I have two questions. First, I should give some background...
I'm running v5.1.0.29 on a Windows XP system. (Yes, I'm using a dinosaur.) I had an issue recently that caused my computer to go to blue screen. I believe it was because I was using a program that was too big for my amount of RAM. It may be irrelevant to my Norton issues, but every other time I reboot I get a looping DOS message that says "For Realtek ... PCI Fast Ethernet Controller..., PXE-E61: Media Test Failure, check cable, PXE-M0F: Exiting PXE ROM." Usually I just turn it off and back on and Windows loads fine.
Ever since the blue screen happened, Norton has told me that my computer is at risk because SONAR is turned off. I can manually turn it back on but it will turn itself right back off both when I reboot the computer and even when I don't. Norton is just acting extremely sluggish altogether, to tell the truth, which is the only reason why I want to try to get SONAR turned on again. Otherwise, I would just let it slide because I don't do much on this computer except word processing and a few writing tool programs.
So my questions are:
1. Is there a way that I can just run without SONAR and not have Norton turn threatening colors and run slowly? Or is there an easier fix than completely reinstalling Norton 360 that will get SONAR working again?
2. If I do have to reinstall Norton (blech) will I have to completely recreate my backup list from scratch? Or redo other settings like access rules?
I forgot to mention that I tried Auto-Fix every time it popped up to no avail. I did try it again just now though, just to be sure. It said that it couldn't find anything, and directed me to the support website.
Than unfortunately it seems the only possible way to fix the issue is the reinstall procedure.
You can try this new tool as well if you do not want to do it manually:
1. If you use the feature, please backup your Identity Safe data (Settings -> Identity Protection -> Backup) 2. Download and run the Norton Removal and Reinstall Tool: www.norton.com/nrnr
You may be able to preserve most or even all of your Norton settings by following a somewhat more involved remove-and-reinstall procedure. You will not have to pay for the program again, and your subscription days will automatically be recognized when you reinstall this way. Here are the step-by-step instructions:
Export your Identity Safe cards/credentials to your desktop if you've set these up, so you'll be able to import them back in when your clean install is complete.
Make sure that you have set up (and can still access) your Norton Account, and that your current Norton 360 subscription is showing under the "Products" tab, with a big yellow "Download" button at right; this is how you will reinstall your Norton product and have it linked automatically to your subscription.
From Windows Control Panel, use the Add/Remove Programs function to uninstall your Norton 360. This will disconnect all your critical system drivers from your security product so they aren't deleted by the next step. Be sure to take advantage of any opportunity you are given to save your Norton settings so they may be reloaded by Norton 360 when you reinstall it later in this process. Reboot your computer when this is complete.
Download and run the Norton Removal Toolto ensure a complete uninstall of your existing Norton product. This is necessary because of the extent to which a security package needs to have its tendrils deeply intertwined throughout the Operating System to do its job, and will clean up debris Windows leaves behind that may interfere with proper operation of your Norton product.
Once the Norton Removal Tool has finished, Reboot your computer again, and immediately log back into your Norton Account and click that big yellow Download button. Remember, until you do this, you are temporarily without your Norton protection.
This last step will reinstall Norton 360 and link it automatically to your existing subscription. You should now be back in business, protected by "the speed and power of Norton!"
Please let us know how this works out. We're here to support you until you can click that "Accept as Solution" button!
I am working on following the steps you outlined to uninstall and reinstall Norton, and I found a possible hitch when I checked my Norton account. I have three laptops in my household and therefore have three product keys attached to my account. Since they are all being used my account says that I have no available installs left. Will it recognize when I uninstall it from this computer and allow me to download again? The download button is still yellow like it could be used...
Interesting--odd that the Download button looks like it's still active: in other cases similar to yours it has not been. Perhaps it is recognizing your computer as one of the installed instances.
If that works, fine; if not, you can contact Norton's Live Chat customer service and they can free up the license so you can use it again, since it's the same computer.
Okay, well after 7+ tries of using the Norton Removal tool and trying to reinstall Norton, I just wiped all Norton products off of the computer. It always stopped at 22% of installation and started to uninstall itself. The Norton Power Eraser says that nothing is wrong and I've removed all printer drivers as well as the only application that I thought could possibly be causing problems. At this point it seems easier to just remove Norton altogether and keep my network connection turned off.
This is starting to sound as though there may be malware involved. Did you run Norton Power Eraser in Safe Mode? If not, you might try that; if yes, you might try downloading and running the free version of malwarebytes from normal mode. If either reports anything suspicious, let us know: you do not want to give up on a solution and take the actions you specify while there's a chance you may have an active nasty on your machine.
Well, I tried both scans that you suggested, Power Eraser in safe mode and Malwarebytes in normal mode. They didn't find anything. But Windows apparently did its own little clean-up during one of the reboots (no idea what triggered it), and I removed Java from my computer because I had read that its new update had occassionally been mistaken for a Trojan by some security softwares.
Then when I tried downloading again, Norton installed perfectly. Plus, when I opened Norton up, SONAR seems to be working like it should. I'm guessing it was Java and not malware that was blocking the install, but who knows? No matter what the reason, I'm very happy that everything's running smoothly again.
Well, I've never heard of a problem with Java before--other than if perhaps you had an old version--but like you I'm not inclined to look this gift horse in the mouth...at least given all the clean malware scans you now have!
Glad to hear you're back in business...and you know where to find us should you ever need us again....
