Norton VPN fails to initialise if GoogleDriveFS starts before Norton UI (startup ordering defect)

Norton 360 for Windows
1

Note: Please do not post Personally Identifiable Information like email address, personal phone number, physical home address, product key etc.

Issue abstract:
Norton VPN fails to initialise if GoogleDriveFS starts before Norton UI (startup ordering defect)

Detailed description:
More to follow (prior submissions failed to get through triage)

Product & version number:
N360 version 26.4.10932 (build 26.4.10932.983)
OS details:
Win11P 26200.8457

What is the error message you are seeing?
“Couldn’t turn on VPN”

If you have any supporting screenshots, please add them:

7

I’m experiencing difficulty in adding details. Is there a triage mechanism in place? If so, please tell me and it would be great if a reply or post is marked: “Submitted but not yet visible to others.”.

12

@Bockeman Your posts are going to moderation because of the manner the forums are setup. New users must attain “basic trust” level before additional permissions are granted, IE: adding screenshots, and links.

Either your VPN or GoogleDriveFS will have to be disabled to run at Windows startup. Personally I would recommend setting the latter to manual startup after boot time has completed to afford the OS and Norton protections to fully load. I’ve had this issue in the past with Google Drive, its a PITB over all and in my case its not a priority at startup.

SA

13

@SoulAsylum Thanks for responding.

A) Posting problem: My original submission did not contain screenshots and no links. I accept the need for moderation, but there surely has to be way to show this to any new user, like “Submitted but not yet visible to others” rather than going to a black hole and wondering if I pressed the correct submit button (and then using up all my “chances” because there’s a limit).

B) If you could have seen my full submission, you’d realise that there is more to it and I’ve provided significant help in getting to the root of this problem. When I am permitted, I’ll post. Or can you see what I posted pre-moderation?

14

@Bockeman Regarding your initial post, you stated, "I’m experiencing difficulty in adding details. Is there a triage mechanism in place? If so, please tell me and it would be great if a reply or post is marked: “Submitted but not yet visible to others.”. In regard to that I explained that the forums admins have the forums setup to add the “basic trust level” which is the reason for your posts and all new member posts going into moderation. We Guru’s DO NOT have any control over those settings, we cannot set notifications as such. We are not Norton employees.

So what is basic trust on the forums? For your review.
https://community.norton.com/badges/1/basic

Your second issue was/is, can I see things you posted as they are in moderation? That answer is absolutely NO. No Guru can.

The issue with the VPN, I did give you my best suggestion based on the little information available at the time of the posting. Google Drive and Norton VPN conflict one with another. The suggestion was/is, disable either your VPN or Google Drive from your startup process in Windows. Here is some information regarding that suggestion. I believe I indeed gave you my best suggestion based on the information availabe.

AI Overview

Google Drive and VPN conflicts usually happen because VPN servers are frequently flagged by Google’s anti-abuse systems, or because the VPN’s DNS/adapter metrics break secure handshakes. [1, 2, 3]

Quickly fix this by trying the following steps:

  1. Switch VPN Servers or Locations: Google often flags shared VPN IP addresses. Change to a different server location in your VPN app.
  2. Enable Split Tunneling: Exclude the Google Drive or browser process from your VPN tunnel. This lets Drive use your local home network, while the rest of your PC uses the VPN.
  3. Change Your DNS: In your VPN settings, change the DNS to a custom public address, such as Cloudflare (1.1.1.1) or Google Public DNS (8.8.8.8).
  4. Restart the App: Disconnect from your VPN, quit Google Drive entirely, reconnect to the VPN, and then restart Drive.
  5. Clear Cache: If using a browser, clear your cache and cookies, or temporarily turn off your VPN to allow large files to upload before turning it back on

Please advise when you have attempted the suggestion in item #4 of the AI information and tested. That is a great starting point toward a solution.

Regards,
SA

1 Like
15

Issue summary

There appears to be an order‑dependent initialisation defect in Norton Secure VPN:

VPN activation fails if Google Drive (GoogleDriveFS.exe) is started before the Norton UI is opened, even though Norton background services are already running.

This is reproducible and not resolved by simply delaying Google Drive startup.

