Norton Mobile Security freezing on TMobile HTC G2

OmoOmo · September 8, 2011, 4:25pm

My Norton Mobile Security (NMS) product, purchased from Staples, makes my TMobile HTC G2 "freeze" or act sluggish when I start NMS.

I've tried uninstalling and then reinstalling the app, with the same result: "Sorry! Activity Norton Security (in application Norton Security) is not responding." Options: Force close, or Wait.

I select Wait, and eventually the app interface appears--but it's frozen. Pressing Set Up Anti-Theft, Anti-Malware, Call & SMS Blocking, Web Protection etc take FOREVER. The app seems to run slow as molasses. Then I get another message, "Sorry! Activity Norton Security (in application Norton Security) is not responding." So I do a Force close--and even THAT seems to take forever to execute!

I looked in my Download folder on my SD card. I see two files, MobileSecurity-28.apk (1.00MB) and MobileSecurity-28-1.apk (1.00MB). After uninstalling NMS, I chose to delete BOTH the MobileSecurity apk files. (I was hoping that by doing that, I could "start from scratch" and do a "fresh" or "clean" installation.)

I then reinstalled NMS a THIRD TIME, from the web site indicated on the plastic activation card that came with the boxed app from Staples.

But this time, before I reinstalled, I closed the browser, cleared cache, history, cookies, form data, location access, and passwords. Wasn't sure if that would have any effect; just chose to do it. (Funny thing is, during the previous reinstall, it DID NOT ASK FOR THE ACTIVATION CODE--so apparently, SOME data stays on the SD card, EVEN AFTER uninstall.)

Went to the Norton Security install screen, chose Install. Got the message, "Application installed". Selected Done.

Went to All Applications on my G2 and selected Norton Security. Got the "Agree & Launch" screen. Chose to join Norton Community Watch. Selected "Agree & Launch."

The License Server started (please wait), then got a message "License updated." BUT THE DAYS LEFT STAYED AT 3, AND THE APP FROZE AGAIN--OR AT LEAST, IS EXTREMELY SLUGGISH. Waited...and waited...and waited...and waited some more...after about a minute, got the message, "Sorry! Activity Norton Security (in application Norton Security) is not responding."

NOTE: Similar message that sometimes appears: "Sorry! Application Norton Security (in process com.symantec.mobilesecurity.base) is not responding." Options: Force close, or Wait.

However, underneath that message, I can see the Subscription updated to 337. But my only options are Force close, and Wait! Auuggghhhhhhh!!!

I GIVE UP!!! I'M GOING TO UNINSTALL IT AGAIN!!! Can anyone assist with this issue, please? If this can't be fixed, I would really like a refund from Symantec/Norton. This is just awful... Again, I'm using a TMobile HTC G2. Thanks...

erik_carlstrom · September 8, 2011, 4:58pm

Please wait on uninstalling. The code is saved to the device while it's active. Uninstalling an reinstalling will go through the same activation process, so let's try to avoid that for now. The two files in the downloads folder means you had downloaded the APK twice. Android adds a number for subsequent downloads of the same file. Could you provide a couple more details:

Version of Android

Any other security apps installed (Lookout, AVG, etc)?

How much internal memory do you have?

Do you know how much free memory you have? (On some devices you can get to this by going to Settings > Applications > Running Services)

OmoOmo · September 8, 2011, 5:36pm

I'm sorry; but I already uninstalled it again. In fact, I also uninstalled Norton Utilities for Android, thinking that may have been related to the issue. I then also tried reinstalling NMS without the Norton Utilities--no difference in behavior. So, I uninstalled it again! lol

To answer your questions (I hope):

Android version 2.3.4

No other security apps

RAM: 87MB used, 251MB free

Internal storage: 213MB used, 1.1GB free (again, seems like plenty to me)

16GB SD card (using Windows Explorer on my computer, I see 831MB used, 14.0GB free on the SD card)

Also, I deleted both apk files from the Download folder. NMS has worked before on my phone; both the free (beta) and paid products. I don't know what--if anything--I may have done to the phone to cause it not to work.

Other downloaded (from the Market) apps on my phone include:

Adobe Flash Player 10.3

AIM

Amazon MP3

Animated Analog Clock

Animated Analog Clock Pack (Glass)

Animated Analog Clock Pack (Sense UI)

Bible

Cribbage Pro

Earthquake Alert!

Earthquake Alerter Beta

Endomondo

Facebook

FuelLog

Gmail

GPS Test

Maps (Google Maps, I'm pretty sure)

Market (Android)

My Account (T-Mobile app)

pFinance

Photobucket

Quick KJV Bible

Scanner Radio

ScoreCenter (ESPN app)

Twitter

U-verse Mobile

Urbanspoon

YouTube

I don't recall installing or uninstalling any apps after installing NMS. Thanks for advice! (I'm leaning toward doing a Factory Reset at this point...I'm really stymied!)

erik_carlstrom · September 8, 2011, 6:06pm

A factory reset should definitely get things running better. :smileywink: That said, it is an extreme step though. Have you had the paid version installed for a while and just recently noticed this problem?

Thanks for the list of apps. I have several of those installed as well, but don't see what you're seeing. Have you tried a soft reset to see if the performance improves? There's an app called CatLog that you could use to collect logging while recreating this problem. There's also "report a problem" within the app itself. Have you tried to report a problem from within the app?

OmoOmo · September 8, 2011, 6:39pm

Yes, the paid version has been installed since August 10, 2011. It just began "acting up" in the past 24 hours. Again, I can't recall installing or uninstalling any new apps since buying NMS; so who knows what's up? No clue.

