August 18, 2012: This problem could be serious but maybe it isn't. Nonetheless it's driving me crazy.
I bought Norton 360 Ver 6 about one week ago. Since then I had to contact Symantec Tech Support 3 times for the same issue. Each time the tech support guy was terrfic and please note that each one did something different to resolve the problem. Essentially they removed Norton, did some other work (dll file, reset the server, editing the registry) and reinstalled Norton 360 Ver 6. Each one of the three technicians solved the problem in the short run, assured me it wouldn't return, and within 24 hours the problem resurfaced each time. I'm OK until Live Update kicks in and I have to reboot the computer. That's when Windows 7 reports with a bright red warning. As of today and after serveral reboots, Windows 7 reports:
1. Virus Protection: Norton 360 reports it is turned OFF
2. Windows Firewall and Norton 360 both report they are turned OFF
3. Windows Defender and Norton 360 are both turned OFF
Norton 360 reports it's working but Windows 7 says it isn't. I suspect Norton is working but how can I be sure?
Is there a way to contact someone at Symantec who can permanently solve this very annoying and potentially scary problem?
You are in the right place for help ... just hang on since there is plenty of experience here among the other users and Norton Staff -- namesin red -- themselves monitor and take part in the forums.
Thanks Hugh for the encouragement but this sounds like one of those problems where nobody knows the solution. I never had anything like this with Kaspersky Internet Security 2012 which worked great until the end of my subscription. I like Norton 360 and want to stay with it, but if this frustrating, annoying problem isn't resolved soon, I don't think I can hang in there much longer.
<< this sounds like one of those problems where nobody knows the solution. >>
Not necessarily since we have such a wide spectrum of users here that it is actually more likely that one of us will encounter a problem than even the wide variety of configurations in the Norton testing and support centers. <s> I've seen that happen and even a very recent case -- the Firewall crash if you entered too many rules -- where one of the Norton Staff was finally able to replicate it on his home computer when no-one at home base in Norton had been able to and yet it was affecting a number of users here.
If you want to check that your Norton is working there is the International Standard test file eicar that triggers the same response as a virus without being one:
Will take you to the download page where you can download the different configurations
In order to facilitate various scenarios, we provide 4 files for download. The first, eicar.com, contains the ASCII string as described above. The second file, eicar.com.txt, is a copy of this file with a different filename. Some readers reported problems when downloading the first file, which can be circumvented when using the second version. Just download and rename the file to "eicar.com". That will do the trick. The third version contains the test file inside a zip ARCHIVEe. A good anti-virus scanner will spot a 'virus' inside an ARCHIVEe. The last version is a zip ARCHIVEes containing the third file. This file can be used to see whether the virus scanner checks ARCHIVEes more than only one level deep.
Norton has a setting relating to testing inside archives since if it encounters a very deeply embeded file it can take a long time and tie up resources to get down to where the file is and since it is not a danger until you reach and open the archive to release the malware you can disable checking inside archives with safety -- I do so I'm not sure what the default is.
If you decide to check eicar do let us know how you get on.
Something very important-- what security application did you have installed before you installed N 360 and how did you remove it? Most products have a special tool you can download to clean up after the normal uninstall since the best dig so deep into the system that bits can be left behind with a normal uninstall and they can affect whatever you install to replace it.
I switched from Kaspersky 2012 Internet Security which proved ultra reliable and gave me zero problems.. However, prior to that, I used Norton 360 Ver 4an entire year without any problems. And prior to using Norton 360 Ver 4, I used Kaspersky Internet Security. That tells me something's changed in Ver 6.
In addition to the complete uninstall provided by Kasperksy, I used their removal tool. If that wasn't enough, I also searched the registry for any Kaspersky entries. I found a couple remaining and deleted them but there was one Kaspersky Lab entry I wasn't allowed to delete.
Note: LIve Update updated me to the newest version of Norton 360 which I was hoping would resolve this issue. But that was no help because after the reboot, both the virus and firewall issues mentioned above remain.
The first of 3 Norton Technicians tried that dll file update, and then I did it again yesterday to see if it would help. Unfortunately it didn't.
I'm only receiving two messages today, Virus Protection: Norton 360 is turned off; and Network Firewall: The Windows Firewall and Norton 360 both report they are turned off. I understand Norton turns off Windows Firewall but it's also reporting the Norton firewall is turned off.
I live on my computer so I keep everything fine turned and working properly. The answer to your question is yes, the date and time are right on the money.
You gave us back ground info in regardsto KIS/KAV install and total removal. Id there by any chance some other securtiy program that is installed on your system? Malwarebyte Anti Malware Pro, SuperAntiSpyware Pro,Spybot S & D(with Tea-timer enabled), another firewall, or perhaps something else that was installed along with an install/update of another program, that had a check box that you may have missed? Any of these could cause a conflict with Norton.
When N 360 was removed/reinstalled, did the tech (you) run the Norton Removal Tool after the uninstall via Control Panel? I am curious as if you do not cleanup prior failed installs and or corrupt installations using the Norton Removal Tool it may cause such corruption.
