How can I delete old Virus Definitions to free up space on my hard drive?

Norton Security | Norton Internet Security
21

Sadly, I do not believe I can do this as Norton Antivirus is built into the BT Yahoo! package that I have.

 

Is there any other way? Enigma (above posts) was able to clean up the VirusDefs folder by selectively deleting some of the sub-folders. I can do this, but I want to be sure it is safe.

22
TheTenthDoctor wrote:

Sadly, I do not believe I can do this as Norton Antivirus is built into the BT Yahoo! package that I have.

Is there any other way? Enigma (above posts) was able to clean up the VirusDefs folder by selectively deleting some of the sub-folders. I can do this, but I want to be sure it is safe.



Hi TheTenthDoctor. Is this BT Yahoo! Norton Security Online and which version?

Message Edited by Pi on 04-16-2009 12:23 PM
23

Hi Pi,

 

I believe an older set of Virus definition file is saved by Norton application for a reason.

My guess if that if anything happens to the current def set (corrupted, deleted, etc) .. .dat file will automatically point to the "backup set".

In which case, this older definition will just get the delta set once LiveUpdate is run. The updated set will then be recovered and used.

 

Would you please clarify?

 Thank you so much!

 

24
divina_inMVCa wrote:

Hi Pi,

I believe an older set of Virus definition file is saved by Norton application for a reason.

My guess if that if anything happens to the current def set (corrupted, deleted, etc) .. .dat file will automatically point to the "backup set".

In which case, this older definition will just get the delta set once LiveUpdate is run. The updated set will then be recovered and used.

Would you please clarify?

Thank you so much!



If possible and you know command line (cmd.exe), go to that directory/folder location (e.g., C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\VirusDefs\) and do a dir /o:n /s > c:\dir.txt and show us this text file (copy and paste) and directory listing (this might be really long)? Example (your results may not look exactly like this):

C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\VirusDefs>dir /o:n /s > c:\dir.txt

Volume in drive C is SYSTEM
Volume Serial Number is 1234-ABCD

Directory of C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\VirusDefs

04/16/2009 02:31 PM .
04/16/2009 02:31 PM ..
04/15/2009 08:24 PM 20090415.033
04/16/2009 04:21 AM 20090415.048
04/16/2009 01:35 PM 20090416.006
04/21/2008 02:06 PM BinHub
04/16/2009 01:35 PM 57 definfo.dat
04/16/2009 02:55 PM 754,849 file1.log
04/21/2008 02:06 PM incoming
04/21/2008 02:06 PM TextHub
04/16/2009 01:35 PM 125 usage.dat
3 File(s) 755,031 bytes

Directory of C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\VirusDefs\20090415.033

