I have an Intel i7, 3.4GHz HP Phoenix desktop with an SSD Drive C:. The computer is about one month old and goes like the wind, yet Norton PC Checkup tells me it is running slowly, with three problems detected, but it doesn't tell me what they are or how to correct them - apart from suggesting I spend another £40 on top of Norton 360's original £40.
Norton 360's Reputation Scan tells me I have about 150MB of Known Bad Files. Again no idea of how to remove them.
What to do please?
I have an Intel i7, 3.4GHz HP Phoenix desktop with an SSD Drive C:. The computer is about one month old and goes like the wind, yet Norton PC Checkup tells me it is running slowly, with three problems detected, but it doesn't tell me what they are or how to correct them - apart from suggesting I spend another £40 on top of Norton 360's original £40.
Norton 360's Reputation Scan tells me I have about 150MB of Known Bad Files. Again no idea of how to remove them.
What to do please?
Many thanks; now I can sleep nights.
But ...
I've a notion that Norton is naughty
In fishing for further pounds (forty) !
GeoffOakshott wrote:
[...]
But ...
I've a notion that Norton is naughty
In fishing for further pounds (forty) !
Very poetic and I'm inclined to agree with you - see here for details. 
To see the detailed results for the problems 'detected' on your machine, please run Norton PC Checkup again (assuming version 3) and click on the 'View Detailed Results' link in the bottom right-hand section of the Results panel, shown below:
Please post a screenshot of your Norton PC Checkup 'Detailed Scan Results' in your next reply (see here for details on how to post a screenshot if you are unsure on how to do this).
Thanks
Thanks for your interest. Here are two shots.
Geoff
Hi Bot Obliterator,
Apologies: you asked for Detailed Scan Results, but I didn't go far enough. So here they are now:
Could Norton be reporting a speed problem because it is only seeing the space left on my (nominal) 64GB SSD Drive C: and somehow not noticing more than 1TB free space on Drive E:?
It only looks at the system drive. And your low system drive space could be a potential issue, but if you're not experiencing any slowdowns, just ignore the PC Checkup slowness warnings. It's guesstimating and is obviously wrong if the computer isn't slow.
As well as mis-guesstimating that my computer is "running very slow" Norton is emphasising its desire to get me to spend a further GBP40 for "expert help" on the additional grounds that Windows Firewall is Disabled, apparently failing to notice that my Norton 360 Exclusive Gold Edition (which has already netted them GBP40) has its firewall enabled.
Educated opinion on this forum indicates that running two firewalls simultaneously would be a serious mistake. So why is Norton itself implying that we should do it?
What are they playing at? Do they really want us all to scurry off to Bitdefender, Avast or AVG?
Have you disabled your Windows Firewall Service? Because that should be enabled even when the Norton firewall is running.
Oh dear, now I am even more confused! Yes, following previous advice I have indeed disabled Windows firewall in favour of Norton's.
Please don't be offended if I wait for confirmation here of your suggestion to run two firewalls simultaneously before acting on it.
Geoff
I am not offended, but I am not sure you understand. There is a difference here. Windows Firewall should be disabled. Norton usually handles this and disables it on its own. The Windows Firewall Service should not be disabled. It does more than just filter traffic, and even if a third-party firewall is installed, the Windows Firewall Service should be kept running.
Could you please explain to the uninitiated how exactly to enable Windows Firewall Service and at the same time ensure Windows Firewall is disabled?
Have to admit that I thought they were one and the same thing!
Regards,
Geoff
Start button -> type services.msc in the search box and press Enter. Scroll down to Windows Firewall. This is the Windows Firewall Service. It should be enabled, so make sure it is set to Automatic as Startup Type and that its Status is "Started".
To disable/enable the Windows Firewall itself, follow these instructions:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Turn-Windows-Firewall-on-or-off
This should be disabled. Note that Norton usually handles this on its own.
Very many thanks for your clear instructions. I was surprised to find everything already set up exactly as you had recommended, especially after Norton pointed out (as one of the failings of my system) that Windows Firewall was turned off.