If nothing else security wise installed as suggested above I feel a clean install of N 360 at this point may be a worthwhile try - at least we will know nothing is amiss with the Norton install.
If you use Identity Safe for your Logins, please back it up (export) the data so it can be Restored (Imported) after you install a fresh copy of N 360.
Plese remove the copy of N 360 you have installed, using the Control Panel uninstall via Programs & Features.
Once installation is complete, open N 360 and manually Run LiveUpdate as many times as necessary for it to respond "no more updates found". If a reboot is requested, reboot and then continue to Run LiveUpdate until it responds "no more updates found" and then reboot one last time.
Once totally updated, don't forget to Restore/Import your ID Safe data.
Thanks for all of those suggestions. I can't keep up with all of them but I'll try my best.
McCafee was on this computer when I first bought it 3 years ago, I think it came with the machine. The first Norton Tech removed a couple of McCafee entries from the registry.
Since then the only two anti-virus applications I've used are Kaspersky and Norton 360.
I alternated between both. Kaspersky Internet Security 2012 was on this machine until about 10 days ago.
Prior to that I had Norton 360 Ver 4 installed for one year and never had the kind of problem I'm having now.
To the best of my knowlege, the only other spyware program I have installed is Windows Defender which doesn't even show up in my Add/Remove programs list.
I had 3 experiences with Norton Tech Support. All 3 guys removed Norton and reinstalled from scratch. One of the guys used Add/Remove Programs to remove Norton 360 before reinstalling. The last two used the Norton Removal Tool to completely wipe it out and then they reinstalled 360 and I ran all of the Live Updates. The second guy also went through my registry checking for any old versions of McCafee and Kaspersky. I also checked my registry for both.
You asked a lot of good questions, did I answer them? There does seem to be a conflict somehwere but I cannot find it.
Thanks for the feedback - interesting about that McAfee since even though there were entries that Norton techs removed it did not seemto have an efect on Kaspersky or N 360 in the past. Be that as it may, I'm grabbing at straws now, but please got to Run > msconfig > Startup Tab and see if thre are any McAfee associated tiems listed and check marked. I'm trying to see for some reason if there is something that is tryng to start - since you said this occurs on reboot.
I understand everything you said the techs did, but I would really appreciate you going thru the procedure I outlined above for a clean install - just trying to make sure we have a clean and totally updated install of N 360.
2 things stick out in my mind right now,
- You said one tech removed via Control Panel
- 2 techs removed via the NRT.
Past experience has proven to me the best route to go is to remove Norton via Control Panel, download and run the NRT, reboot and then install the clean copy of N 360 - then run the updates (as I suggested above)
Windows Defender will not appear in Programs and Features it a part of the Windows Installation and Norton should turn it off when Norton is installed. Windows Defender does have a real-time component that cancause conflict with Norton.
Did you have to reboot in order to get all the updates downloaded? What I mean is, when you ran the manual LiveUdates were you requested to reboot prior to LiveUpdate responding "no updates found"? If so, I'm curious if by chance you noticed if the situation appeared after that reboot prior to completing the LiveUpdate cycle? I hope that you understand what I'm asking.
Also, if no reboot was required during LiveUpdate, when did the situation occur?
I've tried so many different things so I can't be 100% sure of my answer but the final Live Update did not require a reboot. The Windows Security settings problem reoccurred about 4-5 minutes later.
I just finished my 4th session with Symantec Tech Support. If this one doesn't work, I think I'm going back to Kaspersky which worked flawlessly.
In this session, it was the same guy I had August 16th who insisted refreshing the server would resolve the issue (he told me that 5 days ago). Well guess what? He tried that again today and it didn't work. He didn't say so but it was obvious a higher level technician jumped into the session as his name appeared in the box. He spent a lot of time making changes to Windows such as resetting the Windows Repository and a couple of other ones I don't remember.
In the end, they did NOT close the case but I can finally operate without those Windows messages that my virus program is turned off. For the first time the Windows Action Center is reporting:
Norton 360 is turned on, it is up to date, and virus scanning is on. Wow! I've waited almost two weeks to see that message. But after everything that's happened, I'm not convinced. We'll see what happens later tonight and/or tomorrow.
Thanks for all of your suggestions. Right now I'm somehwat excited but not overconfident.
After 24 hours of no error messages I finally built up the nerve to reboot last night and the problem returned immediately after the reboot. I checked all of my startup files and there doesn't appear to be anything that should cause a conflict with Norton 360.
So it appears that whatever Symantec Tech Support did was nothing more than a short term fix. Now I'm at a loss.
I finally received a phone call from a senior Norton support technician who knew what he was doing and the cause of this frustrating, annoying issue. He said this has happened with several other customers but not very often. He also told me despite the Windows 7 Security Warnings, Norton 360 is working properly.
His conclusion was the following:
The problem stems from my Windows32/repository file which prevents Windows 7 from recognizing Norton 360. Unfortunately, this file keeps recreating itself from memory. So even if I delete the file, which he did, it will be re-created. But the Norton Technician did have a solution, are you ready for it?
The only way to resolve it is a fresh installation of Windows 7 or Windows 8 when it comes out next month.
