I recently explained how the Smart Scheduler feature in Norton 360 works to stay out of your way in deciding when to run tasks. The scheduler is so effective that it's common for users to wonder if we're ever performing scans. Neil Rubenking even noted in his PC Magazine review of Norton 360 that "It's so quiet you might begin to wonder if it's doing anything at all."
We want to shed some light on this for anyone (myself included) who can't resist the urge to dig into how things work. We've created a small widget that shows you everything going on behind the scenes:
You can download it here (it's free) and it will work with any active copy of Norton 360 version 2.0. Windows XP users will need to install a copy of Microsoft's .NET Framework 2.0 if they don't already have it.
At the top you will notice a small icon of a person - that's you. Next to it is a timer that starts at 20 minutes and begins counting down after Norton 360 notices you're not moving the mouse or keyboard. Below this is a list of all your computer's resources (CPU usage, disk activity, network traffic, etc...). When the time is right and a scan is pending, you'll see it start up.
When you first run the tool, you might not see any "Pending" jobs. That's okay; it just means Norton 360 doesn't have anything to run right now. In this case, the timer doesn't tick down either. This is for performance - there's no point in the product monitoring user activity if it has nothing to do.
There's one other feature in the widget worth mentioning. In the top right corner, there's a green "play" button. This will make you appear inactive for 5 seconds. Say you're heading off to lunch and want Norton 360 to start its scan now instead of waiting 20 minutes. Click this button, walk away and any pending jobs will start immediately. If you come back before those jobs are done, they'll stop just like normal.
I hope this tool helps provide you with some transparency into the Smart Scheduler feature of Norton 360.
Message Edited by jgonzales on 02-11-2009 06:57 PM
Clicking the red X only closes the window - I had a similar experience (not able to find it again). On checking the Taskmanager, I found that the task was still running. I then found the option to add the icon to the Notification Area by clicking on the Options Icon (far right) and choosing “show icon etc.”. To restore the window after clicking on the red X, just right click the icon in the notification area.
Thanks for the feedback. We did consider making this a sidebar gadget (and we still are). For now though, we wanted all our users including those with Windows XP to be able to use this.
One thing you can do if you want the widget to show up every time you start your computer is add it to your Start Menu’s startup folder. To do this, just drag the Norton360Status application to your start menu and drop it in the “Startup” folder.
Hi guys, I’m glad to see this tool is still getting lots of attention. I’m going to try and reply to a few of you in one post here.
cgoldman, If I understand correctly you’re trying to use the widget to check if scheduled (not automatic) scans are running. Unfortunately, it’s only been set up to monitor idle time tasks. Scheduled tasks should run at the appropriate time and can be confirmed by looking in the details of each of the 4 main categories.
Hi nijinau, this is not a problem I have seen. Are you using the tray icon mode of the widget? Does enabling/disabling it affect the behavior?
I’d ask both of you to drop me PM with your contact information if you’re still seeing these problems.
I did this by downloading it to my Desktop. When you click on the link in my post above you should be presented with the option to “Save” or “Open” the file. If you choose “Save”, you can select to put it on your Desktop. This makes it very convenient for quick access.
Alas no. There is the last green bar (100%) and nothing underneath. Scans and backup take place but never according to the schedule. I have separate posts on this. So far nobody using winXP has confirmed that their backup or PC security and tuneup is taking place as scheduled. By scheduled I mean anything other than “automatic” and I have disabled only on idle.
If you open all your apps (normally a central circular icon at the bottom of the main screen - which then displays a list of all downloaded and installed apps) look through the list for Norton Mobile (the icon should be a yellow padlock on a white background). Tap that icon and NMS should open, probably showing you 6 panes and the length of your remaining subscription at the bottom of the screen. If you cannot get this far come back telling where it goes wrong and I will try again.
If however, the above is successful the press the menu button/icon and it should bring up a list starting with "Run Live Update". Select "Activity log" from this list and it should tell you what it has been doing, including any general scans or any scans when an app has been downloaded. If NMS is running it should scan all apps that you download and run regular scans of the device. If you want it to run a scan of the device, go back to the main NMS screen and select the "Anti-Malware" screen. There should be an option of running a full scan toward the top of the next screen and the option of selecting whether or not to scan the SD card towards the bottom. It is safer to have the SD card scan switched on but that can extend the time needed substantially.
If the above works then you may like to set up the NMS icon on one of your home screens for the future. If you want to do this and do not know how, let us know and we will help.
