My computer locks up totally during Idol Background Scans. The problem seems to be when the “optimizer” scan comes on there is total lockup within 1 minutes or less [sometimes in 6 secs]. I have to hard shut off the computer and reboot. Norton support’s solution via “chat” was they could find nothing wrong so keep my computer in sleep mode so it doesn’t lock up. This requires me to manually go in and set sleep for six hours every six hours. When I run manual background scans, every scan works fine to completion except “optimizer”. When “optimizer” is manually run it totally locks up the computer. Any ideas as to why or how to solve??? Thanks
Windows XP - SP 3. Just ran CHKDSK full scan - found "bad clusters" in a Java File and replaced - everything else fine.
I read somewhere in forum where the "optimize" background scan does not start up until your reach 10-15% of capacity on your hard drive - mine just hit 15% and didn't start acting up until last week so an suspecting that it hadn't run before last week.
Within Norton 10 you are supposed to be able to set to off position background checks during idle which I have done but they still run which is frustrating. Have rebotted computer multiple tmes after resetting but the "off" switch doesn't seem to matter..
I'd appreciate ideas or adice to remedy rather than just resetting to Silent run every 6 hours............thanks
Hi Elder
Can you disable the optimizer or turn it off?
My computer locks up totally during Idol Background Scans. The problem seems to be when the “optimizer” scan comes on there is total lockup within 1 minutes or less [sometimes in 6 secs]. I have to hard shut off the computer and reboot. Norton support’s solution via “chat” was they could find nothing wrong so keep my computer in sleep mode so it doesn’t lock up. This requires me to manually go in and set sleep for six hours every six hours. When I run manual background scans, every scan works fine to completion except “optimizer”. When “optimizer” is manually run it totally locks up the computer. Any ideas as to why or how to solve??? Thanks
I have put it in the off position but it doesn’t “listen”!!! I click apply - and reboot even. This is “crazy”!
Hi elder
Can you check to see if there is a service for that which could possibly be disabled?
Checked everything I could find…There are other threads with issues regarding background checks still running while in idle mode and inability to turn these off - turn off but keep running ignoring command to turn off. Problem with Silent Mode that does stop these background checks from running is that maximum you can set it for is six hours. There needs to be ability to keep in silent mode without time limit and then you can run the checks you want manually from the list. Since it is the Optimizer function that immediately locks up my computer I would never run that one. Have not found a solution to the Optimizer issue from Norton Security Support [The tech’s solution - "can’t find anything wrong so just keep in “silent mode”] or anywhere else but at least in Silent Mode I have a “work around” for now…
Hi Elder Skier
Have you tried this?
The option to disable it is under Settings > Miscellaneous Settings > Idle Time Optimizer. It is one of the Idle Time tasks IF you do not turn it off via the settings menu. You will have to reboot your system for the setting change to take affect once you change it. You can run it manually from the Norton Tasks display or from the Performance Chart.
This was taken from an earlier thread posted by dbrisendine in this thread
http://community.norton.com/norton/board/message?board.id=nis_feedback&thread.id=72923
Hi -
"Idle Time Scan set to Off" and Optimizer set to "Off". Rebooted many times - background optimizer scan still comes on and locks up computer totally within one minute..........When I run the other types of background scans manually they all run with no problem. If I rum Optimizer manually computer locks up....hmmmmmmmmmmm.
Ran CHKDSK scan this afternoon and only one bad cluster found within Java that was replaced during the scan.
Hi Elder
It sounds odd to me that you ran checkdisk yesterday and it found some bad clusters within Java and you said it fixed that. You ran it again today and once more it found a bad cluster in java and fixed that.
What version of Java are you running? Would you please run a HiJackThis for us so we can see if there is possibly something else installed that could be conflicting with the optimizer.
Please download HiJackThis from http://www.malwarehelp.org/how-to-curepart-3-using-hijackthis.html Choose the executable and save it on your desktop. Run the file and select the first option on the main menu "Do a system scan and save a log file". When this is finished, Notepad will open with the log file in it. Save the log file and attach it to a post here via the Add Attachments under the orange Post button Please don't attempt to fix anything that it shows until someone checks out the log. Thanks.
Hi ElderSkier:
In addition to the above, you might wish to uninstall and reinstall Java - via add/remove programs.
You can find the latest version of Java at - http://www.java.com/en/
Let us know what happens. Thanks.
As a better test of what is the problem, run a Disk Defrag using the Windows utility directly. START > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Defrag.
Hi Floplot - I am sorry to create confusion over my running CHKDSK - only ran it once and it replaced the bad clusters in Java. Did not run it a second time…Will take suggestion given below about running defrag and see if that shows anything. Seems like the next step. Thanks for your ideas
I’ll run Defrag tomorrow morning [Monday] and let you know what happens. Also will run CHKDSK again to see if anything “shows up”. Thanks all of you for your help and suggestions
Hi Elder
What version of Java are you running? Java gets updated quite often for security reasons. If you are running an old version of Java, you should update to the newest version and delete the older versions. Perhaps there is a problem with your current Java installation which might be interfering and causing the lockup.It quite possible that it is locking up when it gets to a bad install of Java. Please delete your current Java and download a fresh version of Java and go thru the settings for Java also. There might be a setting for it which might be causing problems. I know there are a ton of settings in Java.
Hi ElderSkier:
Java was previously stated in my above post.
Please make sure that the old "java" folder is deleted before installing the new version.
Use default settings for the reinstall.
Again, please let us know if this resolves the problem.
Thank you. :0)
One thing to note here; once the Optimizer in Norton starts a back ground task run, it cannot be stopped. The task will always start running again until it is complete. This is why I wanted you to run the Windows Defrag utility to get your system fragmentation to a lower level so that Optimizer has very little to do. Once the initial Optimizer task is finished, Norton will obey the settings for Optimizer and not run it any more until the setting is changed.
Thanks - I will run the Defrag tomorrow morning [monday] and then try to get optimizer to run and not seize up the computer - will let you all know what happens.
Hi FloPlot - Java that have is Java 6, Update 17 and when I just checeked to see if there were any updates the message was received that I have the lates update already. Let’s see what Defrag does tomorrow!
Hi ElderSkier:
Yes, Java version 6, Update 17 (1.60_17b04) is the latest at the time of this post.
Please do what dbrisendine said, then do the Java, as above.
Sometimes, the Java auto-updater is flaky, so it is good to check the above Java link from time to time.
Regards.