04/15/2009 08:24 PM .
04/15/2009 08:24 PM ..
01/06/2009 02:55 AM 3,432 CATALOG.DAT
02/25/2009 04:09 PM 2,414,128 CCERASER.DLL
12/17/2007 02:00 AM 6,899 ECBOOTIL.VXD
01/06/2009 02:55 AM 259,368 ECMSVR32.DLL
02/25/2009 04:09 PM 371,248 EECTRL.SYS
02/25/2009 04:09 PM 287 ERASER.GRD
02/25/2009 04:09 PM 2,274 ERASER.SIG
02/25/2009 04:09 PM 4,248 ERASER.SPM
02/25/2009 04:09 PM 101,936 ERASER.SYS
04/15/2009 08:24 PM 6,470,874 ESRDEF.BIN
03/23/2009 01:25 PM 6,821 HH
12/17/2007 02:00 AM 13,040 NAVENG.EXP
02/19/2009 03:57 PM 89,104 NAVENG.SYS
12/17/2007 02:00 AM 90,698 NAVENG.VXD
02/19/2009 03:57 PM 177,520 NAVENG32.DLL
12/17/2007 02:00 AM 13,232 NAVEX15.EXP
02/19/2009 03:57 PM 876,144 NAVEX15.SYS
12/17/2007 02:00 AM 1,028,171 NAVEX15.VXD
02/19/2009 03:57 PM 1,181,040 NAVEX32A.DLL
01/06/2009 02:55 AM 6,536 NCSACERT.TXT
01/06/2009 02:55 AM 97,776 SCRAUTH.DAT
02/19/2009 03:57 PM 8,639 SYMAVENG.CAT
02/19/2009 03:57 PM 1,063 SYMAVENG.INF
02/25/2009 04:09 PM 7,781 SYMERASE.CAT
02/25/2009 04:09 PM 581 SYMERASE.INF
04/15/2009 08:24 PM 491,386 TCDEFS.DAT
04/15/2009 08:24 PM 11,977,481 TCSCAN7.DAT
04/15/2009 11:30 AM 176,956 TCSCAN8.DAT
04/15/2009 11:30 AM 489,825 TCSCAN9.DAT
01/06/2009 02:55 AM 875 TECHNOTE.TXT
04/15/2009 11:30 AM 453 TINF.DAT
01/06/2009 02:55 AM 148 TINFIDX.DAT
04/15/2009 11:30 AM 1,957 TINFL.DAT
04/15/2009 11:30 AM 72,567 TSCAN1.DAT
01/06/2009 02:55 AM 3,760 TSCAN1HD.DAT
04/15/2009 08:24 PM 5,053 V.GRD
04/15/2009 08:24 PM 2,267 V.SIG
04/15/2009 08:24 PM 106,244 VIRSCAN.INF
04/15/2009 08:24 PM 1,017,095 VIRSCAN1.DAT
04/15/2009 08:24 PM 572,154 VIRSCAN2.DAT
04/15/2009 08:24 PM 153,668 VIRSCAN3.DAT
04/15/2009 08:24 PM 320,259 VIRSCAN4.DAT
04/15/2009 08:24 PM 12,105,514 VIRSCAN5.DAT
04/15/2009 08:24 PM 395,514 VIRSCAN6.DAT
04/15/2009 08:24 PM 37,179,946 VIRSCAN7.DAT
04/15/2009 11:30 AM 1,077,825 VIRSCAN8.DAT
04/15/2009 08:24 PM 3,777,583 VIRSCAN9.DAT
04/15/2009 08:24 PM 32 VIRSCANT.DAT
04/15/2009 08:24 PM 40,507 WHATSNEW.TXT
01/06/2009 02:55 AM 224 ZDONE.DAT
50 File(s) 83,202,133 bytes

Directory of C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\VirusDefs\20090415.048

04/16/2009 04:21 AM .
04/16/2009 04:21 AM ..
01/06/2009 02:55 AM 3,432 CATALOG.DAT
02/25/2009 04:09 PM 2,414,128 CCERASER.DLL
12/17/2007 02:00 AM 6,899 ECBOOTIL.VXD
01/06/2009 02:55 AM 259,368 ECMSVR32.DLL
02/25/2009 04:09 PM 371,248 EECTRL.SYS
02/25/2009 04:09 PM 287 ERASER.GRD
02/25/2009 04:09 PM 2,274 ERASER.SIG
02/25/2009 04:09 PM 4,248 ERASER.SPM
02/25/2009 04:09 PM 101,936 ERASER.SYS
04/16/2009 04:20 AM 6,470,874 ESRDEF.BIN
03/23/2009 01:25 PM 6,821 HH
12/17/2007 02:00 AM 13,040 NAVENG.EXP
02/19/2009 03:57 PM 89,104 NAVENG.SYS
12/17/2007 02:00 AM 90,698 NAVENG.VXD
02/19/2009 03:57 PM 177,520 NAVENG32.DLL
12/17/2007 02:00 AM 13,232 NAVEX15.EXP
02/19/2009 03:57 PM 876,144 NAVEX15.SYS
12/17/2007 02:00 AM 1,028,171 NAVEX15.VXD
02/19/2009 03:57 PM 1,181,040 NAVEX32A.DLL
01/06/2009 02:55 AM 6,536 NCSACERT.TXT
01/06/2009 02:55 AM 97,776 SCRAUTH.DAT
02/19/2009 03:57 PM 8,639 SYMAVENG.CAT
02/19/2009 03:57 PM 1,063 SYMAVENG.INF
02/25/2009 04:09 PM 7,781 SYMERASE.CAT
02/25/2009 04:09 PM 581 SYMERASE.INF
04/15/2009 08:24 PM 491,386 TCDEFS.DAT
04/16/2009 04:20 AM 12,125,557 TCSCAN7.DAT
04/15/2009 11:30 AM 176,956 TCSCAN8.DAT
04/15/2009 11:30 AM 489,825 TCSCAN9.DAT
01/06/2009 02:55 AM 875 TECHNOTE.TXT
04/15/2009 11:30 AM 453 TINF.DAT
01/06/2009 02:55 AM 148 TINFIDX.DAT
04/15/2009 11:30 AM 1,957 TINFL.DAT
04/15/2009 11:30 AM 72,567 TSCAN1.DAT
01/06/2009 02:55 AM 3,760 TSCAN1HD.DAT
04/16/2009 04:20 AM 5,053 V.GRD
04/16/2009 04:20 AM 2,267 V.SIG
04/16/2009 04:20 AM 106,244 VIRSCAN.INF
04/16/2009 04:20 AM 1,017,095 VIRSCAN1.DAT
04/16/2009 04:20 AM 572,154 VIRSCAN2.DAT
04/16/2009 04:20 AM 153,668 VIRSCAN3.DAT
04/16/2009 04:20 AM 320,259 VIRSCAN4.DAT
04/16/2009 04:20 AM 12,109,852 VIRSCAN5.DAT
04/16/2009 04:20 AM 395,514 VIRSCAN6.DAT
04/16/2009 04:20 AM 37,193,837 VIRSCAN7.DAT
04/15/2009 11:30 AM 1,077,825 VIRSCAN8.DAT
04/16/2009 04:20 AM 3,777,736 VIRSCAN9.DAT
04/16/2009 04:20 AM 32 VIRSCANT.DAT
04/16/2009 04:20 AM 40,507 WHATSNEW.TXT
01/06/2009 02:55 AM 224 ZDONE.DAT
50 File(s) 83,368,591 bytes

