Keep Norton Internet Security?

[SNGX1275]

My dad got a new Lenovo netbook and I've had it at my place making sure things are set up for him before I give it to him. It came with NIS, should I remove that and put on something else like Avast? Or is NIS going to be sufficiently good that I won't need to remove it. I've just heard such bad things about Norton over the years, and since I don't run AV on my machines I'm kind of out of the loop on how I should proceed.

 

[Tedster]

get rid of that resource hogging ap and download and run CLAMWIN. It's free. Not runnng any anti-virus software at all is foolish. I'm surprised at you! bad bad bad Special Forces Techspotter.....

 

[SNGX1275]

Thanks for the reply, I'll try and hold off as long as possible before making the final decision (hopefully get more responses).

As for not running AV, I don't think its foolish if you are smart about it. Where do most AV/Malware infections come from?
* Browser Exploits
* Email
* P2P

1. I use Opera, thats pretty much not targeted by anyone. Plus I stay away from shady warez/porn sites.
2. I use gmail, or OWA (depending on the account). My exchange account (checked by OWA) has server side virus detection, gmail has its own virus detection as well.
3. I don't get anything from public p2p sites. Private sites have sort of their own checks and balances, and the sites I use have trustworthy comments, so in case someone managed to put something harmful up it would show up in the comments and then that user (the original uploader) would be banned. So there is no real incentive to put anything bad up..

In any case, before this turns into a debate on how good of an idea it is for me to run a naked system lets try to get the original question answered, then we can debate if people feel like it.

 

[raybay]

Remove it, but. The Lenovo install of Norton is difficult to remove entirely... If you are familiar with RegClean (download from Majorgeeks) it will still remove all the residue of Norton, after you perform the natural removals of Symantecs three folders on the Lenovo..
Lenovo's work well with Avira Antivir, MalwarBytes, and SuperAntiSpyware. The business and father set doesn't need anything more complex, but I would add Windows Defender.

 

[Tedster]

you can still get embedded viri in emails, even if checked online through ISP scanners. It's still a good idea. Clamwin is not a resident scanner so it doesn't hog system cpu time and ram. If you use firefox or thunderbird you can get extensions for both that will scan emails and download files on the fly.

It's just generally a good idea. I would never run a system without one.

 

[LookinAround]

I been wondering about this question awhile... so this thread seems the perfect time to ask....

I'm well aware (and agree) that sometime back Norton had become a real problem as it sucked up resources while it was running. And i was one of those who got rid of it a couple years ago.

However, Norton clearly understood the situation and came out with a revamped product which (of all things) includes a real-time CPU Usage resource meter.
>> btw.. i run the tool ProcessExplorer and use it as a resource meter as well so I can attest that Norton's meter is fairly accurate and not just BS for their behalf)
(Click thumbnail)

I've talked to people who swear that Norton is nowhere near the hog it used to be (and say it isn't a hog anymore then other tools).

Am just curious:
>> are people here just repeating what was once just conventional wisdom? Or really talking from hands on experience with the current product?
>> Any one have any benchmarks or any hard data for feedback on the new Norton product?
>> I'm intending to try running running Norton Security on a machine which already has other norton products and measure the system resources used:
>> when norton is idling
>> When norton is actively running a scan

vs. doing same with a couple of other A/V products. So just wondering if any one has done or had read (and can point to) similar info for comparisons.

Thanks for any input that can be provided.

 

[raybay]

Our problem with Symantec-Norton is not so much with resources, as with the failures to find all the evil doers... and now we find it has become very difficult to remove. But it is fun to see that Symantec management if finally trying to improve the Product... the Norton of 2007 - 2008 was simply awful, and to often ineffective when compared with at least 10 other agents.

 

[Badfinger]

Norton has long had a rep of being a resource pig.
Get rid of it, they must make most of their sales on pre-installs.
I use System Suite Pro 9.0 by Avanquest, Boost Speed by Auslogics, HostMan, Win Patrol and Task Catcher. (google 'em)
If I fear an uncaught virus with SSP9, I run AVG's antivirus, and keep track of actually messed up or trojan files, and then use a boot CD that gives me a DOS prompt and manually toast the offending files.

SSP9 will quarantine automatically offending files, if known to trigger falsely you can whitelist the file so it ignores it. The quarantine will tell you the threat level and what it thinks the file has (trojan or specific virus).
SSP9 has it's superior (to Windows built in) firewall, active protection against viruses and bad links, checks SMTP/POP3 email/attachments, and a ton of other useful utils in it, cost is around $50. (sold at Walmart or get direct)
Avanquest might even have a trial so you can test it, all the others have a trial that I listed, except freeware HostMan 8) WinPatrol you pay for access to his file info base, and never an upgrade fee.
BillP is da man, LOL! (he makes Task Catcher as well as has a good blog on his site)
Enough rambling, check'em out!

