disable the Identity Safe - I use another product..

 

I have been trying to figure out why I get this icon for sometime. It comes and goes.....

 

Next time I see it I will look closer at what Norton is doing in the background. I assume it's finishing up some update, scan, or housekeeping activity.

 

I have NIS2011.

 

Chris

3

Hello monkeygrp,

I had the same error once.

Here are a few tips:

What Norton are you running?

Have you activated your copy?

Have you updated your Norton?

This worked for me.

Please message back if you are still having problems

-PcWiZKid

(I am running Norton 360)

4

Hello monkeygrp,

 

Could you check the Notification Area Icons to see if there are two instances of the Norton icon and entry listed as Symantec Service Framework?

 

When you click on the grey system tray icon, does the main Norton UI present itself?

 

Thanks!