I installed 2010 a couple of months ago, have had no problems until today. This morning when I turned my computer on 2 things happened:
- NIS appears to have disappeared - whether it has somehow been uninstalled or 'gone into hiding', I don't know. I am the only person with access to this computer, and I certainly haven't uninstalled it or changed any settings or anything like that. It is set to scan automatically every day. Every daily scan will result in anywhere between 10 and 35 low-level security threats removed from my computer - spyware-type stuff. Anyway, I cannot find NIS - the folders are still in Programs, but when I click on 'Norton Internet Security', which should take me to my suite of Norton functions, I instead get directed to 'one-click support'. In my list of program there are two Norton folders - one entitled "Norton" and the other "Norton Internet Security" - the latter, as I said, directs me to 'one-click support', and when I click on 'new session' and then 'autofix' it goes through its machinations and then tells me that "all Norton Internet Security Scans Appear Normal" , so this seems to indicate that NIS is still somewhere on my system, but why can't I find it. When I click on the 'Nortons' folder II see "Norton Installation Files" and when I click on that I get this message: "The item '{NIS_Production_94.17.1.0.19.js}' that this shortcut refers to has been changed or moved" (in fact, the folder icon does not show it to be a shortcut). I am running on Vista 32-bit.
- the other curiosity was that I couldn't get an internet connection. After some troubleshooting with Windows tools I got a message that I could not connect to DNS Server 216.xxx.xx.xx (I don't want to state the full IP address - I don't know, but maybe this might cause me privacy problems). I then set the properties to automatic IP address allocation. This solved the problem as I can now go online.
Now, I don't know if this internet connection problem is related to my NIS disappearance problem; I just mention it because the two problems, neither of which have occurred previously, both occurred simultaneously today.
Just for additional information, I occasionally go online using a VPN (I live in China!). I don't know if this is relevant or not.
Also, I have two other computers in the house (they are running on wireless, the one I'm having problems with is cabled) - no problems with their IP addresses or with NIS - running as usual.
I read elsewhere on this forum that it would be a good idea to install and run 'Malwarebytes Anti-Malware' - i did this and it has just completed a full scan, resulting in 50 infections found - 44 adwares and 6 trojans. Interestingly, one of the trojans is on my C drive, in programs - a 'Live TV' program - I have never installed any Live TV programs or applications on my computer, so this must be one of those pesky self-installation things.
Furthermore, if NIS is still somewhere on my system, but just in hiding, why does Malwarebytes find 50 infections?