I'm trying to debug a BSOD problem w/Windows 8.1 and Microsoft recommended I uninstall Norton Internet Security & enable Windows Defender to rule out Norton causing the issue. So I downloaded & ran Norton Removal Tool. Each time I ran it, it didn't display any errors; it appeared to complete successfully. But I'm still unable to re-enable Windows Defender & MS is saying there must still be remants of Norton on my computer. I tried their recommendation of booting in Safe Mode and running NRT again, but still no luck in enabling Windows Defender. Is there anything I can run from Norton which will tell me if there are still any files lying around that are blocking WD? Is there a log file somewhere the NRT produces that I can check to see if I got a totally free run?
There have been conflict situations between Windows and Norton some of which have been resolved by Microsoft with updates, if I remember correctly, so it would be worth checking that you have all current Windows Updates. Do you know what version of Norton you were on when you last had it installed and had the problem because again there have been some compatibility updates to Norton products as Windows 8 developed.
Below is the experance I had with the Mcafee removal tool.
If you get an incomplete un-installation, re-running the Mcafee removal tool can show more lines of text in the log report and increase the more times the tool is run. Running the tool in safe mode has no effect after restarting the computer.
Safe mode with networking allows an internet connection so physically disconnect the internet, disable the wifi before booting into safe mode with networking as Norton appears to be disabled in safe mode only allowing a full scan. After running the Mcafee removal tool restart the computer.
Running the Mcafee removal tool in safe mode with networking (see help and support from the start menu) gives a complete un-installation report from Mcafee. This was performed after shutting the computer down for some time.
intesec, are you suggesting the OP use the McAfee Removal Tool for a Norton problem, or just to get logs ? Either way, I don't get what you're saying ?
jjewing, I found this link which may be of some help to you. Btw, have you tried running the Norton Remove and Reinstall Tool, to make sure you have a clean install of Norton ?
The thread creator never said by message 1 anything about McAfee so wht say about McAfee removal tool?
And once again there is no point in saying to use Safe Mode with Networking if you don't want the Internet (Network) just use use Safe Mode (min) instead.
It looks to me as the user is saying that Windows still sees that Norton is on the system even after the removal tool so Windows will not allow WinDefend to be enabled as a result.
Windows still sees Norton as being installed and may not allow Win Defender etc to be enabled even though Norton as as a product is just a ghost (if that is the way to put it simply).
It looks to me as the user is saying that Windows still sees that Norton is on the system even after the removal tool so Windows will not allow WinDefend to be enabled as a result.
Quads
I agree with Quads and although he has supplied the namespaces info, it may be too technical for the average PC user to extract. I will admit, I do not know how to extract the info, but believe it involves the WMI, scripting or ComboFix (which us lesser users are not supposed to run on your own).
I know in the past when this type of situation was suspected to be caused by corrputed uninstalls, the solution was to reinstall the offending program and then go thru the uninstall procedure again. Thus in this case, reinstall NIS, uninstall NIS via Control Panel, reboot, run the NRT, reboot and try Windows Defender again.
It looks to me as the user is saying that Windows still sees that Norton is on the system even after the removal tool so Windows will not allow WinDefend to be enabled as a result.
Quads
I agree with Quads and although he has supplied the namespaces info, it may be too technical for the average PC user to extract. I will admit, I do not know how to extract the info, but believe it involves the WMI, scripting or ComboFix (which us lesser users are not supposed to run on your own).
I know in the past when this type of situation was suspected to be caused by corrputed uninstalls, the solution was to reinstall the offending program and then go thru the uninstall procedure again. Thus in this case, reinstall NIS, uninstall NIS via Control Panel, reboot, run the NRT, reboot and try Windows Defender again.
Just shows NO IDEA hahahaha
I said the problem has nothing to do with the use of NRT, Norton and uninstalling , reinstalling does not work either at times.
It also has nothing to do with Combofix and scrripting.
Windows allows you to do what is required, although the user has to be careful deleting the wrong thing.
It is not a good idea to do the proceedure on this forum.
