Norton Internet Security and XP Media Center

[RTSDaddy2]

So I loaded the new Norton Internet Security 2006  on my eMachine that I got to power the arcade...and it loads up, but it won't run.  I turned off Windows firewall, just as it said too....anybody know what gives?  It worked fine on my 3 year old XP and my new Toshiba laptop.  What the heck am I doing wrong (and don't you dare start with "Well, first you bought an eMachine....." )

[grueinthebox]

eMachines aren't really that bad these days.

Norton Internet Security is rubbish, and seems to cause more problems than it solves.  Norton Antivirus is a good piece of software when it's working, but both it and the firewall tend to flake out a lot.  The firewall seems prone to blocking internet access altogether until it's completely shut down.  Count yourself lucky you've got it running without problems on two computers.

You shouldn't really need that sort of thing on a computer for your cabinet anyway...  Are you going to be checking e-mail, surfing questionable websites or downloading a bunch of stuff  on it?  Keep it updated and behind a router and it'll be fine.  The extra security is unnecessary and not worth the performance hit you take running this kind of software.

[PrizLucky]

yeah, what Grue said.. Norton Internet Security is garbage... it wreaks havoc on stuff, and it eats memory, blocks things you don't want/need blocked, and really, if you're behind a firewall (i.e. you have a decent router) Norton is really not doing much of anything for you...   
The *first* thing I did with my last Dell (pre-installed with Norton Internet Security) was Un-Install Norton..

[divemaster127]

"Well, first you bought an eMachine....."

[RTSDaddy2]

Is it worth it to have it on my laptop for work as it eats up so much memory? I assume our school has a pretty good firewall, we're on an ethernet line, so I would think virus and anti-piracy/hack software would be in place.

I'll agree - I figured we'd get a few naysayers about the eMachines, but I like this little computer.  I've had no trouble wiht it, it's got plenty power - and I even got my rebates back within 3 - 4 weeks!!   

[grueinthebox]

Is it worth it to have it on my laptop for work as it eats up so much memory? I assume our school has a pretty good firewall, we're on an ethernet line, so I would think virus and anti-piracy/hack software would be in place.

If you're talking about the campus network at a university, they tend to be the computing equivalent of a $2 whore.  You'll want the protection there...  Viruses and things tend to spread like wildfire. 

[lcddream]

norton is not garbage.

you just need to goto personal firewall>configure>programs and turn off automatic program control(in 2005 may be slightly diff in other versions)

i run 2005 and have no problems whatsoever, basically anytime a progam tries to access the internet it alerts you and then you can set if it blocks once or always or permits once or always. this can always be changed later.

kinda like a frontend ...just because it doesn't work perfect out of the box doesn't mean its garbage..

[grueinthebox]

norton is not garbage.

you just need to goto personal firewall>configure>programs and turn off automatic program control(in 2005 may be slightly diff in other versions)

i run 2005 and have no problems whatsoever, basically anytime a progam tries to access the internet it alerts you and then you can set if it blocks once or always or permits once or always. this can always be changed later.

kinda like a frontend ...just because it doesn't work perfect out of the box doesn't mean its garbage..

Since at least the 2003 version, I have encountered a not-insubstantial number of PCs (both brand new out of the box and older machines) that would not be able to connect to the internet (with any program) with the Norton Firewall installed and in memory, even if the firewall is completely disabled.  No amount of time spent reconfiguring the product would eliminate the problem - it had to be completely removed from memory or uninstalled.

I'm glad it works for you and you're happy with it, but my experience with it (vis-a-vis the thousands of computers I worked on when working as a tech) would suggest that the incidence of failure in the product is high enough to warrant passing it over for one of the other products out there (McAfee Personal Firewall or Zone Alarm would be my preferences) that do not have these problems.

I would also argue that a product meant for mass consumption (like an antivirus program or firewall), as opposed to specialty products (high end video editing software, a MAME frontend, etc) SHOULD work properly out of the box.  The average computer user is doing good just to get through the installation process, and would be hard pressed to do any amount of configuration in something such as a firewall.  Any configuration required to use a piece of software such as these needs to be done via a simple wizard as part of the install process.  If you can't just install it and have it work, all you get is a bunch of frustrated soccer moms.

[PrizLucky]

for a laptop on a unsecure network (like a university campus network) Win XP SP2 provides a nice little software firewall for you ... for free... built in... no hassles...

For a nice free anti-virus software.. i use AVG from Grisoft.. check http://HTTP://free.grisoft.com for a download.. it's good stuff..

Norton internet security came pre-installed on one of my computers, and I left it there for a while to check it out.. and heck, it came with 3-months free updates, so I figured "what the heck?".. it was working "ok" for  a while, (aside from it being redundant, and eating memory).. then it started preventing me from accessing other computers on my network.. and then it started preventing me from accessing the admin panel on my router.. so i said "Phooey" and un-installed it for good...

bottom line, IMO,  there are other alternatives, that are free, and less troublesome..

[papaschtroumpf]

I like AVG but it can't seem to make the update process completely hidden. It always shows me an AVG window when it downloads new signatures (when the cab boots up usually). Is there a way to make AVG update completely silently?

[ahmer]

Norton's Products Covert a Pentium4 into Pentium 3.
AVG is not a really good choice.

Btw You can try Panda Internet securities + Antivirus softwares, which are now freely available.

http://www.pandasoftware.com/download/?sitepanda=particulares

[daywane]

Norton's Products Covert a Pentium4 into Pentium 3.
AVG is not a really good choice.

Btw You can try Panda Internet securities + Antivirus softwares, which are now freely available.

http://www.pandasoftware.com/download/?sitepanda=particulares

why would you say AVG is not a good choice?
I personally have had my best luck with AVG . I was a norton person for a long time till a bug got into my PC and just slapped Norton silly.
AVG has been all I can ask for and for free

[RTSDaddy2]

UPDATE: 

Was trying to tweak Windows Home XP on my laptop, via Black Viper's instructions.  Tried to make sure Norton would run, it wouldn't, closed that window and forgot all about it.

Later, after making some more changes, I had to reboot the system....but I couldn't get the computer to turn off.  Wouldn't log off, go to standby, nothing.

Went and got a jump drive so that IF I had to reload everything I could save already precious, valuable school data (grades, etc) before restart.  On my way home, I thought about that silly virus program again and what some of you guys had said about Norton's product.

Didn't even open the jump drive...I deleted Norton Internet Security and AS SOON as I did that, the lock it had put on the computer broke and I was able to power down again.

So...long story short....definitely thinking about one of the "freeware" virus checkers....how could it possibly be worse? I never did get this thing to load up and run on that emachine either!