Key observations

  • Norton background processes (including AvLaunch.exe) do start at Windows login
  • However, VPN is not fully initialised at that point
  • The outcome depends specifically on whether the Norton UI is launched before GoogleDriveFS

This suggests:

  • VPN subsystem initialisation is deferred until UI interaction
  • And is sensitive to pre-existing network state

Repro steps (reliable)

Failure case

1. Disable GoogleDriveFS.exe in Startup apps
2. Reboot
3. Start Google Drive (GoogleDriveFS.exe)
4. Open Norton 360 UI
5. Turn on VPN
→ RESULT: “Couldn't turn on VPN”

Success case

1. Disable GoogleDriveFS.exe in Startup apps
2. Reboot
3. Open Norton 360 UI
4. Start Google Drive (GoogleDriveFS.exe)
5. Turn on VPN
→ RESULT: VPN connects successfully

Important clarification

  • This is not a simple startup timing issue
  • Delaying GoogleDriveFS.exe alone does NOT fix the problem
  • The Norton UI must be explicitly launched first at each login

Interpretation (for engineering)

  • AvLaunch.exe and background services are active, but:
    • VPN subsystem appears not fully initialised at service startup
  • Opening Norton UI likely triggers:
    • VPN module load / initialisation
    • Network adapter / routing setup

If GoogleDriveFS initialises first, it likely:

  • Modifies network stack (filters, DNS, filesystem/network hooks)
  • Leaves VPN unable to initialise cleanly afterward

This indicates a race condition / dependency on initial network state at VPN initialisation time

Impact

  • VPN activation becomes non-deterministic
  • Behaviour depends on third-party application startup order
  • Affects reliability of a core security feature

Expected behaviour

  • VPN should initialise correctly regardless of:
    • Startup sequence
    • Presence of other network-aware applications
  • Alternatively, VPN subsystem should be:
    • Fully initialised at background service startup
    • Not dependent on UI invocation

Current workaround

  • Manually ensure Norton UI is launched before GoogleDriveFS at each login

(Delaying GoogleDriveFS alone is insufficient)

Request

Can Norton confirm:

  • Whether VPN initialisation is intentionally deferred until UI launch?
  • Whether this interaction with GoogleDriveFS is known?
  • Whether a fix is planned to remove this ordering dependency?
22

Every time I try and paste a sensible reply, it gets rejected.

23

I’m going to attempt to get around the basic user limitations by replying in very small steps, apologies.

26

How am I supposed to reply? Everything I paste, however short, even with all MD omitted, gets rejected.

32

I suggest reading a few topics in other threads to tick the forums settings to add additional privileges. If you are trying to post links or screenshots those are not yet available at your user level. Strange as that is, it prevents spamming the forums when users create accounts for that specific reason. We had a serious rash of that a few months ago that took a lot of effort to contain.

Basic

This badge is granted when you reach trust level 1. Thanks for sticking around and reading a few topics to learn what our community is about. New user restrictions have been lifted; you’ve been granted all essential community abilities, such as personal messaging, flagging, wiki editing, and the ability to post multiple images and links.

Regards,
SA

1 Like
33

Thanks @SoulAsylum, somehow I got promoted to Trust level. Let’s see if my original MD formatted post will get through moderation.

35

Grrr. I still cannot paste a sensible reply. My last reply appears to have been added, but when I revisited shortly after, it had been “moderated”.

I fully appreciate the need to lock down a forum such as this after a spate of spam attempts. Hence why I am politely exploring how I might gain sufficient trust in order to paste sensible replies (as opposed to a freshly typed few lines like this).

Are the moderators AI? I not, how do I get them to be more sensible?

36

An “Employee” @Selvakumar.S has somehow picked up the baton.
https://community.norton.com/t/re-norton-vpn-fails-to-initialise-if-googledrivefs-starts-before-norton-ui-startup-ordering-defect/524102?u=bockeman
(Forgive me, I just trying to raise my trust level on this site by posting references and links).

37

Looks like the basic user badge was awarded. Thanks for the detailed posting from earlier. Your success case repro is what I have expected. Steps 3 & 4 reversed validates that. Having BOTH set to load with Windows boot causes conflict. Norton does a built-in, set startup scan that isn’t detectable nor changeable in settings that may be the cause. Google also actively blocks VPN services as well.

