Do I need Symantec/Norton with Vista Ultimate

[Guest]

Norton Antivirus seems to be causing me some grief with setting up my home
network. Do I really need Norton or can I get rid of it (I know that is not
as easy as it sounds) and use AVG or something else?

 

[Guest]

If you read thru previous in these groups Symantec/Norton does not work well
with any Vista and takes up a lot of HD space.
Suggest AVG, Avast or other Av product, with Winddows Defender & Firewall
works quite well, another spyware/malware program is also recommended.

 

[Balder]

I got rid of Norton too and after a few days of the 15 free days of Zone
Alrm Internet security suite bought it as I am delighted with Zone Alarm
7.1 for Vista (might be heavy on resources if you don't have a high CPU/RAM
etc) . There is a free firewall version too, but then you would need the
AVG type stand alone Anti-virus and perhpas Adaware spyware remover.

Hope that's of some help

V

 

[Guest]

Thanks Bob, I have XoftSpySE and AVG on my desktop (not running Vista on it
yet). Do you like those as options?

 

[Guest]

Do not know XoftSpySE, but if works OK for you, great. If you want to install
it on Vista, make sure it is Vista compatible, if they do not have a Vista
Version, it may not work properly. Use another ie. Spybot.
Remember Windows Firewall & Defender work well.

 

[Guest]

Thanks all, for the suggestions. Norton is as good as gone.

 

[Guest]

hi,
-- just reading through some of the replies to your problem and although i
agree there are good alternatives to nav 2007 i have been using it with vista
and had no problems it seems to do exactly what it says on the box , as long
as it is set up properly and you have the correct pc requirements it should
work fine. Yes i know its a hog but by its nature it will use alot of
recourses but this shouldnt be a problem with the correct cpu and being hard
to remove in my opinion is good thing in a security program as this makes it
harder for viruses to by-pass it .my advice is be patient ,learn how to use
it and dont put too much faith in free stuff but if you must go with avg
martyb

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Norton Antivirus seems to be causing me some grief with setting up my home
network. Do I really need Norton or can I get rid of it (I know that is not
as easy as it sounds) and use AVG or something else?

As far as I'm concerned, Norton Anti-Virus is the *worst* possible
choice. I don't allow it or anything else Norton/Symantec on any of my
computers.

I recommend the freeware Avast! instead.

 

[Ryka]

My new computer came preinstalled with free Norton for 18 months and it
seems to be working well. I had Zone Alarm and EZ Virus on my XP and they
worked very well. However, it was my understanding that neither Zone Alarm
or EZ Virus (CA Security) are compatible with Vista. So...should I give up
the free Norton and go with AVG and what?

 

[Balder]

Zone Alarm released the Vista compatable 7.1 on 15th June (Free and bought
versions)

V

My new computer came preinstalled with free Norton for 18 months and it
seems to be working well. I had Zone Alarm and EZ Virus on my XP and they
worked very well. However, it was my understanding that neither Zone Alarm
or EZ Virus (CA Security) are compatible with Vista. So...should I give up
the free Norton and go with AVG and what?

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

My new computer came preinstalled with free Norton for 18 months and it
seems to be working well. I had Zone Alarm and EZ Virus on my XP and they
worked very well. However, it was my understanding that neither Zone Alarm
or EZ Virus (CA Security) are compatible with Vista.

Zone Alarm just released their new Vista-compatible version. I haven't
tried it. I don't know anything about EZ Virus.

So...should I give up
the free Norton

I was one of those people who used to say the same thing about Norton.
It worked well for me, and I pooh-poohed the advice of others who told
me how terrible it was.

Then I got bitten. And I've seen many others get bitten too.

Yes, as I said below, if it were me, I'd dump Norton ASAP.

and go with AVG and what?

As I said, I prefer Avast! to AVG. Others have the opposite opinion,
but I think both are OK.

 

[cquirke (MVP Windows shell/user)]

Thanks Bob, I have XoftSpySE and AVG on my desktop (not running Vista on it
yet). Do you like those as options?

AVG OK, but XoftSpy were one of 200+ fake "antispyware" programs that
used to claim they'd found stuff and would not remove it unless you
paid (when in fact they hadn't scanned at all, and were making up
false positives to extort money).

CastleCops has them off the list of fake scanners now, stating they've
cleaned up their act, but with that pedigree, I'd run away screaming.

