Nortons Antivirus Has Knocked Out My Word

W

Warbler

At the Start
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Jun 6, 2005
Messages
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How can this be? Bestmate? or any one else.

My renewal date is March 16th, but I can't open any word documents now, as I get a message saying that "some Norton anti virus components are missing" and it can't complete a virus scan, despite the fact I haven't asked it to. It redirects me to a Nortons link that is offering to charge $139 dollars to buy the update. If I try by-passing this it just says "file unavailable". My internet conection is fine, but all my word documents a seemignly locked and Nortons is denying me access? I've tried resetting it to January 12th, but to no avail.
 
You have failed to heed all previous warnings about the perils of Norton and are therefore thoroughly undeserving of any help :P

Can you close Norton down and try again? I am not familiar with the app (for reasons that are clear) but there will be a Norton icon (perhaps more than one) in the system tray (bottom-right hand corner next to the clock). Right click on it/them and select Exit from the context menu.

Windows might warn you that you have switched off the virus checker, but that is ok.

Try then to open your word docs.

Bear in mind that when you restart your machine Norton will be back.

Post up how it goes.
 
I've been able to disable anti virus and a little red cross appears on the tray but it still doesn't let me open any word files. It just puts up the same message that Nortons hasn't been able to do a virus scan because bits of it are missing. Then a link appears that says click here to go to symantec technicla support knowledge base. If I do that it recommends that I buy their update. If I try and refuse it says it's not been capable of processing my request. If I simply click the red cross to try and get out of this blocker and open a word document it says 'file is not available' and then offers me the chance to replace a template and some global thing.

I'll see if I can make sense of 'the full answer link' but fear it will be written by people who understand these things, and therefore not understood by those of us who don't.
 
Basically you need to disable the Norton Office plugin.

Norton is the software equivalent of the plague. It has been specifically designed to stop you from being able to do this so that you resign and pay them an extortionate amount of money.

It is the worst kind of malware around - no hacker has been able to infect the internet to the same profitable extent that Norton has succeeded.

Unfortunately they target a market where the average user has little technical knowledge but a reasonable fear of viruses.

If you get nowhere, try right-clicking on the bar that runs right across the bottom of the screen (where the open programs show), select task manager from the context menu.

Next select the processes tab and kill anything that looks like it is Norton, NV, NVirus or suchlike. Don't worry you can't do any harm.

It will come as no surprise though that Norton have named these processes in such a way not to make it obvious to the average user.

Once you have disabled the virus checker you should be able to use word.

A parasitical company of the highest order.
 
A bit like wheel clamping, but alas I've only been able to identify a couple of applications NAVAPSVC and something that looke dlike Sym.

I still can't open any word files though.

"Norton anti virus was unable to scan your computer for infections because some norton anti virus components are missing".

If I press ok and try and open a file, it just says file "is unavailbel"

The alternative is to click a link to "Symantec technical suppoprt knwoledge base" which then tries to sell me soemthing for $139. If I decline, it tells me "an error has occurred".

This is scandelous if Nortons are routinely sending their lower knowledge base customers viruses or similar to paralyse their computers which can then only be released if you pay them.
 
They are renowned for it Warbler, except they don't need to send any viruses. Their app does it all by itself. Try googling Norton and Hate :)

Wait until you try and remove it (which you want to as it will result in a stupendous performance boost to your PC). One step removed from impossible.

Sym = Sympatec, Norton's parent company. Bear with me and I will try and find the exact process name.
 
Nav looks like a Norton prenom too.

Basically If you are getting that error then Norton is still running in the background somewhere - no surprise.

Close every other program down that you can and then keep killing processes! (not explorer.exe though)
 
So just to clarify, I 'kill off' every programme in ther apart from explorer. How do I actually kill one.

I'm slowly coming to the conclusion, I'm going to have to buy in some help on this (or even a new computer at this rate) though I'd be mildly tempted to pay more just to avoid paying the ransom to Nortons
 
No some are system processes - start with the most suspicious looking and work in. Some won't actually let you kill them.

Click on the process name, then on the end process button.
 
From a command prompt try this command...

net stop "Norton AntiVirus Client"
 
Nice one gzy. Some proper advice as opposed to my keep clicking 'til it dies approach!

I am an AVG user too.
 
Well I've tried uninstalling it to no avail. It ran for about 90 minutes and still wouldn't allow me to uninstall it. What's a command prompt?. This isn't a security item, it's a bloody virus in its own right, I can't get rid of it. It's as if they've built something into its design to refuse to uninstall when you tell it to.
 
Originally posted by Warbler@Feb 15 2008, 09:28 PM
It's as if they've built something into its design to refuse to uninstall when you tell it to.
Click to expand...
In Norton's eyes, its finest feature...

To get a command prompt:

Start > Run

Them type cmd then press return.
 
Eureka!!!! It's taken the best part of 8 hours but I've disabled it, and hey presto, suddenly I can access all my word files again, and as you hypthesised BM, the machine is running twice as quickly. Now the next thing I need is some alternative protection I guess? and a way of ensuring that Nortons doesn't appear again on my PC. I've just got this horrible feeling there's soemthign lurking in there ready to reinstall itself at the slightest chance I give it.

Will that link that QZY's popped up ewido do the trick?
 
Well after 5 years of Norton I am now in the anti-camp. I paid 55 quid for Norton 360 as my last subscription had ran out, nothing but problems with it, 9 emails later and the technical dept want me to do a full reboot, no way i'm doing that to stop them giving me a refund, there is an internal problem with it that doesn't want to be fixed. I'm guessing the download was faulty but i'm now going all out for a refund and will be putting AVG on as soon as I can get my money back and delete norton

Wish me luck...
 
I have used AVG for a few years, and it's been superb throughout. I am not sure how they can supply this anti virus software completely FOC, but clearly a few of us on here are really glad that they do. :D
 
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