Norton Removal Tool Problems

Norton Security | Norton Internet Security
1

A 90 day trial of norton 2008 came with my laptop purchase. After it expired in january, I deleted what I though was all the norton components because its just not compatible with vista.  I have been having problems using my bittorrent software, and while searching for a solution, I found out that I still have norton security firewall switched on and there is nowhere for me to turn it off.

 

I went online to search for a solution and the norton Removl tool was suggested. I havent been able to run this yet as cause a new window keeps opening with this address  

 

ftp://ftp.symantec.com/public/english_us_canada/removal_tools/Norton_Removal_Tool.exe/

 

 And the page has the following info in it as well as the above address too

 

Up to higher level directory

Name Size Last Modified

 

HELP! Norton is turning out to be a virus in itself.

 

 

2

Does this work for you?

3

That website is where I went to and had problems downloading the removal tool. It’s still thesame story today. I’ve really had it with Norton. What is the solution please?

4

Bondgirl1980,

 

If you go to the link provided by Shanmugapriya, you'll see a list of Norton product versions. Go ahead and click the link for the version of the product that you have. If it's 2008, then clicking this link will take you to:

 

http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/norton2008.nsf/docid/2007082908475279?Open&docid=2005033108162039&nsf=tsgeninfo.nsf&view=docid

 

After following Steps 1 and 2, click the DOWNLOAD button in Step 3.  This will actually download the Norton Removal Tool from the FTP site that you mentioned earlier.  Is the download not working for you?

 

Alternatively, you can go directly to ftp://ftp.symantec.com/public/english_us_canada/removal_tools, and manually download Norton_Removal_Tool.exe from this location.

 

Let us know if this works for you.

 

-Sunny

5

I don't think my explanation was clear because you guys keep giving me thesame instructions that are identical to what I said I had already tried.

 

I have gone to the following site more than twenty times to download the removal tool

http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/norton2008.nsf/docid/2007082908475279?Open&docid=2005033108162039&nsf=tsgeninfo.nsf&view=docid 

 

This new window I told you about always opens - ftp://ftp.symantec.com/public/english_us_canada/removal_tools/

 

I save it but its no use cause its empty.  My question is, how am i supposed to go through the process of saving the removal tool, like it says on the removal tool instruction page, and running it when its not even downloading?  What does the page that keeps coming up mean? what am I supposed to do with that page?

 

6

I didnt mention that I didnt do steps1 and 2 on the instructions page. ?ButI dont think that should matter because neither of the steps trigger or change anything. I have no intention of using a norton product again so step 2 is irrelevant to me.

7

No, not at all. Any suggestions?

8
Bondgirl1980 wrote:

A 90 day trial of norton 2008 came with my laptop purchase. After it expired in january, I deleted what I though was all the norton components because its just not compatible with vista.  I have been having problems using my bittorrent software, and while searching for a solution, I found out that I still have norton security firewall switched on and there is nowhere for me to turn it off.

 

 

I've read through all the posts up to today and noticed that no one seems to have addressed the contents of your original post.

 

You said "I deleted".  You did not say "I uninstalled".  Am I right that you did not use the ADD/REMOVE component to uninstall Norton?

 

Another ambiguity.  You said you have a trial of "norton 2008".  There is no such thing as "norton 2008".  There is a Norton Antivirus 2008, which does not have a Firewall component.  There is a Norton Internet Security 2008 which has both AV and a Firewall.  There is Norton Systemworks and Norton 360, neither of which have a 2008 identifier to the best of my recollection.

 

Just to help us help you, would you specify exactly which product you meant by "norton 2008"?

 

Why am I insisting are such specificity?  Because I don't remember any of my computers or my client's computers coming with trial versions of NIS 2008, only NAV 2008

 

If that is true in your case, then how did you get the Norton Firewall on your computer? This is important because however you got it, that would suggest the best way of getting rid of it.

===============================================

Not having the answer to any of the above, I am going to make some stabs in the dark.  Here are my assumptions:

1.  You had a trial version of NIS 2008 on your computer.

2.  You deleted Norton components but did not uninstall the product.  Therefore you have somehow left behind an active version of Norton Firewall.  How this happened accidentally is beyond my imagination ... at the moment.

 

If this is true, then the best way to approach a solution to your problem would probably be:

1.  Reinstall NIS 2008 if you can find someone with the product.

2.  Borrow it, install it, then use ADD/REMOVE to uninstall it.

 

OR

1.  Download the trial version of NIS 2009 and install it  ( Upgrade enter "Norton Internet Security" and "2008" where it says "product" and "version".  It will self-install.)

2.  Use ADD/REMOVE to uninstall it after installation is complete (or try it out -- you might find it is perfect for you).

 

OR IF NEITHER OF THE ABOVE WORKS:

Consider the possibility that all this is the symptom of malware and has nothing to do with Norton.  Download Malwarebytes free product and run a scan and report back to us.  If it looks like you are infected, you will be asked to do some other things including running HijackThis to get a good report.  There are experts here at viral cleanup who will be glad to walk you through this.