SA

38

This is off-topic. Please could a moderator tidy up this chat and remove all the off-topic posts and off-topic comments within otherwise helpful posts (if I had permission to edit posts and delete posts, then I would do this). There is a lot of chatter relating to my frustration relating to the “moderation” features of this forum. I agree with such moderation, but a novice user should be better and actively advised what the, presumably AI, moderator is doing.
@Selvakumar.S @Chock_Norton @Suyambu

39

@Allwyn_Pinto (I think) via the Norton Support online chat mechanism suggested some tests to try.

I was surprised by the inconsistency and self-contradictions that I found.

Disable current workaround

Start > Search > Task Scheduler > Task Scheduler Library > Google Drive delayed start > Disable
Task Manager > Startup apps > NortonUI.exe > Disable

restart
Google Drive
Norton UI > VPN > Change > Fastest Location

restart
Google Drive
Norton UI > VPN > Change > United Kingdom

restart
Google Drive
Norton UI > VPN > Change > P2P-Optimized Region

Norton UI > VPN > Change > United Kingdom

  • ok

Norton UI > VPN > Open Secure VPN > Settings > Reconnect after restarting
restart

  • VPN does NOT start automatically!

restart

  • VPN does NOT start automatically!

Norton UI > VPN > VPN is off > On

  • ok

restart
Norton UI > VPN

  • Connected

I did not expect this, autoconnect only works if VPN was active upon previous shutdown/restart

Task Manager > Startup apps > GoogleDriveFS.exe > Enable
restart
Norton UI > VPN

  • Connected

I guess the tight binding of AVLaunch.exe combined with autostart happens before GoogleDriveFS.exe starts

Norton UI > VPN > Disconnect
restart

Norton UI > VPN

This is not consistent. I did not expect VPN to start automatically following shutdown/restart when disconnected. But this is also wrong/bad because of the N/A IP address. VPN is not functioning, my IP address is the local default.

Norton UI > VPN > Change > Fastest Location

  • Connected (but VPN is not functioning and IP address states “N/A”)

Norton UI > VPN > Change > P2P-Optimized Region

  • Connected (but VPN is not functioning and IP address states “N/A”)

Norton UI > VPN > Disconnect
restart

Norton UI > VPN > VPN is off > On (P2P-Optimized Region)

  • Couldn’t turn on VPN

Norton UI > VPN > VPN is off > On (Fastest Location)

  • Couldn’t turn on VPN

Norton UI > VPN > VPN is off > On (United Kingdom)

  • Couldn’t turn on VPN

Norton UI > VPN > VPN is off > On (P2P-Optimized Region)

  • Couldn’t turn on VPN

restart
Norton UI

  • o Auto connect off
  • o Not connected

Norton UI > VPN > Open Secure VPN >
or (an alternative way of getting here)
Norton UI > Settings > Privacy > Secure VPN > Settings

  • [/] Reconnect after restarting

In other words, the mini pane from NortonUI home, disagrees with the settings page

Norton UI > VPN

  • Connected

This is a repeat of the “exception”, sometimes “P2P-Optimized Region” does connect

restart
Norton UI > VPN

  • Connected

restart
Norton UI > VPN

  • Connected

Norton UI > VPN > Disconnect
restart

Norton UI > VPN > VPN is off > On (P2P-Optimized Region)

  • Connected

Norton UI > VPN > Disconnect

restart
Norton UI > VPN > VPN is off > On (P2P-Optimized Region)

  • Connected

Norton UI > VPN > Disconnect
Norton UI > Settings > Privacy > Secure VPN > Settings > Reconnect after restarting

restart
Norton UI > VPN > VPN is off > On (P2P-Optimized Region)

  • Couldn’t turn on VPN

restart

Norton UI > VPN > VPN is off > On (P2P-Optimized Region)

  • Connected

Norton UI > VPN > Disconnect

restart

Norton UI > VPN > VPN is off > On (P2P-Optimized Region)

  • Connected

Norton UI > VPN > Disconnect

Norton UI > VPN > Change > United Kingdom

  • ok

restart
Norton UI > VPN > VPN is off > On (United Kingdom)

  • Connected (but VPN is not functioning and IP address states “N/A”)

Norton UI > VPN > VPN is on > Off

Norton UI > VPN > VPN is off > On (United Kingdom)