I've tried a soft reset, to include removing the battery and waiting a couple minutes--no improvement, unfortunately. I was going to use the "Report a problem" button; but it gave me the impression the app was "frozen," so I did a "Force close" on it. I won't try the "Report a problem" button now, UNLESS a Factory Reset fails to solve the problem, AND I get the program to open (rather than freeze or behave sluggishly).

If I can install it again and get it to repeat the same issue, I will try to install CatLog and see if it won't record the issue. Thanks, and will update after doing a Factory Reset this evening!

erik_carlstrom · September 8, 2011, 8:25pm

Thanks for the update Saganized.

OmoOmo · September 8, 2011, 10:46pm

Erik, you're welcome. I downloaded and installed CatLog, then started a log. I then downloaded and installed NMS, and selected "Open" rather than "Done." The app opened--registered with the server--and promptly froze up. So, I did a Force close, then stopped CatLog.

Now what? lol~ I don't know what to do with the CatLog file...I've never used CatLog before. It says the log may contain "sensitive data?" (Ahhh...I see the activation code in there. Yikes.)

If you're unable to reply by 7:00 PM USA Central time, I will go ahead and just do a master reset, I suppose... Need my phone to be working properly! Thanks again! :smileyhappy:

erik_carlstrom · September 9, 2011, 12:10am

Just need the text file. I’ll send you a private message with an email you can send the log to. Did you use verbose logging?

OmoOmo · September 9, 2011, 1:32am

Hi Erik. Not sure about verbose logging; but I will send you the log and that should answer your question, I presume. I've done a Factory Reset and am restoring apps. The first one I will download will be Norton Mobile Security. Hopefully, if there was some corruption somewhere, then by installing NMS first I can get a clean installation. Would you agree? Thank you!

erik_carlstrom · September 9, 2011, 1:55am

I agree and will take a look at what you sent. Thanks for helping out.

OmoOmo · September 9, 2011, 2:47am

Erik, you're welcome. BAD NEWS... The very first app from the Market that I installed--Fuel Calculator Mileage Free (Tom Bernard Anyz)--caused the "sluggish/unresponsive" situation with NMS. Here's what I did.

1. Factory Reset of my T-Mobile HTC G2.

2. Setup basic phone features.

3. Downloaded, installed, and setup Norton Mobile Security. Ran Live Update. Ran Full Scan with SD Card, then just Full Scan--ran perfectly (no sluggishness, very fast, perfect).

4. Downloaded, installed, and setup Fuel Calculator Mileage Free. Did a Soft Reset of the phone (turned off, turned back on).

5. Opened Norton Mobile Security. SLUGGISH AND UNRESPONSIVE. Every keypress took 30-60 seconds to get any kind of reaction from the app. It would respond--it just took forever. Totally unusable--unsatisfactory performance.

6. Uninstalled Fuel Calculator Mileage Free, then opened Norton Mobile Security again. Still SLUGGISH AND UNRESPONSIVE (no change from before).

Will include a picture below. But at this point, I'm not going to install any more apps, and I will not uninstall Norton Mobile Security, until you have a chance to examine the CatLog text file I sent you via email.

NOTE 1: Erik, note that when I reinstalled NMS this time--AFTER the Factory Reset--I was still not prompted to re-enter the Activation Code. For what it's worth! I figured that info would have been deleted from my phone, but maybe not??

NOTE 2: Also, 60 minutes after "backing out" of NMS, 1 process (com.symantec.mobilesecurity.base) and 1 service (Norton Security, Started by application) are still running. Are these supposed to be running in the background?? The size is 11MB.

Thank you, Erik!

erik_carlstrom · September 9, 2011, 3:49am

Thank you Saganized. I'm going to ask someone from the team to respond once we've both had a chance to look at the log you sent.

OmoOmo · September 9, 2011, 3:04pm

Erik, thanks. No change as of this morning--the NSM app is still very sluggish when I open it. I thought I would list the processes and services running on my phone, after doing the Factory Reset. Keep in mind that there are a few apps which came with the phone (Google Maps, Market, Twitter, YouTube) which were updated automatically after doing the Factory Reset.

Internal storage: 106MB used, 1.2GB free

Processes and services running (menu > Manage apps > Running):

My Account (cached background process); process My Account com.tmobile.selfhelp)

Settings (service Settings; process Settings com.android.settings)

Norton Security (service Norton Security started by app; process Norton Security com.symantec.mobilesecurity.base)

Google Services (service Google Messaging Ser~ started by app; process com.google.process.gapps)

Maps (service NetworkLocationServ~ started by application; process com.google.android.apps.maps:Netwo~)

HTC Report Agent (service ReportService started by app; process com.htc.reportagent)

Finance (service FinanceWidget$Updat~ started by app; process Finance com.google.android.apps.finance)

Twitter (service TwitterService started by app; process Twitter com.twitter.android)

Swype (service Swype; process Swype com.swype.android.inputmethod)

RAM: 108MB used, 231MB free

erik_carlstrom · September 9, 2011, 3:07pm

Thanks Saganized. Quick question. Do you have Wifi enabled? If so, are you connected through Wifi or your provider's data (3G?) connection?

OmoOmo · September 9, 2011, 3:21pm

Hi Erik, WiFi is disabled. I'm connected through T-Mobile's 4G network. Can't recall whether I downloaded NMS via WiFi or network, however. (WiFi is AT&T U-verse, and the 4G connection is pretty good; generally 3-4 bars.)

erik_carlstrom · September 9, 2011, 3:23pm

As a test, could you turn Wifi on (don't worry about connecting though)?

OmoOmo · September 9, 2011, 3:25pm

Done. Say...is there an Instant Message function on this board? LOL :smileytongue:

erik_carlstrom · September 9, 2011, 3:26pm

Could you try opening NMS now? Unfortunately there isn't. Not a bad idea though.

OmoOmo · September 8, 2011, 4:25pm