I need to do a full Factory Reset from the Dell Partition on an old Inspiron 630m laptop but will obviously lose Norton 360 along with all other data and programs currently on the hard drive in the process! I do not have a Norton 360 disc as product was updated by download from earlier 2009 Norton Internet Security. Can I download a new copy of Norton 360 v 5.1.0.29 and save on USB stick before doing the Dell Restore to Factory settings....Then I could reinstall Norton 360 and enter my product key to authenticate Norton BEFORE going online? Is this possible? Any advice most appreciated.
Hi, Blacklab,
Welcome to our community!
As long as you have set up and can access your Norton Account, you will not even need a Key (all this is stored in your Account). If you can't do it that way, but do have your Product Key recorded, you can just download Norton 360 version 5 from one of these links (depending on whether your subscription is for the Standard or Premier edition:
- Standard Edition: http://www.norton.com/n360s_5
- Premier Edition: http://www.norton.com/n360p_5
Keep us posted--we're here to help until you're ready to click that "Accept as Solution" button and resume your computing life already in progress! 
Blacklab wrote:Can I download a new copy of Norton 360 v 5.1.0.29 and save on USB stick before doing the Dell Restore to Factory settings....Then I could reinstall Norton 360 and enter my product key to authenticate Norton BEFORE going online? Is this possible? Any advice most appreciated.
Yes it is possible and a great way of doing things. That way you do not need to access the internet without your Norton protection.
Be sure to manually Run LiveUpdate (located on drop-down under PC Security on left side of main page of N 360) as many times as necessary for it to respond "no more updates available". If a reboot is requested, reboot and then continue to Run LiveUpdate until it responds "no more updates available" and then reboot one last time.
Thanks for your reply. I have a copy of the 25 digit key written down and copy of latest product key message in "My Documents" folder all saved to USB. I also have access to Norton Account at present but when laptop reverts to Dec 2005 factory setting I will be (struggling) with Windows SP2 and IE6? and no installed security software...So it seems much safer to me to put copy of Norton 360 on USB and then load/install onto Dell OFFLINE immediately after factory reset. Then I can go online to MS Updates and start downloading Windows SP3 and all the patches including IE8 to get me up to date. Yours aye, Blacklab.
Blacklab,
Sounds like you got it under control and a long task ahead of you! 
Please post back with the final outcome. BTW, did you check that the system meets minimum system requirements for N 360?
Thanks for your assistance. Hadn't thought of checking minimum system requirements for Norton 360 but will add this to the list of "things to do" before embarking on the Factory Reset. Fortunately Dell Support still list my original order which shows the full hardware and software configuration as supplied "out of the box" in Dec 2005. Lots more to check/save/write down/print off/back-up, etc before I start. Definitely a job for a quiet day and a good internet connection. Anyhow it's great news that I should be able to load Norton 360 from USB ....Minimum system requirements permitting! Yours aye, Blacklab.
Look at that--a Navy vet (or maybe Coast Guard)...does this mean this thread qualifies as a Joint Task Force?
BTW...I have Norton 360 v.5 running on a 2003 vintage Sony desktop...so it may be a tad slow, but it should work. Good luck and keep us posted!
Is someone psychic out there in the Norton community....Make that Royal Navy Vet.......But "Vet" not really understood over here in the UK.....ex-RN/ex-Forces/ex-Services or just plain RN Retd (Retired) is much more common parlance over this side of the pond. The only "Vet" I meet on a regular basis is more interested in my Labrador's health than swapping dits about daring deeds! Yours aye, Blacklab.
Actually, I was thinking more along the lines of : Its the traditional Scots ending for letters
That and it being right around tea time in the mother land, would fit your being on line @ this time.
@Blacklab Ahh, OK--we inherited most of our Naval traditions over here from you guys anyhow, so that just shows I'm not psychic! LOL It was your signing off with "Yours, aye" that gave it away; I'm Army...but serving in a Naval command right now--where, coincidentally, I have a colleague two doors down who's a retired RN Commander.
Welcome aboard!
Thanks very much for info on 360 v 5 running ok on 2003 Sony laptop - should work on this slightly less vintage Dell 630m but I will check the specs just to be certain. Do hope your RN Commander has his "issue" black Labrador - old RN joke was that officers were issued with one along with their brass hat. (For our non-RN readers that's the fancier cap you wear after promotion to the rank of Commander in the Royal Navy with the gold leaves on the peak more rudely known as "scrambled egg"..Assume USN similar but my memory fails me!). Anyhow as it now pitch dark here in bonny Scotland and indeed time for tea so I will have to let you know how I get on later but "I may be some time" to misquote Captain Oates. Yours aye, Blacklab