  • Connected (but VPN is not functioning and IP address states “N/A”)

Norton UI > VPN > VPN is on > Off

Norton UI > VPN > VPN is off > On (United Kingdom)

  • Connected

restart
Norton UI > VPN > VPN is off > On (United Kingdom)

  • Couldn’t turn on VPN

Norton UI > VPN > VPN is off > On (United Kingdom)

  • Couldn’t turn on VPN

Norton UI > VPN > VPN is off > On (United Kingdom)

  • Couldn’t turn on VPN

Norton UI > VPN > VPN is off > On (United Kingdom)

  • Couldn’t turn on VPN

Norton UI > VPN > Change > P2P-Optimized Region

  • Couldn’t turn on VPN

Norton UI > VPN > VPN is off > On (P2P-Optimized Region)

  • Couldn’t turn on VPN

Norton UI > VPN > VPN is off > On (P2P-Optimized Region)

  • Couldn’t turn on VPN

I have various services, like Nextcloud and several VNCs, and though listed in the VPN exclusions:

Norton UI > Settings > Privacy > Secure VPN > Settings > Split Tunneling > Edit Apps > Enabled

don’t work properly when VPN is active (e.g. they fail at startup because of the public IP address) so I cannot work with VPN always on (which is implied by automatic VPN).

Restore former workaround

Task Manager > Startup apps > GoogleDriveFS > Disable
Task Manager > Startup apps > NortonUI.exe > Enable
Start > Search > Task Scheduler > Task Scheduler Library > Google Drive delayed start > Enable

40

@Bockeman Was your last post intended for a private message to another user here on the forums? I do not see the person you tagged anywhere in this thread.

SA

41

Another off topic message which I hope the moderators delete.

So my last post got silently dropped.

I know you guys are doing your best to help the community (by hiding inappropriate content), and likewise I am trying my best to inform the community (posting with full transparency).

As we can no longer even see what I posted perhaps your point is moot.

42

A series of tests suggested by NortonSupport:

#Disable current workaround
Start > Search > Task Scheduler > Task Scheduler Library > Google Drive delayed start > Disable
Task Manager > Startup apps > NortonUI.exe > Disable

restart
Google Drive
Norton UI > VPN > Change > Fastest Location
Couldn’t turn on VPN
E:\Picture\System\260523 175740 Norton VPN Fastest Location Couldnt turn on VPN.png

#Default browser got switched to Edge
Settings > Apps > Default apps > Make Firefox your default browser

restart
Google Drive
Norton UI > VPN > Change > United Kingdom
Couldn’t turn on VPN
E:\Picture\System\260523 180718 Norton VPN United Kingdom Couldnt turn on VPN.png

restart
Google Drive
Norton UI > VPN > Change > P2P-Optimized Region
ok, but I did not expect this result!
E:\Picture\System\260523 181412 Norton VPN P2P-Optimized Region VPN connected.png

Norton UI > VPN > Change > United Kingdom
ok

Norton UI > VPN > Open Secure VPN > Settings > Reconnect after restarting
restart
VPN does NOT start automatically!
restart
VPN does NOT start automatically!

Norton UI > VPN > VPN is off > On
ok
restart
Norton UI > VPN
Connected

#I did not expect this, autoconnect only works if VPN was active upon previous shutdown/restart

Task Manager > Startup apps > GoogleDriveFS.exe > Enable
restart
Norton UI > VPN
Connected

#I guess the tight binding of AVLaunch.exe combined with autostart happens before GoogleDriveFS.exe starts

Norton UI > VPN > Disconnect
restart

Norton UI > VPN
Connected (but VPN is not functioning and IP address states “N/A”)
E:\Picture\System\260523 185730 Norton VPN United Kingdom VPN connected but IP NA.png

#This is not consistent. I did not expect VPN to start automatically following shutdown/restart when disconnected.
#But this is also wrong/bad because of the N/A IP address. VPN is not functioning my IP address is the local default.