-------------------- ----- ---- --- -- - - - -

Hmmm... what was the *other* idea?

 

[Ryka]

EZ Virus is now called CA Anti-Virus 2007. Still cannot figure out if it's
compatible with Vista. I still have 6 months left on my paid version from
the XP computer. So....you would advise me to remove Norton and install
Zone Alarm and AVG (which apparently has just released a compatible version
which will allow incoming mail to Windows Mail [the reason I removed AVG a
few weeks ago])? Thanks.

 

[...winston]

For you home network..
Assuming you have allowed all ip addresses in your firewall then disable NAV Internet Worm Protection.
..winston

: Norton Antivirus seems to be causing me some grief with setting up my home
: network. Do I really need Norton or can I get rid of it (I know that is not
: as easy as it sounds) and use AVG or something else?
: --
: Marshman

 

[...winston]

If it works and you don't wish to go through the removal process, leave it as is until ready. For Vista --- free, consider Avast, fee, Kaspersky, Nod32, BitDefender, N360.

The only true designed for Vista versions of Symantec security software are N360 and NIS2007(retail) with the designed for Vista logo, though a few NAV2007 have recently hit the shelves with the logo(and without the need to LiveUpdate for Vista compatibility).

..winston

: My new computer came preinstalled with free Norton for 18 months and it
: seems to be working well. I had Zone Alarm and EZ Virus on my XP and they
: worked very well. However, it was my understanding that neither Zone Alarm
: or EZ Virus (CA Security) are compatible with Vista. So...should I give up
: the free Norton and go with AVG and what?

 

[Alfred Lorona]

As far as I'm concerned, Norton Anti-Virus is the *worst* possible
choice. I don't allow it or anything else Norton/Symantec on any of my
computers.

I recommend the freeware Avast! instead.

Same here. My Acer desktop came with Symantec/Norton installed. Got rid of
it and installed Avast - much better is putting it mildly.

AL

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

EZ Virus is now called CA Anti-Virus 2007. Still cannot figure out if it's
compatible with Vista.

Sorry, I don't know.

I still have 6 months left on my paid version from
the XP computer. So....you would advise me to remove Norton

Yes.


and install
Zone Alarm

Not necessarily. I've been using the Windows firewall, and it seems
satisfactory.

and AVG

As I said, I use Avast! myself and that's what I recommend. Although
others whose opinions I trust like AVG, I don't have enough experience
with it myself (and none with the Vista-compatible version) to
recommend it.

(which apparently has just released a compatible version
which will allow incoming mail to Windows Mail [the reason I removed AVG a
few weeks ago])? Thanks.

You mention Anti-Virus programs and firewalls, but you don't say
anything about anti-spyware. If you're not aware of this, let me point
out that you also need anti-spyware software, and with anti-spyware,
no single product is good enough--you need two or more.

 

[Ryka]

EZ Virus is now called CA Anti-Virus 2007. Still cannot figure out if
it's
compatible with Vista.

Sorry, I don't know.

I still have 6 months left on my paid version from
the XP computer. So....you would advise me to remove Norton

Yes.


and install
Zone Alarm

Not necessarily. I've been using the Windows firewall, and it seems
satisfactory.

and AVG

As I said, I use Avast! myself and that's what I recommend. Although
others whose opinions I trust like AVG, I don't have enough experience
with it myself (and none with the Vista-compatible version) to
recommend it.

(which apparently has just released a compatible version
which will allow incoming mail to Windows Mail [the reason I removed AVG
a
few weeks ago])? Thanks.

You mention Anti-Virus programs and firewalls, but you don't say
anything about anti-spyware. If you're not aware of this, let me point
out that you also need anti-spyware software, and with anti-spyware,
no single product is good enough--you need two or more.

I use Windows Defender, Ad-Aware SE Personal, and Spybot and run these once
or twice a week. Is this enough to have Avast! and Zone Alarm?

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I use Windows Defender, Ad-Aware SE Personal, and Spybot and run these once
or twice a week. Is this enough to have Avast! and Zone Alarm?

Yes.

 

[huwyngr]

Symantec/Norton does not work well with any Vista

Not so -- Norton 360 works well and is non-invasive. Read here the
messages confirming this. It is vastly different to Norton 2006 and
even 2007 that I am using which is better than 2006