As for Tapsnake, there are evidently a number of people who have received this warning. I am unclear if Tapsnake is a threat of if it is just a ruse to get you to click on a link. So the fact that you did nothing is probably good. Let us ensure that NMS is up and running first and then if NMS worries bout you having Tapsnake we will need to think again.
When you get up the Apps:Widgets screen, how many pages of Apps are there when you swipe through them?
Another place to look for NMS is to go to your home screen and press the menu key, this should give you the option of selecting "Settings". Choose that then scroll down the list until you come to "Apps". Having selected that you will probably (I cannot be sure as different versions of Android and different devices often do things slightly differently) find a list of apps headed by "Downloaded". That list will probably be in name order, scroll down to the Ns and look for "Norton Mobile Security". If it is not there swipe across until the page is headed "All" and then do the same thing. Do you find NMS in either of these lists?
I will wait to get your responses the the two questions above.
It might also be helpful if you told us where you started in your installation of NMS. Was t Google Play or the mobilesecurity.norton.com website or somewhere else? Also do you have any other Norton products on any other devices?
It really does appear that NMS is not on your device!
Given the way that NMS did (or did not) come, I think the best thing is to go back to PC World, with the tablet and the box, and ask them to show you how to get NMS installed. The point being that they have got the money and so they have a duty to ensure that you get the product. Had you got it via Google Play or the Norton website you should have evidence of the purchase that could be used to get it installed via the normal route but with the PC World QR code the issue is really down to them.
I hope your nearest PC World is not too far away....
One thing you should know. The basic form of Norton Mobile Security (NMS) or Norton Security antivirus as it is currently called in Google Play is the "Lite" or free version. This will check for malware and you could install it now of Google Play for free but that might confuse things with PC World. If the product has been paid for or offered as a value added feature with the tablet then I believe that you should get the licensed version which comes with more features and once set up should show a license period (presumably of around 1 year) at the bottom of the apps main screen.
I hope the above makes sense and offers you an acceptable way forward. Whatever you choose keep us informed. Should I pass a PC World in the near future I will try and drop in to get a better idea of what they are offering. Sad to say, the way they have offered a number of Norton related products in the last year or so has been a bit troublesome.
Yes it is a paid-for fully licensed version - I was given the receipt - and it came packaged up in Norton livery, with Norton/Symantec copyrighted instructions for activation. The QR code is surely something issued by Norton, not by PC World, so it's Norton's business to make sure it works.
Apart from that: when I got it I was living in London with a PC World over the road; but now I've moved to the country, with the nearest branch I don't know where; and I'm off to USA soon and would like to take a secure tablet with me.
It was PC World who sold it to you and so I believe that it is primarily their responsibility to sort out the issue. I'm not sure how Norton are even supposede to know that you have legally purchased a copy! However as you cannot easily get to PC World and we are here to help, lets see if I can help.
I assume that the QR code primarily takes you to a website. I do not know if that website is PC World specific and somehow links in to a license key or if somewhere else in the package there is a license key. If you can find something that looks like one it might help..... In fact it may allow you to go straight through the process.
Have you tried using the QR code again and carefully going through the process once more, possibly noting down where you are being taken and what you are being asked. That may fix things, or it may give us some better clues.
If you have the receipt from PC World you may be able to persuade a Norton staff member on their 24hr (free) internet chat link to talk you through the process. Though how they can link in to the PC World receipt I do not know. You would probably have to just rely on their good will. A great advantage of the Chat staff, I believe, is that they have access to the license servers and so can get things sorted if they are convinced that the purchase is genuine. If you do want to try this then use this link.
Or you could try ringing PC World and ask them how the QR code is supposed to work and how it links in to the license. With that information it should be possible to make progress.
If all else fails before you go to the US then, just before you go download Norton Mobile Security (NMS) or Norton Security antivirus as it is called there, from Google Play. That free (Lite) version will give you basic Malware protection until the license issue can be sorted out.
Logged onto mobilesecurity.Norton.com, fed it my product key off my QR code, and went from there.
Mind you, I had to go round 2 or 3 times going thru the various permutations of
Download/Install/Add Device, and I have no idea of how the way I responded each time was different or could have made any difference to the success of the process, but it got there:
my Home page now does shew the yellow padlock icon, and it's listed as running under Apps in Settings.
I do think that Norton's installation routine, on this platform at least, is wilfully obscure. Maybe that's all part of their idea of being secure.
Can I just suggest that you tap the lock icon to open up the initial NMS screen and check that it is showing a remaining license of around a year. It should be, but given your problems it seems to be worth checking.
Do let us know what you find.
All the best with NMS, your device and your trip to the USA. ;-)
