Win/XP help needed. Will I lose Norton Anti-Virus...

[Joe Tonich]

if I restore my computer to a time that was BEFORE I installed my anti-virus program? I used their site to download it so I don't have an install disk. I'd hate to have to pay again if I don't have to. :( I did a restore from Jan 1st as this thing was messing up big time and now I can actually get somewhere on the internet and not get a "cannot find page" page. Had a hard time getting from thread to thread here also. I need a fix!

Thanks,

Joe

[Chuck Wintle]

Can you save the downloaded file, Norton, to a CD? Yhis way you can reload Norotn form the CD after you restore the Os.

[Joe Tonich]

Can you save the downloaded file, Norton, to a CD? Yhis way you can reload Norotn form the CD after you restore the Os.

Charles,

I didn't know you can do that. Do I just download the file or what? I tried that with a website building site and lost it as the whole thing didn't copy. Figured it couldn't be done unless you go thru the host site.

Joe

[Chuck Wintle]

Probably if you downloaded Norton from their website then somewhere on your computer harddisk is the install file that you double clicked at some point to install Norton. Or am I missing something? Or is it a webbased type of scanning that is done? Norton is a huge file somwhere in the order of 40-50 meg so I can understand your reluctance to lose it! I forgot to ask if you have a cd burner. But another way it can be done is to make a small partition on the harddrive and put the file there.

[Chris Johnson]

I know this is not exactly an answer to your question, but why don't you just fix your problem(s) instead of restoring from a previous state? If you are going to be doing the same things after you restore...you are prone to the same problems again, plus you have the deleted programs/info that you refere to in your question.

Restore is a part of this OS for a reason, but it was not designed to be a software clean-up utility in the sense you are wanting to use it. Have you defined what your errors/issues are, and have you tracked what situations seem to cause the headaches you experience? Perhaps it would be better to solve them, and through that learn how to "fix" rather than "fall back" when you have an issue. I would bet that there are people here that could help you in this regard (seems like a huge section of the comp tech community is getting in to WW'ing), and they usually will. Just a thought.



if I restore my computer to a time that was BEFORE I installed my anti-virus program? I used their site to download it so I don't have an install disk. I'd hate to have to pay again if I don't have to. :( I did a restore from Jan 1st as this thing was messing up big time and now I can actually get somewhere on the internet and not get a "cannot find page" page. Had a hard time getting from thread to thread here also. I need a fix!

Thanks,

Joe

[Joe Tonich]

I know this is not exactly an answer to your question, but why don't you just fix your problem(s) instead of restoring from a previous state? If you are going to be doing the same things after you restore...you are prone to the same problems again, plus you have the deleted programs/info that you refere to in your question.

Restore is a part of this OS for a reason, but it was not designed to be a software clean-up utility in the sense you are wanting to use it. Have you defined what your errors/issues are, and have you tracked what situations seem to cause the headaches you experience? Perhaps it would be better to solve them, and through that learn how to "fix" rather than "fall back" when you have an issue. I would bet that there are people here that could help you in this regard (seems like a huge section of the comp tech community is getting in to WW'ing), and they usually will. Just a thought.

Chris,

I know this is what SHOULD be done, but, the truth is I haven't a clue of whats happened or how to find out. :confused: What I DO know I had to figure out after my sons told me what they did and I had to try to UNDO it. :eek: Sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn't. When it comes to low virtual memory and the other stuff, I'm totally lost. :confused: Since I "restored" it back to the first of the year, at least it's working better. :)

Joe

[Chuck Wintle]

Joe,
It might be time to bite the bullet and to a clean install of WinXP. You should save all your important stuff to a CD or diskette and go for the clean install. Will solve many problems and you will have a computer that performs like new again. just my .02 cents

[Martin Shupe]

I had lots of problems upgrading to WIN XP. When I reloaded the 2003 Norton Systemworks, and upgraded it for the most current anti-virus software, my computer would no longer shut off or even restart.

After hours on the phone with Microsoft, we determined that it was, in fact, the Norton that was screwing up my XP.

After I got rid of it, XP worked fine.

So....It has been a week and I have not bought a copy of Systemworks 2004. I have been thinking about MacAffee instead. I know, I know, I need to buy something!

If your computer will not shut off, you will need to uninstall the Norton Systemworks to get it to work correctly.

Microsoft was very helpful solving the problem, even though I was probably talking to India.

Has anyone tried Systemworks 2004? Does it work with XP?

[Ed Falis]

I finally gave up on Norton on my win2k pro boxes a year or two ago. Went with McAfee, haven't looked back. Works fine on the two XP boxes here, too.

