NAV2006

[Noel Paton]

<rant mode ON>
I spent all last night trying to persuade Norton to update on a windows
XPSP2 box - I tried everything I could think of, and the LiveUpdate wizard
would stall at about 30% - still trying to connect to the server. Autoupdate
at least gave errors in the Event viewer - 'Internet connection not
detected' - so I tried all the usual stuff to no avail.
Eventually I even ripped it out by the roots, scanned the system with AVG
from a Win98 dual-boot (which found a number of items that NAV hadn't seen
despite updated defs from Intelligent Updater), and then reinstalled NAV to
the XP side....still no joy.
Eventually I gave up, and got onto Norton Tech Support chat..... and found
the reason......

Symantec does not understand the IE Connections page. If dialup connections
are present and you're using broadband/LAN, it still insists on trying to
use the dialup side to get updates!!!
WTF do these morons at Symantec think they're doing??
I had to delete all the dialup entries in the dialup connections box - and
then LU worked properly
I hope my client knows his passwords!!!
It just reminded me of all the reasons I HATE SYMANTEC/NORTON!!!!
<rant mode off>

Apart from that, it's a nice day - how is yours?

--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2006, Windows)

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.crashfixpc.com

http://tinyurl.com/6oztj

Please read on how to post messages to NG's

 

[Adam Piggott]

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Apart from that, it's a nice day - how is yours?

Sunny and in general pretty great, especially since my poorly cactus has
perked up.

Go make your life easier and your computer better-off and get Eset NOD32:
http://www.eset.com/


Adam Piggott, Proprietor, Proactive Services (Computing).
http://www.proactiveservices.co.uk/

Please replace dot invalid with dot uk to email me.
Apply personally for PGP public key.
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[Noel Paton]

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Sunny and in general pretty great, especially since my poorly cactus has
perked up.

Go make your life easier and your computer better-off and get Eset NOD32:
http://www.eset.com/

It's not my PC - I use AVG (paid), which does me very nicely thanks - the
client had just paid TWICE for Norton - once for renewal of 2003, and once
for 2006, so I didn't feel it would be fair to him to just rip Norton out by
the roots as I normally do.

--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2006, Windows)

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.crashfixpc.com

http://tinyurl.com/6oztj

Please read on how to post messages to NG's

 

[Adam Piggott]

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It's not my PC - I use AVG (paid), which does me very nicely thanks -
the client had just paid TWICE for Norton - once for renewal of 2003,
and once for 2006, so I didn't feel it would be fair to him to just rip
Norton out by the roots as I normally do.

I've found the only thing Symantec seem pretty quick at is giving refunds -
might be worth considering - especially since it doesn't work and is
costing your customer extra because of the time you're spending trying to
get it working!
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[vix]

ditch norton they are rubbish go with;

avast for antivirus
Superantispyware for Spyware
Zonealarm (free or paid version) for Firewall

 

[Noel Paton]

ditch norton they are rubbish go with;

avast for antivirus
Superantispyware for Spyware
Zonealarm (free or paid version) for Firewall

ZA is almost as bad as Norton - the Windows Firewall is quite sufficient for
99% of 'normal' use - and it's another application that I had to rip out by
its roots in this case
SuperAntipsyware - IMHO, the jury is still out on that, but I've never
played with it and so will not profess a personal opinion.
I don't like the Avast! interface, and seemingly neither do my clients -
I've had to uninstall it a few times when the y were disgruntled enough to
complain to me.


--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2006, Windows)

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.crashfixpc.com

http://tinyurl.com/6oztj

Please read on how to post messages to NG's

 

[Ernie B.]

ZA is almost as bad as Norton - the Windows Firewall is quite sufficient for
99% of 'normal' use - and it's another application that I had to rip out by
its roots in this case

Windows firewall doesn't tell you anything about outgoing connections. An
infected computer could be calling home all day and Windows FW would never
know it.

I don't like the Avast! interface, and seemingly neither do my clients -
I've had to uninstall it a few times when the y were disgruntled enough to
complain to me.

What in particular do you dislike? I've used it for a while, like the small
frequent updates and find the interface easy to use. YMMV of course, that's
why there is a choice of AVG, Kaspersky, etc.

 

[optikl]

WTF do these morons at Symantec think they're doing??

Collecting your hard earned money? I'm sure that makes their day!

 

[Noel Paton]

Collecting your hard earned money? I'm sure that makes their day!

Heh! - they don't get any of MY money!

--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2006, Windows)

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.crashfixpc.com

http://tinyurl.com/6oztj

Please read on how to post messages to NG's

 

[Noel Paton]

Windows firewall doesn't tell you anything about outgoing connections. An
infected computer could be calling home all day and Windows FW would never
know it.

True - but that's what AV's and anti-spyware apps are for - AFTER Safe hex!

What in particular do you dislike? I've used it for a while, like the
small
frequent updates and find the interface easy to use. YMMV of course,
that's
why there is a choice of AVG, Kaspersky, etc.