 

================================================================

More comments:

 

Your description of the problem makes me think that you did not buy the computer new.  Is this true?  If so, it is highly likely that the previous owner was trying a number of different security apps and did not properly clean them up.

 

New or not, your best bet might be reimaging the harddrive using your product's restore procedures.  If you do this, make sure you BACKUP all data files you have created since starting your computer:  Financial data, pictures, music, letters, email, passwords, activation codes for new software you installed, etc.

 

Please keep us informed and we will do our best to help you with this.

 

Good luck.

Message Edited by mijcar on 04-29-2009 09:15 AM
9

mijcar has some good questions and points.  But regardless of which exact Norton 2008 product Bondgirl1980 has, the Norton Removal Tool should download correctly from the site.  If the Norton product(s) was(were) manually "deleted" rather than uninstalled, the Norton Removal Tool still might be able to help clean up the machine. 

 

Bondgirl1980, did you try following the alternative approach that I talked about before?

 

Alternatively, you can go directly to ftp://ftp.symantec.com/public/english_us_canada/removal_tools, and manually download Norton_Removal_Tool.exe from this location.

 

Do you see anything if you go to ftp://ftp.symantec.com/public/english_us_canada/removal_tools?

 

10

Wow. Thanks for your reply. you have given me more practical solutions but sadly they didn't work.

Unlike you, I dont speak computer, but I'll try my best to clarify my position.

 

The trial I got was the NIS 2008. It came with my brand new Acer laptop.  I did delete it in add or remove programs, and I am as amazed as you that the firewall is still active. There is absoloutely no symantec product, not that I can find anyway, left on my laptop except this active firewall. So I have no means of turning it off, or re-uninstalling norton properly.

 

I tried downlading the free 2009 version like you suggested but when I try to run it, a synmantec downlaad manager window pops up, and it reads communications error 0.00MB.  I have the 2009vicon on my desktop but it wont run. It gives me the option of a proxy server (like I know what that means).

 

I guess its official, I'm in trouble. I just want to be able to use my Bittorrent. I cant include it as a firewall exception on Norton because technically, norton doesnt exist on my computer ( except for the firewall that is).  Why wont it let me use the removal tool?

 

I am at my wits end. Help!

 

11

I did try both links, and I still get the same page I keep telling you about. Have you guys looked at that page to know what I can do or where I can go from there?

12

If you go to ftp://ftp.symantec.com/public/english_us_canada/removal_tools directly, you should see a list of the files uploaded at this location.  From here, you should be able to click and download Norton_Removal_Tool.exe.  I just tried out all these pages and links, and everything works for me perfectly.  I have a feeling that you have something else going on with your network.  Are you behind a proxy of some sort?  Also, another question... how do you know that you still have the firewall component left behind from an earlier Norton product installation?

13
sunnyc wrote:

If you go to ftp://ftp.symantec.com/public/english_us_canada/removal_tools directly, you should see a list of the files uploaded at this location.  From here, you should be able to click and download Norton_Removal_Tool.exe.  I just tried out all these pages and links, and everything works for me perfectly.  I have a feeling that you have something else going on with your network.  Are you behind a proxy of some sort?  Also, another question... how do you know that you still have the firewall component left behind from an earlier Norton product installation?

You seem to have the same concerns I have.

 

I am thinking that she might have a malware infection that is mimicking Norton Firewall.

 

I made my suggestions about trying other versions because it seemed that something was blocking her ability to either access or else to download the NRT from both HTTP and FTP sites.  Yes, this would be hyper-specific behavior and very unlikely, but what other explanations are there?

 

Bondgirl, it is extremely important that you read this and respond as precisely as possible!

 

Sunny gave you TWO download site options.  One of them has the letter combination "FTP" in the link he gave.  This is the link in the section I quoted above.  What happens when you go there and select the tool on the page listing?  Or do you not even get the page listing?  Are you able to download other applications (for example, NIS 2009) and other files from other sites?  Are you on dialup or a highspeed broadband connection?

 

I know this is frustrating for you and you just want to tell us how bad it makes you feel, but without the specific answers to questions like this, we just can't guide you in the right direction.

Message Edited by mijcar on 04-29-2009 11:47 AM
14

Mij,

 

I'm addressing this to you so as not to confuse bondgirl --

 

Does one not have to have something special to download from a ftp site? I know when I was ETing I was OK because I use PowerDesk and it includes a module for dealing with ftp sites.

 

I'm using IE7 in XP on this desktop and just downloaded both Norton Removal Tools without a problem so maybe something has changed.

 

Don't hesitate to say I'm talking nonsense -- that's why I addressed to you not to BG <g>

 

Do we know what version of Windows including SPs is involved?

15

Nothing special (any more) about FTP downloads.  She's using Vista and that (and XP) can handle any FTP.  I sometimes use FTP with either IE or Firefox.  No problems.

 

One of the things that concern me is her claim that NIS 8 doesn't work with Vista.  I had NIS 8 on my son's Vista machine for a year with absolutely not one single problem.  She says the problem happens with BitTorrent and I believe we have seen users have BitTorrent issues before.  These issues were first blamed on Norton and then all turned out be other issues (I don't remember whether it was out-of-date drivers or software, but Norton wasn't the issue).