- Ed

[Chris Johnson]

I would suggest that you ONLY use Norton AV, and not the entire System Works package. To many headaches in it. Norton AV works very well in XP. We have it on hundreds of successful XP installs.

My problem with McAfee is they are slow to the game with virus patterns. I would use the free version of AVG from Grisoft before I went Mcafee. Our experience is many more virus stopped earlier by Norton and AVG.

I will restate: If you do not have the latest version of Ad-aware installed on your PC, you are in for problems. with all of the bundleware and malware junk floating around (that is not technically a virus) you will get low system resources FAST!

My suggestion for anyone on a highspeed connection is:
1. Norton AV or AVG or both
2. Ad-Aware 6 with current update
3. ZoneAlarm
4. Google toolbar (kills popups and is free)

I get no virus, bundleware, stealth attacks, popups (and only a very few popunders) with this routine on either XP home or pro. I do not have to do restores, clean installs, etc. and neither do my clients.

I finally gave up on Norton on my win2k pro boxes a year or two ago. Went with McAfee, haven't looked back. Works fine on the two XP boxes here, too.

- Ed

[Ed Falis]

I get no virus, bundleware, stealth attacks, popups (and only a very few popunders) with this routine on either XP home or pro. I do not have to do restores, clean installs, etc. and neither do my clients.

Pretty much likewise. I don't have the experience of comparing how quick the patterns are distributed between the two - I just know that Norton eventually got to the point of screwing up more than one machine (using only the basic stuff). Also, I use linux on my main work box most of the time; the main gateway machine runs XP without issues. I concur about ad-aware and ZoneAlarm.

- Ed

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Chris J. - I've been running XP-Pro on a new Dell for 9 months. I have Norton System Works 2003 but only use the AV. I found and have used Zone Alarm for several years on this and previous home computer. Thanks for the word on Ad-alert. It found a lot of hidden stuff and yet doesn't seem to have effected my computer operation. Like you my computer has been very stable! Thanks for the heads up advice!

[Waymon Campbell]

I also use Spybot along with AdAware. Between the two of them they get almost all the spyware trash.

[Chuck Wintle]

Joe,
Did you finally succeed in solving your computer problems?

[Joe Tonich]

Joe,
Did you finally succeed in solving your computer problems?

Charles,

I chickened out and did the restore to just after the Norton install. I just had to do the live update to restore all the fixes that were installed after the install. My computer is working a lot better now. A question, how would you find out how much virtual memory is being used and by what? :confused: Searching help & support hasn't helped me much. :( I have 120 things of RAM and the setting is for 180 in settings. As far as I know, from earlier posts about it, it's correct.

Joe

[John Miliunas]

Has anyone tried Systemworks 2004? Does it work with XP?

Martin, this is only my opinion, but the single, *only* decent piece of software from Symantec is their Anti-Virus. I have found Norton Utilities and Systemworks to do nothing but mangle what might otherwise be a solid operating system! I don't know how many ways I can say "junk", but one of those two programs might be considered a synonym! Would you like me to tell you how I *really* feel about those apps?! :rolleyes: I'm serious. I do this for a living and if and whenever I can convince someone NOT to put one of those two apps on a machine, it's a good day! Just seen way, WAY too many problems, which we've been able to directly attribute to them! Just MHO.... :cool:

[Chuck Wintle]

A question, how would you find out how much virtual memory is being used and by what?

Virtual merory is:
Temporary storage used by a computer to run programs that need more memory than it has. For example, programs could have access to 4 gigabytes of virtual memory on a computer's hard drive, even if the computer has only 32 megabytes of RAM. The program data that does not currently fit in the computer's memory is saved into paging files.

Joe

As far as I know the amount of virtual can go up and down depending on the number of programs you have running at anu one time.

[Robert Ducharme]

Right click on the task bar at the bottom of the screen. Select task dispenser and then take the performance tab. This shows a bunch of information including paging, virtual, real memory, ...

[Ed Falis]

Hi Joe,

You can try:

right-click on the task bar (at the bottom of the screen - pick part that doesn't have an application on it)

select "Task Manager"

click on the "Performance" tab.


The second row of displays should show your use of the page file (ie virtual memory).

- ed

[Bart Leetch]

I have had real good luck & no trouble with using Zone Zlzrm & AVG anti-virus on my computer. AVG has cought the only 2 viruses that tried to get in & Zone alarm provides my fire wall. Both are free downloads.


http://www.zonelabs.com/


http://www.grisoft.com/

I wouldn't go back to Norton it has fouled up my computer with both W98 & XP.