Directory of C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\VirusDefs\20090416.006

04/16/2009 01:35 PM .
04/16/2009 01:35 PM ..
01/06/2009 02:55 AM 3,432 CATALOG.DAT
02/25/2009 04:09 PM 2,414,128 CCERASER.DLL
12/17/2007 02:00 AM 6,899 ECBOOTIL.VXD
01/06/2009 02:55 AM 259,368 ECMSVR32.DLL
02/25/2009 04:09 PM 371,248 EECTRL.SYS
02/25/2009 04:09 PM 287 ERASER.GRD
02/25/2009 04:09 PM 2,274 ERASER.SIG
02/25/2009 04:09 PM 4,248 ERASER.SPM
02/25/2009 04:09 PM 101,936 ERASER.SYS
04/16/2009 01:35 PM 6,470,874 ESRDEF.BIN
03/23/2009 01:25 PM 6,821 HH
12/17/2007 02:00 AM 13,040 NAVENG.EXP
02/19/2009 03:57 PM 89,104 NAVENG.SYS
12/17/2007 02:00 AM 90,698 NAVENG.VXD
02/19/2009 03:57 PM 177,520 NAVENG32.DLL
12/17/2007 02:00 AM 13,232 NAVEX15.EXP
02/19/2009 03:57 PM 876,144 NAVEX15.SYS
12/17/2007 02:00 AM 1,028,171 NAVEX15.VXD
02/19/2009 03:57 PM 1,181,040 NAVEX32A.DLL
01/06/2009 02:55 AM 6,536 NCSACERT.TXT
01/06/2009 02:55 AM 97,776 SCRAUTH.DAT
02/19/2009 03:57 PM 8,639 SYMAVENG.CAT
02/19/2009 03:57 PM 1,063 SYMAVENG.INF
02/25/2009 04:09 PM 7,781 SYMERASE.CAT
02/25/2009 04:09 PM 581 SYMERASE.INF
04/16/2009 01:35 PM 491,404 TCDEFS.DAT
04/16/2009 01:35 PM 12,131,413 TCSCAN7.DAT
04/16/2009 01:35 PM 176,956 TCSCAN8.DAT
04/16/2009 01:35 PM 489,866 TCSCAN9.DAT
01/06/2009 02:55 AM 875 TECHNOTE.TXT
04/16/2009 01:35 PM 453 TINF.DAT
01/06/2009 02:55 AM 148 TINFIDX.DAT
04/16/2009 01:35 PM 1,957 TINFL.DAT
04/16/2009 01:35 PM 72,567 TSCAN1.DAT
01/06/2009 02:55 AM 3,760 TSCAN1HD.DAT
04/16/2009 01:35 PM 5,053 V.GRD
04/16/2009 01:35 PM 2,267 V.SIG
04/16/2009 01:35 PM 106,244 VIRSCAN.INF
04/16/2009 01:35 PM 1,017,165 VIRSCAN1.DAT
04/16/2009 01:35 PM 572,154 VIRSCAN2.DAT
04/16/2009 01:35 PM 153,668 VIRSCAN3.DAT
04/16/2009 01:35 PM 320,259 VIRSCAN4.DAT
04/16/2009 01:35 PM 12,111,894 VIRSCAN5.DAT
04/16/2009 01:35 PM 395,514 VIRSCAN6.DAT
04/16/2009 01:35 PM 37,198,270 VIRSCAN7.DAT
04/16/2009 01:35 PM 1,077,846 VIRSCAN8.DAT
04/16/2009 01:35 PM 3,777,784 VIRSCAN9.DAT
04/16/2009 01:35 PM 32 VIRSCANT.DAT
04/16/2009 01:35 PM 39,579 WHATSNEW.TXT
01/06/2009 02:55 AM 224 ZDONE.DAT
50 File(s) 83,380,192 bytes

