I look after 17 computers at 8 locations. They all use NIS because I insist on it: I believe it is by far the best security software available. But it has one problem that utterly exasperates me.
It happens, from time to time, one has to re-format a hard-dive, because of file corruption, or just because Windows has got in a frightful muddle, the way it usually does after 3 or 4 years intensive use. So, one backs-up all the data, uninstalls all the software, reformats the hard drive and reinstalls everything. A tedious 8 to10 hour job.
But when it comes to re-installing Norton Internet Security, one hits a problem. The activation count on the Norton account is NOT decremented when NIS is uninsalled. So, on re-install, one gets the message "activation count exceeded". So one has to contact Customer Support, by Chat or Telephone, to get the activation count reset. Sounds easy, doesn't it?
But it definitely is not easy, in my experience. It just can't be done via Chat: they simply can not understand what you are talking about, and keep telling you just to download from www.norton.com/nis12 . By telephone, you meet the same problem, and end up asking to be passed to a supervisor, which usually means waiting for a call back: total process time two hours, on the last two occasions.
I think it's time that the Norton took this problem seriously. I'm sure it's annoying other people besides me. If NIS can update the activation count when it is installed, why can't it do the same when it is uninstalled ?