I'm attempting to install Norton IS 2010 30 day trial. It starts up with the black and yellow circle rotating and then disappears. I checked windows explorer and see it leaves a Norton Installer folder with nothing in it. I've been trying different security suites to see which one I like the best. Kaspersky, BitDefender, Trend Micro, ESET. After each one I have uninstalled totally using Revo Uninstaller and double checking windows explorer and regsitry as well as uninstall tools when provided. I've used the Norton uninstaller tool about 10 times and I've used the MS MSI cleanuup tool. I've a system check for errors. I've also ran Malwarebytes and MS SE. I did a search on google and was directed to several sites with the MSI issue suggesting a registry edit deletion. I was able to reinstall Norton Internet Security 2009 trial without any problems to double check if it was a Norton product issue. I'm hosting a Windows 7 Launch Party this next week and want to get Norton installed since I have determined it is by far the best security suite I have tested. And getting a free years license for hosting the party isn't a bad deal either. I did a search here and didn't find any answers to the MSI hanging issue. If I did miss I apologize. Thanks
Hi Beta Boy
Welcome to the Norton Forum
Before you can install any Norton product like NAV or NIS, you have to thoroughly remove all the other security programs you have tried. First you remove them from add/remove and then you use the removal tool from each of the other companies a few times with reboots after each run. The Norton Removal Tool is only supposed to remove Norton Products, not all your other antivirus programs you have tried. Also, your Norton product also won't install if there is any malware on your computer. If you are running Vista, you have to run NRT as admin. Don't forget to click on unblock the NRT tool also.
floplot wrote:Hi Beta Boy
Welcome to the Norton Forum
Before you can install any Norton product like NAV or NIS, you have to thoroughly remove all the other security programs you have tried. First you remove them from add/remove and then you use the removal tool from each of the other companies a few times with reboots after each run. The Norton Removal Tool is only supposed to remove Norton Products, not all your other antivirus programs you have tried. Also, your Norton product also won't install if there is any malware on your computer. If you are running Vista, you have to run NRT as admin. Don't forget to click on unblock the NRT tool also.
He's not trying to use the NRT to uninstall other vendors products, what gave you that idea?
Betaboy, there was someone else with the same issue with the NIS installer, that it started up then vanished.
If I remember correctly the way that they fixed it, they went into C:\ProgramData and deleted all the Norton folders out of there, then after that it ran. I would give that a try.
As far as removal tools go, you generally don't need them, running the uninstaller from the control panel is normally sufficient, unless you have something which won't uninstall for some reason, ie, corruption. Running them lots of times is just a waste of time, once will generally do if running it is really necessary. Removal tools aren't a fix-all, unlike what some on here think lol.
Bingo ! " If I remember correctly the way that they fixed it, they went into C:\ProgramData and deleted all the Norton folders out of there, then after that it ran. I would give that a try. " I didn't even see a programData folder until I did a search. Folders in Program Files were deleted. Thank You so much. NIS2K10 is now installed and ready to go. Looking forward to my free year to boot. Hopefully they will include this folder on the next upgraded Norton removal tool.
Glad it worked for you. 
Just one thing though, when you mark a thread with a solution, you should mark the post that answers your question, ie mine, so if you could correct that I would be grateful.
Cheers,
Will.
metalhead82
Kudos for helping BetaBoy7
After reading message threads like this... I always have the same two questions...1) Why the Control Panel Uninstaller is offered to user and not the products built in Uninstall Tool. 2) Why with Norton products the Control Panel and/or NRT is offered to user and not the Norton product built in Uninstall Tool. What is it about the product / Norton built in Uninstall Tool that it is just never offered to user. I imagine the product built in Uninstall Tool would/should be the logical Uninstall method. Since you posted the following comments... >
"As far as removal tools go, you generally don't need them, running the uninstaller from the control panel is normally sufficient, unless you have something which won't uninstall for some reason, ie, corruption. Running them lots of times is just a waste of time, once will generally do if running it is really necessary. Removal tools aren't a fix-all, unlike what some on here think lol" <
I was hoping you might appreciate why I always have the same two questions and offer comment/opinion.