Directory of C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\VirusDefs\BinHub

04/21/2008 02:06 PM .
04/21/2008 02:06 PM ..
12/17/2007 02:00 AM 3,432 catalog.dat
12/17/2008 02:00 AM 2,393,648 cceraser.dll
12/17/2008 02:00 AM 259,368 ecmsvr32.dll
12/17/2008 02:00 AM 371,248 eeCtrl.sys
12/17/2008 02:00 AM 287 ERASER.grd
12/17/2008 02:00 AM 2,274 ERASER.sig
12/17/2008 02:00 AM 4,424 ERASER.spm
12/17/2008 02:00 AM 99,376 ERASER.sys
02/17/2009 02:00 AM 6,263,191 esrdef.bin
02/17/2009 02:00 AM 6,807 hh
12/17/2008 02:00 AM 89,104 naveng.sys
12/17/2008 02:00 AM 177,520 naveng32.dll
12/17/2008 02:00 AM 876,112 navex15.sys
12/17/2008 02:00 AM 1,181,040 navex32a.dll
12/17/2007 02:00 AM 6,536 ncsacert.txt
12/17/2007 02:00 AM 97,776 scrauth.dat
12/17/2008 02:00 AM 9,657 symaveng.cat
12/17/2008 02:00 AM 1,063 symaveng.inf
12/17/2008 02:00 AM 11,030 SymErase.cat
12/17/2008 02:00 AM 580 SymErase.inf
02/17/2009 02:00 AM 488,401 tcdefs.dat
02/17/2009 02:00 AM 11,080,716 tcscan7.dat
02/17/2009 02:00 AM 176,279 tcscan8.dat
02/17/2009 02:00 AM 485,967 tcscan9.dat
12/17/2007 02:00 AM 875 technote.txt
02/17/2009 02:00 AM 453 tinf.dat
12/17/2007 02:00 AM 148 tinfidx.dat
02/17/2009 02:00 AM 1,957 tinfl.dat
02/17/2009 02:00 AM 72,567 tscan1.dat
04/17/2008 01:00 AM 3,760 tscan1hd.dat
02/17/2009 02:00 AM 5,053 v.grd
02/17/2009 02:00 AM 2,267 v.sig
02/17/2009 02:00 AM 106,244 virscan.inf
02/17/2009 02:00 AM 1,014,338 virscan1.dat
02/17/2009 02:00 AM 571,956 virscan2.dat
02/17/2009 02:00 AM 153,164 virscan3.dat
02/17/2009 02:00 AM 320,259 virscan4.dat
02/17/2009 02:00 AM 11,356,087 virscan5.dat
02/17/2009 02:00 AM 395,444 virscan6.dat
02/17/2009 02:00 AM 35,863,704 virscan7.dat
02/17/2009 02:00 AM 1,069,282 virscan8.dat
02/17/2009 02:00 AM 3,676,682 virscan9.dat
02/17/2009 02:00 AM 40,505 whatsnew.txt
12/17/2007 02:00 AM 224 zdone.dat
44 File(s) 78,740,805 bytes

Directory of C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\VirusDefs\incoming

04/21/2008 02:06 PM .
04/21/2008 02:06 PM ..
0 File(s) 0 bytes

Directory of C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\VirusDefs\TextHub

04/21/2008 02:06 PM .
04/21/2008 02:06 PM ..
12/17/2007 02:00 AM 32 virscant.dat
1 File(s) 32 bytes

Total Files Listed:
198 File(s) 329,446,784 bytes
20 Dir(s) 2,551,448,064 bytes free