Oh yeah, I am running XP still, if it matters, I will not be playing with M$'s sad excuses for upgrades anytime soon.

PS. Try Spybot and Spyware Blaster, almost forgot about those.

 

[LookinAround]

Well...just as comments simply based on observation as for the last 7 days I've been running trial versions of both:

1. Norton Internet Security Suite on an older Dell D600 laptop running XP (my own) and
2. Avira's Internet Security Suite on a newer Acer laptop running Vista (a friend's)

Some observations:

• The new Norton product has been running surprisingly well. (And, yes, i'm an ex-Norton user myself so know all about the old resource pig it used to be)
• Avira has completely frozen the Vista laptop several times after installation and running its A/V scan
  >> Each freeze was while running its A/V scan
  >> Turns out the Vista machine was Vista SP1 so I updated it to Vista SP2
  >> It seemed to be OK. But after several days of OK it just froze again during another A/V scan!
• Another thing i noticed (which makes me wonder of reports of one product detecting more threats then the other) Avira found many false positives.
  >> One can debate whether is good or bad to find and report false positives or not but
  >> I'm all about the details. So makes me wonder if it's misleading to simply compare products based on simply the number of threats found vs. really examining and comparing
  ==>> The number of threats PLUS
  ==>> Are they real threats or false positives? PLUS
  ==>> If false positives are reported is the product comparing its possible threat heuristics with known whitelisted false positives before reporting them!

 

[raybay]

All contrary to the tests posted elsewhere... but interesting... We have rarely seen false positives with Avira... but of course, you will always have some with the very best scanners...

We have run corporate tests to find that even the newest version of Norton/Symantec missed the newest evils...

Since our luck with Symantec/Norton has been bad for years and years, we will continue to use Avira or Avast, along with SuperAntiSpyware, and MalwareBytes for the most common evils... and the tough stuff for the problem computers

 

[LookinAround]

could you site any of the tests you talk about for the new norton product all posted elsewhere? i'd just like to review them myself to see what they say (and note it's the NEWer norton product i'm talking about) vs. the results i;ve been measuring myself

As for Avira, google Avira freezes and you'll see many hits about Avira 8 and their latest release Avira 9 freezing so i don't know i would, myself, promote it

 

[raybay]

Easy enough to find with a Gurgle search

 

[LookinAround]

Easy enough to find with a Gurgle search

Yep. It is. And when i google norton internet security review 2009 (search it yourself or click here) i keep getting positive reviews about their new product

/* EDIT */
So i;m not saying Norton is wonderful. But am saying i been getting surprisingly good results so far...

/* EDIT2 */
And, in kind, surprisingly good reviews. Even when trying to google norton internet security review 2009 poor

 

[SNGX1275]

Ok, I am back into this situation, the 30 day trial is (or almost is) up so even if Norton 2009 is good I'd rather not pay for something if there is a good free alternative. So as of right now my plan is to remove NortonIS from the control panel, and then take a look at what RegClean can do to the remaining bits of Norton.

After that I'm still up in the air, I have put Avira on computers for others in the recent past and not heard any complaints, but I'm open to other suggestions.

 

[raybay]

So some reading, as Norton is very difficult to remove... You might want to remove it while in SafeMode... but there are various reports online on what to do to get rid of all of it...
We use a registry editor, WinZip, but there are perhaps easier ways.

 

[strategic]

Here's the Norton Removal Tool (I used it once on a PC I was tuning up) https://www.techspot.com/downloads/1437-norton-removal-tool-symnrt.html It did the job.
Although I've installed Avira on 2 PC's so far (based on recommendations from this site). It seems to be alright. For me Avast is proven, (I've used it for 4+ years now) the update files are small, it may make the system a bit sluggish on startup while it looks for updates, but other than that, no complaints. It's better, if not just as good as Norton. It may detect false alarms, but it's better than letting any slip through.

 

[SNGX1275]

Thanks for the info and link, I don't expect to work on it tonight, but I will tomorrow.

 

[captaincranky]

My dad got a new Lenovo netbook and I've had it at my place making sure things are set up for him before I give it to him. It came with NIS, should I remove that and put on something else like Avast? Or is NIS going to be sufficiently good that I won't need to remove it. I've just heard such bad things about Norton over the years, and since I don't run AV on my machines I'm kind of out of the loop on how I should proceed.

There is a rumor going around that Norton is much better nowadays. Also that it has a lower resource footprint. Is this true, I'm not sure.

You might mull over the prospect that creating a security suite from freeware certainly requires quite a bit more user intervention. If you're there to keep up with those duties, great! If dad takes an interest in learning to do so, even better still.