It was very unconfigurable, and generally clunky - but that was somewhat
over a year ago so it may have changed.

--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2006, Windows)

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.crashfixpc.com

http://tinyurl.com/6oztj

Please read on how to post messages to NG's

 

[Steve Pope]

Windows firewall doesn't tell you anything about outgoing
connections. An infected computer could be calling home all
day and Windows FW would never know it.

It doesn't? I had no idea. That's pretty useless then.
This is the one good thing about ZA.

Steve

 

[Ernie B.]

True - but that's what AV's and anti-spyware apps are for - AFTER Safe hex!

And after you've installed Real Player or Cute FTP. I'm not really current on
these but earlier versions would call home quite often. I'd rather know
what's happening when I'm connected to the Internet.

It was very unconfigurable, and generally clunky - but that was somewhat
over a year ago so it may have changed.

You might want to take another look. You can click the "folder" icon on the
interface and select what is to be scanned, down to the level of an individual
file.

 

[Ernie B.]

It doesn't? I had no idea. That's pretty useless then.
This is the one good thing about ZA.

Steve

I did a search, <http://search.microsoft.com/results.aspx?mkt=en-
US&setlang=en-US&q=windows+firewall>, and skimmed a few of the pages. I note
that M$ carefully does NOT discuss outbound connections.

I've used ZA (free) for a few years and installed it on computers for friends,
some of whom are computer-illiterate. The best thing about it is that it
pretty well takes care of itself.

 

[kurt wismer]

And after you've installed Real Player or Cute FTP. I'm not really current on
these but earlier versions would call home quite often. I'd rather know
what's happening when I'm connected to the Internet.

real alternative (http://www.codecguide.com/) and filezilla
(http://filezilla.sourceforge.net/) respectively may be better choices
then...

 

[Ernie B.]

real alternative (http://www.codecguide.com/) and filezilla
(http://filezilla.sourceforge.net/) respectively may be better choices
then...

Thanks, I have both of them.

 

[Gaz]

ZA is almost as bad as Norton - the Windows Firewall is quite sufficient
for
99% of 'normal' use - and it's another application that I had to rip out
by
its roots in this case
SuperAntipsyware - IMHO, the jury is still out on that, but I've never
played with it and so will not profess a personal opinion.
I don't like the Avast! interface, and seemingly neither do my clients -
I've had to uninstall it a few times when the y were disgruntled enough to
complain to me.

I find superantispyware a good backup when everything else has failed. It
did cause a bsod cycle following a run a while ago, but that's probably more
to do with the shit it removed rather then it, itself.

I agree about the avast interface, i much prefer avg7, in fact i felt avg6
interface was even better.

Gaz

 

[Gaz]

Windows firewall doesn't tell you anything about outgoing connections. An
infected computer could be calling home all day and Windows FW would never
know it.
<snip>

Which is, in the hands of a inexperienced computer user, is completely
useless, as they just complain about the repeated nags, and select the
'always use this response' tick to stop it popping up.


Gaz

 

[Ernie B.]

Which is, in the hands of a inexperienced computer user, is completely
useless, as they just complain about the repeated nags, and select the
'always use this response' tick to stop it popping up.

Yep, there are always clueless newbies. I was one once and I suppose you were
also. They either learn or their systems become so clogged with crap that
they keep computer fixers in business.

A friend's cousin is one of these, I believe he's bought three new computers
in the past five years. The friend has offered to disinfect his system but he
would rather buy new. Too bad that he lives 500 miles away from me, I could
buy some cheap computers from him.

 

[vix]

Superantispyware is a very stable, up to date and secure antispyware
programme. Its one of the best, definalty better than Ad-Aware. It
takes a long time to scan but finds spyware which no other anti-spyware
application can find or quarantine.

The interface for avast is a bit dodgy, but the real time protection is
really good. Its got about 7 to 8 different real time protection,
ranging from standard shield, web shield, network shield to even P2P
shield. The real time protection is much better than AVG and the
Scanning engine seems to be more or less similar.

Norton is a waste of money, it may protect you, but it slows down your
pc a lot. Just Un-install it and see for yourself. Also there are a lot
of bugs, and viruses aimed at Norton to stop you using the programme ,
whereas there are not as many for AVG or Avast. For example a few years
ago i was a PC Novice and I bought Norton to protect me. After a few
months i was told i had a virus that stopped me from updating norton or
scanning. I just kept on getting bugs in my Norton, until i
Un-installed it and actually saw how fast my PC got from just
Un-installing the programme.

The free version of Zonealarm is good enough for a regular user. I have
been using the free version for about a year now and I aint had any
probleams or a major Virus or spyware atack. The paid version has a lot
of unnecessary features which also slow down your computer, whereas the
free version does not.

 

[Beauregard T. Shagnasty]

The interface for avast is a bit dodgy

Unusual to be sure. <g>

Have you found the skins yet? Pick several you like.
http://avast.com/eng/skins.html

Lite-On and Flat'n'Simple are a more common appearance.