 

If she really is having a valid Norton Firewall popping out, she needs to find a registry cleaner that will work in SafeMode or -- even better -- from a bootable disk.  Something like Norton Systemworks.  I'm not comfortable, however, with just trying to rip it out because I feel there is something else here at play.  We really need a lot more data.  How does Norton Firewall make its presence felt.  Does a Norton screen pop up?  What options does it present?  What makes it appear, if it appears?  What does CAD reveal in system processes about Norton Firewall?  If it's a component of NIS, as she said, where is Norton AV?  Where is the console?  I am concerned that the poster says she deleted all parts of the Norton trial package?  What does she mean?  Removal is a single step in the ADD/REMOVE menu and does not consist of removing "all parts".  Why was it phrased this way?  I have the sense that she may have tried to remove it first by deleting the folder in Program Files, ran in the difficulty that she couldn't delete all components, then tried to used ADD/REMOVE which wouldn't have been effective because of the previously deleted files.  Oy, what a mess!

 

Even if everything was played by the book, her inability to download from either an HTTP or FTP site is of real concern to me.  She shouldn't be able to get Microsoft Updates or updates for any of her other products either.  Something is seriously wrong.

 

If I had that problem on my computer, I would reimage my computer back to factory status.  She needs those file downloading abilities.

Message Edited by mijcar on 04-29-2009 05:44 PM
16

Thanks for clearing that out of the way … happy to just watch.

17
huwyngr wrote:
Thanks for clearing that out of the way .... happy to just watch.

No way, kid!  Get in there and do something!  :-)

18

Bondgirl1980 - if you are still with us here (while the others try and help with what is blocking your view and access of the Norton Removal Tool) this will turn off the Norton Firewall if you still have it on your system.  I see that you have Vista so I will show these steps on my machine as I have Vista also.  (Anytime the User Account Control pop up opens just click continue.)

 

1)  Find your Network Icon in the bottom right hand corner of your desktop next to the time and date.  Right click on it and choose Network and Sharing Center.

 

2)  In the left hand column, click on Manage network connections.

 

3)  Select the first network connection in the next screen by right clicking on it and choosing Properties from the menu that opens.

 

4)  You will see a Connection Properties display window that lists all the properties for that connection.  In the middle of the page is a list box that has drivers listed for that connection.  Find the one for Symantec (or Norton, not sure about what was listed for NIS2008) and if it has a check mark there then uncheck it.  Click on OK.

 

5)  Repeat step 3 and 4 (select by right click, Properties, etc) for each network connection listed (if one of the connections is active, a message may pop up about rebooting your machine for this to take affect.  Close that window by clicking OK and continue on to the others listed.).

 

6)  When done with uncheck all the network connections, close the Network connections and the Network and Sharing windows.

 

7)  Reboot your machine.  The Symantec Firewall driver will no longer be loaded into the network connections.

 

 

While the above directions will do what you wanted done in your original post, please consider some of the points that have come up in this thread.  You are being blocked from seeing and accessing security software downloads.  To make sure that nothing nasty is on your machine, please download MalwareBytes AntiMalware form this LINK .  You can use the free version; it will do just fine for now.  Download the software and double click on the file to install it.  Once installed, run the program and go to the tab for Updates.  Update the definitions (and the program it needed).  When updated, go to the Scan tab and run a Full Scan.  If it finds malware, it will either delete it or wait at the end for you to tell it what to do.  Always tell it to at least Quarantine the malware or better yet to delete or fix the problems.

 

Sorry you were having so much trouble.  Hope this helps you out.  I have attached a picture to show you some of the windows that will show up on your system during the Firewall disabling.  Post back if you need help.

 

Norton Network Driver.png

 

 

 

[edit: Resized image.]

Message Edited by shannons on 04-30-2009 05:34 AM
19

Hi there Mijcar,

 

When I go directly to the ftp site, I get no listings at all. Only a page with the address copied in it and a picture of a folder saying "Up to a higher level directory" (which i can click on 4 times till it says failed to connect. each time i click on the folder it shaves off part of the page's address). Beneath the folder there are the word: name, size, last modified. Beneath that is a blank. nothing at all.

Even when i go the http route, and choose my product, and get the the 3 step page and click download, its still the same story.

 

I have ran Cleaner and Eusing free registry and they didnt detect anything. 

Actually I never have any pop ups indicating that norton has blocked anything. The way I found out about the firewall is that I checked  my security settings and noticed that my firewall indicator was on, even though I had turned my windows firewall off.  So I checked what firewalls I had on my laptop and it showed that NIS firewall status was on and Windows firewall was off. Maybe its a Norton ghost, I think ive heard of software ghosts before.

 

My internet connection is a broadband dial-up, if that makes any sense. you have to dial it, but its a broadband connection.

 

 

 

20

Thanks Dbrisendine.

 

I tried what you suggested regarding my internet connection. Norton/synmatec isnt there at all.  Il try the anti-malware thing and let you know how that goes.

 

Is it even possible for one's NIS to expire and they'll still have firewall protection but no virus or malware protection?