The Microsoft video also made it clear that Windows Firewall should be turned off if you were using another firewall. People should be made aware of this; I have been in this game for 30+ years and had never heard it mentioned before.
Thanks again for spending your time on this.
Best regards,
Geoff
Hi GeoffOakshott,
Just to clarify, whenever a third-party firewall is installed, the Windows Firewall will be disabled. However, the Windows Firewall Service needs to remain enabled because it is essential to other Windows security features, as the following caveat from Microsoft explains:
Do not disable Windows Firewall by stopping the service. Instead, use one of the preceding procedures (or an equivalent Group Policy setting) to turn the firewall off. If you turn off the Windows Firewall with Advanced Security service, you lose other benefits provided by the service, such as the ability to use Internet Protocol security (IPsec) connection security rules, Windows Service Hardening, and network protection from attacks that employ network fingerprinting. For more information about Windows Service Hardening, see http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=104976. Non-Microsoft firewall software that is compatible with Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 can programmatically disable only the parts of Windows Firewall with Advanced Security that need to be disabled for compatibility. You should not disable the firewall yourself for this purpose. Stopping the service associated with Windows Firewall with Advanced Security is not supported by Microsoft.
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc766337%28v=ws.10%29.aspx
GeoffOakshott wrote:
As well as mis-guesstimating that my computer is "running very slow" Norton is emphasising its desire to get me to spend a further GBP40 for "expert help" on the additional grounds that Windows Firewall is Disabled, apparently failing to notice that my Norton 360 Exclusive Gold Edition (which has already netted them GBP40) has its firewall enabled.
Educated opinion on this forum indicates that running two firewalls simultaneously would be a serious mistake. So why is Norton itself implying that we should do it?
What are they playing at? Do they really want us all to scurry off to Bitdefender, Avast or AVG?
Hi GeoffOakshott
Norton PC Checkup's assertion that you need to spend an additional GBP40 to fix your 'running very slow' issue isn't Firewall related; the lack of free disk space on your machine is the culprit, as noted in your screenshot here.
The 'Windows Firewall being disabled' issue is present but not considered a hindrance in the 'No Problems Found!' PC Checkup scan results shown below:
The bottom line here is that you shouldn't be directed to a spend an additional GBP40 on 'expert help' to resolve an issue that can be easily resolved by Windows itself.
To 'Generate a system health report' in 60 seconds under Windows Vista and above, click the Windows Start orb and type:
perfmon /report
...in the Search box and press Enter.
(The long way: Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Performance Information and Tools\Advanced Tools\Generate a system health report)
When the User Account Control dialog appears, type in your Administrator password to allow the program to run.
A low disk space outcome in the Windows System Health report typically looks like this:
The instructions provided above in the Windows System Health report are more than enough to enable a user to resolve their lack of disk space issues without having to spend an additional GBP40 on 'expert help'.
Given the above, Symantec should undertake an urgent review of the Norton PC Checkup software's behaviour to ensure that it is accurately assessing a PC's Health Status. Failing to do so will inevitably result in the Norton PC Checkup software being categorised by users as Scareware...
Hi Bot Obliterator,
Many thanks for that. Very reassuring - although, strangely, perfmon /report said "The Security Center has not recorded an anti-virus product." despite Norton 360 being there.
Best regards,
Geoff
Hi GeoffOakshott
Don't worry about that message - I see it too. As long as the Windows Action Center reports that your Security is OK, then everything is fine.
One final suggestion. If you haven't uninstalled Norton PC Checkup yet, please do so. The software is scheduled to run weekly and you obviously don't need that to occur. Put this little foray into the world of Norton PC Checkup behind you and go back to enjoying your new PC!
Cheers
elsewhere
Hi elsewhere,
Many thanks for your advice; Norton PC Checkup is about to be demolished.
Can now return to the joys of using an updated version of what used to be my favourite MIDI editing program. This is now so tricky for the uninitiated (moi) that it would probably be simpler to go back to the digital keyboard and re-record the whole piece than to try amending it in the software!
All good wishes,
Geoff