Norton UI > VPN > Change > Fastest Location
Connected (but VPN is not functioning and IP address states “N/A”)

Norton UI > VPN > Change > P2P-Optimized Region
Connected (but VPN is not functioning and IP address states “N/A”)

Norton UI > VPN > Disconnect
restart

Norton UI > VPN > VPN is off > On (P2P-Optimized Region)
Couldn’t turn on VPN

Norton UI > VPN > VPN is off > On (Fastest Location)
Couldn’t turn on VPN

Norton UI > VPN > VPN is off > On (United Kingdom)
Couldn’t turn on VPN

Norton UI > VPN > VPN is off > On (P2P-Optimized Region)
Couldn’t turn on VPN

restart
Norton UI
o Auto connect off
o Not connected
Norton UI > VPN > Open Secure VPN >
or (an alternative way of getting here)
Norton UI > Settings > Privacy > Secure VPN > Settings
[/] Reconnect after restarting

#In other words, the mini pane from NortonUI home, disagrees with the settings page

Norton UI > VPN
Connected

#This is a repeat of the “exception”, sometimes “P2P-Optimized Region” does connect

restart
Norton UI > VPN
Connected

restart
Norton UI > VPN
Connected

Norton UI > VPN > Disconnect
restart

Norton UI > VPN > VPN is off > On (P2P-Optimized Region)
Connected
Norton UI > VPN > Disconnect

restart
Norton UI > VPN > VPN is off > On (P2P-Optimized Region)
Connected
Norton UI > VPN > Disconnect
Norton UI > Settings > Privacy > Secure VPN > Settings > Reconnect after restarting

retart
Norton UI > VPN > VPN is off > On (P2P-Optimized Region)
Couldn’t turn on VPN

restart

Norton UI > VPN > VPN is off > On (P2P-Optimized Region)
Connected
Norton UI > VPN > Disconnect

restart

Norton UI > VPN > VPN is off > On (P2P-Optimized Region)
Connected
Norton UI > VPN > Disconnect

Norton UI > VPN > Change > United Kingdom
ok

restart
Norton UI > VPN > VPN is off > On (United Kingdom)
Connected (but VPN is not functioning and IP address states “N/A”)
Norton UI > VPN > VPN is on > Off

Norton UI > VPN > VPN is off > On (United Kingdom)
Connected (but VPN is not functioning and IP address states “N/A”)
Norton UI > VPN > VPN is on > Off

Norton UI > VPN > VPN is off > On (United Kingdom)
Connected

restart
Norton UI > VPN > VPN is off > On (United Kingdom)
Couldn’t turn on VPN
Norton UI > VPN > VPN is off > On (United Kingdom)
Couldn’t turn on VPN
Norton UI > VPN > VPN is off > On (United Kingdom)
Couldn’t turn on VPN
Norton UI > VPN > VPN is off > On (United Kingdom)
Couldn’t turn on VPN

Norton UI > VPN > Change > P2P-Optimized Region
Couldn’t turn on VPN
Norton UI > VPN > VPN is off > On (P2P-Optimized Region)
Couldn’t turn on VPN
Norton UI > VPN > VPN is off > On (P2P-Optimized Region)
Couldn’t turn on VPN

#I have various services, like Nextcloud and several VNCs, and though listed in the VPN exclusions:
#Norton UI > Settings > Privacy > Secure VPN > Settings > Split Tunneling > Edit Apps > Enabled
#don’t work properly when VPN is active (e.g. they fail at startup because of the public IP address)

#so I cannot work with VPN always on (which is implied by automatic VPN).

#Restore former workaround
Task Manager > Startup apps > GoogleDriveFS > Disable
Task Manager > Startup apps > NortonUI.exe > Enable
Start > Search > Task Scheduler > Task Scheduler Library > Google Drive delayed start > Enable

43

FWIW!! Nothing is being hidden nor moderated by we Gurus. I tagged your post for a good reason. I watched in real time as your last post prior to this got removed in its entirety, after it had been posted, and while replying in this thread. At my level of Leader status I cannot even completely delete a post anywhere on the forums. An e-mail is also generated when posts are made in threads where I am participating and tracking. I was responding to the post in that message here when your post disappeared.
I had the notion that the message that disappeared may have been posted by accident and was meant for another user. Thus the last post. The user you tagged in the message is a new user account. Something about all that doesn’t add up. Therefore. An admin/employee definitely must have a look at that, unless of course one of the moderators removed it. If that is the case. That then also begs the question why other posts you requested removed haven’t been removed.

We are capable of staying on target with our responses so post removals isn’t a big deal.

SA