Norton Internet Security

I would have gladly accepted this years ago before Computer Associates bought out the Norton name. Since that time, I think the product is 'not ready for prime time'. I have had to clean up several PCs that have been running that particular product. It also doesn't clean up well when trying to remove it. I wish you and your two beneficiaries luck. Hope you didn't pay too much.

Bob, what other PC security suite do you like instead of Norton?

dobs108

I use AVG (which started out as Anti Virus Gold a million years ago). It's got a free offering for non commercial users and it runs fine. It's pretty easy to use and it updates automatically on a regular basis. If you just ignore the offers that pop up and some of the deceptive (as in 'you have to purchase this'), you'll do fine. I never take any of the suggested offers and I've never had an issue.

I've heard good things about Avast as well, but have not tried it myself.

Avira
Avast
MSE (microsoft security essentials.
I stopped using AVG years ago because it was a memory hog. Maybe that has changed though.

I just looked back into my software archives. I have been running AVG since before version 7.1 in 2006. I have never had any infection on any of my machines, and I run quite a few.

Thanks for sharing your opinion with us & I do realize that not everyone has the same perception/view on a giving subject. Some believe as example that a Sony TV is superior to a Panasonic whereas others believe that a Samsung is the best money can buy.

I don't know what your level of knowledge/experience/expertise you have with computers and programs but I consider my level very basic. I use the computer to search through the web, pay my bills online and do my emails. I figure I use + - 5% capacity of my computers full potential.

That being said that ever since I've had Norton or any other Anti-Virus program on my computer all of them without exception have served me well.

I've uninstalled Norton in the past using Revo Uninstaller and have never encountered a problem with my computer after having done so. Revo Uninstaller works well for me & has always done the job but perhaps this program also isn't up to your standards ?

Pcmag rates Norton as being an EXCELLENT Anti-Virus program but maybe for some they have no credibility whatsoever.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2424097,00.asp

Cheers

I also found AVG to use an excessive amount of memory but put up with it for several years. Then, 6 years ago, I got a "click fraud virus" which AVG was supposed to protect against. At the time, AVG offered free user help in getting rid of any contracted virus on their protect list. Instead, they basically told me to go away. I did just that and switched to Norton. Haven't had a problem since.

As previously stated, opinions on anti virus software vary with every user. If you've got something that works for you, then stick with it.

@ Canuk: Thanks for your generous offer. I would have taken you up on it but I just renewed my Norton license last month.

I'm also a long term Norton user. There was a time several years ago that I dropped it for a year or two, but I've been with Norton Security for several consecutive years now and it works well.

I do watch for sales of the 5-device (or is it 10 now?) version and buy in advance of my renewal date. That let's me update my PC's, cell phones, and tablet cheaply.

I do have my 91-year old dad's PC using the Free AVG and it also works well for him.

Norton is the only one I will use.
I have 2 pc, 1 laptop, 1 netbook, 1 phone , 1 tablet.
I have to have the one for 10 units.

I have Norton Security, Norton Mobile, Norton Identify, Norton Clean, and my newest Norton VPN.

Could not survive digital without Norton. They also have great support.

I normally buy then in advance when it goes on sale at the warehouse stores.

As stated, you use what works best for you. Good luck all in your choices.

Not necessarily camerabob. I haven't commented on this because I have been retired for 7 years, and I know things have changed, so I don't really have any real world experience with current versions of AV software. But at the time I ended my career, I was the network admin for a company that had several hundred computers in house, dozens of Windows servers, and provided Internet aggregation services to a 7 county area. I selected Norton AV (way back in the "Love Bug" infection days ... remember that?) as our corporate protection system. And it served us well for many years. I went through the transitions to Symantec and CA, and by the time I retired, in spite of our dependency on the product, it had become over-hyped, unnecessarily complex bloatware IMO. I don't really know if my company is still using it or not, but if I hadn't retired when I did, it would have been a top priority for me to find something else.

I don't really know how the consumer versions of the product compare to the corporate versions, so maybe I am being unfair. I personally just use the free version of Avast, and feel it has given me adequate protection without taking complete control of my computer.

But as they say ... different strokes ...

I was an exclusive Norton user back in the Windows 95-98 years, the program got corrupted and it was nearly impossible to get rid of it, short of a wipe and start over of the entire drive, Norton digs in very deep.

That was then, currently I use Windows Defender, Malwarebytes Pro, and Super Antispyware (paid), between the three I've been well protected from the seedier side of town

I always buy a new copy of Norton, rather than Renewing, simply because I could buy new on sale for less than renewing.