Respectfully
bjm_
Hi bjm_
The control panel Add/Remove programs feature is just links to the uninstallers included/installed with the software. Often, the only way of executing the program uninstaller is via the Control Panel. It does do the same thing, it's just a different way of triggering it.
As regards the Norton Removal Tool, it appears to be inherently flawed anyway, as BetaBoy7 pointed out, it doesn't remove the ProgramData folders associated with Norton, which seem to be causing this reproducible installation issue with NIS 2010. In my opinion, that makes the Norton 'Removal' Tool useless as someone using it would expect it to remove everything.
Incidentally, lol, my comment about it not being a fix all was a poke at some on here that tell users to run NRT 3 times rebooting after each and then reinstall Norton for the simplest of issues, when it is blatantly not an issue with the installation that is causing the problem. Just a waste of time even trying that in my opinion.
Cheers,
Will.
Considering the inherent stickyness of antivirus products, most of the better ones and many of the lesser ones provide their own product specific removal tools.
AVG has a removal tool "in the event that uninstallation/repair fails repeatedly"
Kaspersky has a removal tool "to fully remove the product"
Nod32 advises that it shouldn't be necessary, but also provides a removal tool at the request of many users.
Zonalarm has its own removal tool as demonstrated by this user:
"I have uninstalled ZoneAlarm in the past and this did often fail unless a special tool was used (like Norton does)."
McAfee also provides a product specific removal tool.
Everyone has their own preference on how to uninstall or remove programs from their computer, but failure to make use of the tools provided by the product developers may cause problems or drag issues out longer than necessary in getting them fixed up. Also, just my humble opinion.
Hi metalhead82
Thank you...I guess the topic is interesting to me because I'm intrigued by a process that works flawlessly for some and flawed for some. There are too many uncertain options for the user to essentially accomplish the same task. Installation of Norton. The NRT appears (for some) to be inherently flawed as evident by the differing instructed ways to run the Tool, the differing views about when to use the Tool, differing view about the NRT's intended use including needless or overuse of the Tool and the evident (for some) uncertain results. At the same time the over-install process appears (for some) to be inherently flawed as evident by the fact that it runs the product built in uninstaller which for some is not as clean as it should be and the evident uncertain problematic results. Which then obligates the user to the inherently flawed NRT. I fully appreciate that the Forum offers a skewed look at the installation of Norton because only those with issues come to the Forum. I imagine there may be 10K or 100K uneventful, easy clean installs for each problematic install. Still, the user with a problematic install should not have to cope with so many uncertain varied options to essentially accomplish the same task. Especially, when almost every reported product glitch is then attributed to install procedure. Just my 2 cents...I'll get off my soapbox now and go stand in the corner.
Opinions expressed are mine and mine alone and are expressed solely as a personal observation.
Respectfully submitted
bjm_
I had ran extensive searches on my Windows 7 Ultimate after using the Norton removal tool. If there were still remnants leftover of Norton in the programdata folder why didn’t the tool remove this. I would agree the tool will need to be fixed. Again thanks for your help and solution metalhead82. kudos to you!
Hi BetaBoy7 and metalhead82 et al,
Respectfully, if I may briefly climb back on my soapbox...
Please see > http://community.norton.com/norton/board/message?board.id=nis_feedback&thread.id=80144
the post from jmTd Newbie Posts: 1 Registered: 10-20-2009
As the post is Newbie first post...I feel it has relevance to this dialog..
[...] While occasionally unexpected things happen, it doesn't make a good first impression when the initial installation fails. [...] But I'm beginning to remember why I stopped using Norton and switched to a different s/w before. Yes, every s/w has some issues. But it leaves a bad taste in my mouth when I can't get through the installation without problems :/
Respectfully submitted
bjm_
Kudos to metalhead82 / Regards to BetaBoy7
Moved to own thread for better exposure.