We do know that for commercially valid reasons (eg stopping multiple installations of 30 day trials to avoid buying a subscription) that the Norton Removal Tool does not remove every trace of Norton installations in every location so maybe one of those triggers is upsetting Windows Defender installation ..... Or maybe NRT has not quite caught up with current versions?
What I have found from experience outside these forums on other situations that an effective way of dealing with an incomplete uninstallation is to reinstall the product and repeat the uninstall procedure using Revo Uninstallerin its most intensive mode. Make sure you get the Free version in the left column and not the free trial of the Pro version which I've no experience of.
So since all else seems to be failing and as you say the OP may not have the experience or courage to use Quads very detailed breadcrumbs (I know I would hesitate) I'd suggest trying the free Revo Uninstaller.
NOTE There's a gotcha to avoid when running Revo to uninstall Norton (or any other program that tells you that you must restart the computer to complete the uninstallation and does not allow you to select Restart Later ) and that is that Revo, after analysing, starts by using the Norton Uninstall module (that Windows uses) and the screen for that now stays on the screen telling you to restart to complete uninstalling.
DO NOT RESTART since if you do you will have lost Revo and Revo won't run if it does not find anything in the Windows list of installed programs (it may have a function to do this but I've not found it).
Instead get the Revo screen up on top (the Norton one has no Close or Minimize function any more) and then use the button on it to continue through the rest of it's search and remove. Note that you have to Select what it lists and use the Delete button, not just go to Next although if you do and realize it you can go Back.
When Revo has done everything it will list all that will be deleted when you finally do restart the computer!
That's the main reason I like Revo Uninstaller -- it lists everything it wants to do and makes you select.
That is why I say not to do what is required on this forum. Even Guru's prove it. When they say to try this and that and this and that.
Instead of for this problem, use "..........exe" and do this step by step to correct the issue, and after Windows won't see Norton (or any other security product) so will allow the re enable.
1st, thanks everyone for your suggestions. Unfortunately after following most of them I still haven't solved the problem. To answer a few questions:
I upgraded from Win 7 64-bit -> Windows 8.1 64-bit at the beginning of Nov, using a purchased install disk from MS. After doing a full install, within a couple days I downloaded my NIS software from Norton's site & did a fresh install. So both NIS & Windows Updates should be current.
I have a little bit of experience modifying registry settings back in the XP days so I thought I'd look at those 1st. After realizing RegEdit isn't installed I ran WBEMTEST, connected to both SecurityCenter & SecurityCenter2 and then looked up each of the classes & instances that Quads mentioned. All of them had "null" for the values.
I then checked out Revo Uninstaller Free but it just listed a 32-bit version and it looks like you have to download the Pro version to get 64-bit. So I downloaded the free version of CCleaner and scanned the registry. On the 1st pass it found a few references to Norton products. So I ran FIX which removed the entries and then tried to turn on Windows Defender. No luck.
So I restarted PC then tried again; no luck. I ran CCleaner again and it still had 1 reference to Symantec so I fixed that again; tried to turn on WD, no luck. Did restart; no luck. Ran CCleaner again and now it shows no references to any Symantec stuff.
I guess the last advice I can try is to reinstall Norton and then use the NRT again and go thru the whole process. Although I may see if my PC is any more stable after cleaning up some of the registry settings 1st. I'll report back when I know more.
" have a little bit of experience modifying registry settings back in the XP days so I thought I'd look at those 1st. After realizing RegEdit isn't installed I ran WBEMTEST, connected to both SecurityCenter & SecurityCenter2 and then looked up each of the classes & instances that Quads mentioned. All of them had "null" for the values."
That is because you also do not know what you are doing and I did not state what to do except NOT here"
They will not be all Null, it's just that you have no idea what you are doing or where you are going as I know they won't be all NULL on a system is is that simple, due to the way Windows works and what Windows has.
Even with no AV installed they are NOT all null.
I told you it is not for here, that is due to what is required and what can go wrong. as I can cause the reverse problem of Norton is installed but Windows does not see it (in a test.).
See I have nulls like what you are saying but I don't in the correct area. It is not to be played with. let alone the fact rgedit is missing.