NIS running background scan even when CPU is 100% busy

Norton Security | Norton Internet Security
1

One week ago I posted a question why NIS runs a background scan even when the CPU is 100% busy.

I've waited patiently for one week for Symantec to answer, but nothing.

 

Today I ran MS Update.  The 7 patches took a little longer to install than I would have guessed.

I looked at the screen and saw an NIS popupsaying  that it was running a background scan.

 

I launched MS Process Explorer and sure enough the CPU was 100% busy.

 

Would a Symantec employee please check with developers and respond in this forum:

 

when the CPU is 100% busy (e.g., MS Updates), what is it that NIS is missing that causes it to launch a background scan simultaneously?

 

 

[edit: Clarified subject to reflect moved post.]

2

One week ago I posted a question why NIS runs a background scan even when the CPU is 100% busy.

I've waited patiently for one week for Symantec to answer, but nothing.

 

Today I ran MS Update.  The 7 patches took a little longer to install than I would have guessed.

I looked at the screen and saw an NIS popupsaying  that it was running a background scan.

 

I launched MS Process Explorer and sure enough the CPU was 100% busy.

 

Would a Symantec employee please check with developers and respond in this forum:

 

when the CPU is 100% busy (e.g., MS Updates), what is it that NIS is missing that causes it to launch a background scan simultaneously?

 

 

[edit: Clarified subject to reflect moved post.]

3

> Do you have a multicore CPU?

 

We have 3 computers that run NIS 2010 17.7.0.12.  (We have more than that.)  All these 3 are portables. 

 

The only realtime virus protection is NIS.  mbam (free version) and MS MSRT are also installed and are run manually a few times per month.

 

The one that caused me to make the original post is an old Dell Inspiron 6000 with a Pentium M processor, which is single core x86.  It runs XP Pro + SP3.  My recollection is that all 3 portables have the same problem.

 

My original post in another thread pointed out that when I start a full scan of either mbam or MSRT, which run for more than an hour, NIS kicks off an idle scan even though the CPU is _clearly and easily_ identified as running at 100% capacity.  I asked why that happens.

 

I waited for a week for someone from Symantec to answer, but they didn't.

 

Then this week when I ran MS Update on this computer, which ran for quite a while at 100% CPU, NIS started an idle scan again.

 

And, yes, I have recently run full manual scans with the latest updates of NIS, mbam, and MSRT.

 

Let me see if I can craft some more specific questions.

 

Q (for Symantec):  Is running an idle scan while the CPU is already 100% busy the way the current version of NIS is designed, or is this some sort of problem only with our computers?

 

Q (for other customers):  Have you observed NIS kicking off an idle scan while your computer is continuously busy?

4

Sorry to hear that you've been experiencing this problem for a long time.

 

What was the Norton product (and version) you were using before you installed the Norton 2010 product? Was that an over install?

 

Please go to the Windows Task Scheduler and see whether you have any Norton scan entry in that. If you find any entry, which version it is pointing to?

 

Vineeth

5
joen wrote:

 

I looked at the screen and saw an NIS popupsaying  that it was running a background scan.

 

I launched MS Process Explorer and sure enough the CPU was 100% busy.

 

Hi joen

 

It is more likely that the CPU is showing as running at 100% at that time because it has started a background scan.

6

I have seen the idle time scan start up when I am in a video messenging application with the CPU at 50% or higher.  Whether single core or dual core, the idle time scan should have a much more accurate definition of idle time.  It seems to be tied to mouse activity rather than CPU usage.

7

Thank you for your responses.

 

vineeth:
> What was the Norton product (and version) you were using before you installed the Norton 2010 product? Was that an over install?

 

I didn't use Norton before I installed NIS, so it was not an overinstall.  I uninstalled the previous product with Revo Uninstaller, much better than Windows Add/Remove.  I use ccleaner to delete unneeded files.

 

> Please go to the Windows Task Scheduler and see whether you have any Norton scan entry in that. If you find any entry, which version it is pointing to?

 

Good idea.  There are no "Scheduled Tasks".


mdturner:
> It is more likely that the CPU is showing as running at 100% at that time because it has started a background scan.

 

No, not at all.  My exact point is that Windows Task Manager and MS Process Explorer show OTHER processes using 100% of the CPU, such as mbam, MS MSRT, or Windows Update.  THOSE processes, not nis, are _obviously_ using the computer full tilt.  Then nis decides to do an "idle" (sic) time scan.

 

BTW, it is both appropriate and correct for mbam/msrt/updates to be using 100% cpu, because they are the only processes that I have launched (at that time).  Of course there are all the normal windows processes running, but collectively, at that time, they are taking approximately no cpu time.


delphinium:
> I have seen the idle time scan start up when I am in a video messenging application with the CPU at 50% or higher.
> Whether single core or dual core, the idle time scan should have a much more accurate definition of idle time.
> It seems to be tied to mouse activity rather than CPU usage.

 

Thank you for that information.  You have _precisely_ described the situation.

 

You are exactly right about the mouse.  Touch the mouse and the nis pop-up window goes away, as does the idle time scan.

 

The English dictionary defines "idle" as "not working or active, doing nothing".  End quote.

 

It appears that Symantec is not using that definition.

 

Still waiting, more than a week now (started in another thread), for a Symantec reply.

 

I would appreciate other customers' observations about how this works on your computer.

8

Moved to Norton 360 Board for better exposure.