PIFSvc.exe listed twice in Task Manager

Norton Security | Norton Internet Security
1

Is this service supposed to be running twice?  I rebooted and it loaded two instances again.

Thanks,

Rusty

2

Hi RknRusty,

 

I believe that belongs to a Live Update service for an earlier version of Norton Products.

 

Could you let us know what product and version (year) you are running?

 

Thanks.

3

Hi

 

Phil D is correct  It's part of Symantec's LiveConnect service that downloads Product updates and Patches for 2007 and earlier.

 

Why 2 running ???   Shrug of shoulders unless you have one registry entry in the "run" section and one in the "Services" section like

 

HKLM\..\Run: [Symantec PIF AlertEng] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\PIF\{B8E1DD85-8582-4c61-B58F-2F227FCA9A08}\PIFSvc.exe" /a /m "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\PIF\{B8E1DD85-8582-4c61-B58F-2F227FCA9A08}\AlertEng.dll"

 

and

 

Service: LiveUpdate Notice Service - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\PIF\{B8E1DD85-8582-4c61-B58F-2F227FCA9A08}\PIFSvc.exe" /m "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\PIF\{B8E1DD85-8582-4c61-B58F-2F227FCA9A08}\PifEng.dll  

 

Quads 

 

 

 

4

Sorry about that; NIS 2009 with XP SP3

 

This service has never been listed in Process Explorer until I upgraded from NIS 2008 to '09 yesterday. I have always checked my services closely after every boot, or at least once a day, so I'm sure I would have noticed it before.  I have had every version of Norton on this system since it was new, starting with NIS 2005.  The icon looks like a mail envelope with a globe in front of it.

 

They both have the same path:

C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\PIF\{B8E1DD85-8582-4c61-B58F-2F227FCA9A08}\PifSvc.exe

5

Hi

 

As both entries above I gave also link to the same file, but load twice.  

 

Hmmm I don't have NIS 2009 installed anymore to cheak if I have the file in the same folder or not.

 

Quads 

6

Hi RknRusty,

 

I do not have that path and I am using NIS 2009.

 

Please open Add-Remove Programs. Look for Symantec Live Update and Live Update Notifier.

 

If you are using no other Norton products which depend upon these, they can be be uninstalled as they are not required for NIS 2009.

 

Let us know.

7

NIS 2009 installed on both Vista SP1 Business and XP-SP3 computers.  PIFSVC.exe is not part of NIS 2009...not found on either of my computers.

 

It may be part of another Symantec product on your computer?

8

http://www.what-is-exe.com/filenames/pifsvc-exe.html

9

Hi

 

Phil_D my PM and your message crossed over.

 

RknRusty

 

If you don't have another Symantec product installed, you can use Hijackthis to delete (fix) the startup commands

 

O4- HKLM\..\Run: [Symantec PIF AlertEng] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\PIF\{B8E1DD85-8582-4c61-B58F-2F227FCA9A08}\PIFSvc.exe" /a /m "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\PIF\{B8E1DD85-8582-4c61-B58F-2F227FCA9A08}\AlertEng.dll" 

 

O23 - Service: LiveUpdate Notice Service - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\PIF\{B8E1DD85-8582-4c61-B58F-2F227FCA9A08}\PIFSvc.exe" /m "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\PIF\{B8E1DD85-8582-4c61-B58F-2F227FCA9A08}\PifEng.dll  

 

Quads 

 

10

Thanks for the quick help.  Those programs were listed in Add/Remove and neither had been used since 2007.  After un-installing them, the two services were gone.  Also the LUcoms entries were gone too.  Now I’m back down to 30 services… right where I like to be!

11

Hi RknRusty,

 

I glad that worked for you. I also like to keep my running processes to a minimum.

 

And, I almost forgot - Welcome to the Forums!

 

Best Wishes.

12

Thanks Phil.  I like this forum. So far, we've gotten off to a pretty good start.

I'll try not to forget to put my system info in it this time.  That was a dufus moment on my part.  As I get more familiar with NIS '09 I'll have more questions; in fact I have one now for a new thread.

Happy Thanksgiving,

Rusty