However, in the past, I always ran into trouble, because it wouldn't update my subscription time properly. I always ended up going on Chat and finally letting Norton take over my computer to fix.

This year, I ended up with Norton Security Premium, good for ten devices, for the same cost as Norton offered me on sale today, to renew my previous Norton Security Deluxe for five devices.

This time, my previous complaints to Norton must have resulted in improvements and my new copy installed flawlessly. I simply clicked on the Renew and then entered my new product key and all was loaded with the proper subscription period.

I sent emails to my other devices and this loaded fine. It deleted old version on my laptop then installed and I had to uninstall the old version on my phones and tablets, to properly load on them.

Otherwise I have had no viruses, or other problems in all the 15+ years that I have used Norton.

I have been using Norton for the last 3 or 4 years. It is offered through my internet provider and I get it for a decent price. They offered another anti-virus product for several years that seemed to be an excellent product, but they stopped offering it several years back. I think they said that the company went out of business, but don't quote me on that. Before I retired, my company used both Symantec and Norton from time to time. They would use one for several years and then the other. (I guess it had to do with price.) My son had a friend who was a programmer at GE. He always used a free program on his home computers; usually AVG or Avast. He stated that both were good programs and he trusted both of them. As stated above, it is up to the user as to which anti-virus program they like.

Just don't implement the Norton Crash Guard portion of the software. I always called it Norton Crash Causer.

Back in the good old DOS days Norton Utilities was one of the most important tools around. Great stuff.

If you remember that as the old DOS command line debug command to get into the BIOS of the hard drive controller to low level the MFM, RLL, ESDI or SCSI disk drive, then I hear ya pal! Back when a 20 MB hard drive was the size of a toaster and cost as much as a 65" 400K LED TV does today... Ah the good old days...

The Love Bug virus that I am remembering was more in the Win 95 / 98 days. It was an email, most likely from someone you know, with a subject line of "I Love You". If you opened it (and most people did) it would instantly resend itself to everyone in your address book. It spread like wildfire and within a couple of hours had infected millions of computers all over the nation, bringing down countless networks and email servers. By the time Norton and other virus companies were able to include it in their definition updates, it was too late and most networks had already been infected. I saw what was happening about 15 minutes into the spread, and immediately shut down our email servers without notice. That got me in trouble with the company CEO until he started hearing the news reports on national news. We still got infected, but fortunatly were able to gain control before it did too much damage. At that point the CEO changed his mind and I was the hero instead of the villian

I wasn't the mail server admin, nor was I yet the firewall guy either.

A very long time since I've had Norton / Symantec / or whatever the CA product is these days on any of my machines...

I found it requires to much resource.

I didn't say it twas good or bad..

You couldn't pay me enough to put Norton on any of my systems. In fact, I ditched Avast after five years and simply use Windows Defender and Malwarebytes now.

That's very nice of you, Canuk. How does one get the setup media? Is it downloadable?

Do your due diligence b4 you lay your money down. Look at unbiased sites - NOT PCMAG. Here is an interesting email I just recvd this AM.
http://newsletter.knowbe4.com/a/1022/preview/145/925643/e11f...
Good site to subscribe to also for Malware info.
My money is on VIPRE, but Bit Defender is right there also.

Norton is not chunky any more. It is light weight and protection for everything in one unit. I have it on my PC, Laptop, Netbook and mobile phone. No problems at all.

for years on my Mac with no issues.

Today only Amazon is offering the 5-device Norton Security for $19.99 (free shipping if Prime or ordering over $35).

Just go to the Amazon site and click Today's Deals. It should be the first deal offered. For folks like me who wait for these sales, then buy for later use (my subscription still has 126 days left), be sure to choose the PC/Mac Key card rather than the PC/Mac Download.

Kudos to Amazon for including the following for this item:

Important Activation Information
For sale and distribution only in the US.

Please note that if you have an existing Norton subscription, your old subscription days do not get added to this new subscription, so it's best to activate your new subscription when the old one is about to expire.

Norton is part of Comcast's free security package.

I don't use it anyway. With Windows 10, I've got the Microsoft security set to just do periodic scans. My constant security program is the PC Matic Supershield package. PC Matic does a good job at optimizing my laptops and desktops.

I prefer AVG as I tried to uninstall Norton from and old computer and it wouldn't leave... Like Win 10 updates I don't want.

Get the Symantec uninstaller tool.

Even if you uninstall the product using the programs & feachurs options and it says uninstalled there's deep left around. Even now you need to get the Symantec uninstaller tool and run it.