Deleted Kaspersky & Say No to Norton

[Snapp]

How can I post what has been long deleted?

I bought Norton 365 when it first came out and had had Norton before. When installed it crteas a folder for the software but it also creates a folder, I think in windows data, called symantec. The pc slowed down to a crawl and diagnostics told me that Norton, when running, was using most of the cpu/ram. I deleted Norton 365 and got a refund. Later on, some weeks or months later, I had been visited by some ad ware which was very persistent and kept putting up pop ups even when 'offline' and in the middle of typing would suddenly find myself staring at ads.

So using various recommended software, incvluding a spy hunter, it told me that there was a folder causing this and that it was located etc etc. Finally I managed to get rid of it, called premieroption or something similar.

At the same time the software informed me that there was spyware in a folder called symantec, also in Windows. So I manually went to look and found the folder, its contained some files from norton and nothing else - this was the spyware. apparently it was reporting back on what software I was using to Norton.

I removed the folder and did the same to the same folder in my laptop

Do you mean norton 360? The older versions were not so good and real resource hogs however that is just not the case any more, NIS is very light. Most software that you install will install / create a folder(s), this is not unusual. Sounds to me like you did something after uninstalling norton that infected your machine, downloaded something called spyhunter that for some reason did not like the norton folder. IMO this spy hunter software or whatever it is you used viewed the norton folder as a threat or suspicious for what ever reason (however that does not mean it was). I looked up spyhunter on google and that is some sketchy looking software to be honest, WOT web of trust ratings are some of the worst I've seen (hopefully this is not the product you're using).

SpyHunter - Adaptive Malware Removal Tool

I would suggest that next time you come across this situation you take a screen shot or at least write down the name, you make these claims that norton is installing spyware on peoples machines however cannot post the name of the infection. I would also recommend that next time you come across a suspicions file that you run it through one of the following sites:

https://www.virustotal.com/

Jotti's malware scan

I currently don't use norton however I have in the past and also many family members currently run norton that I maintain (provided from ISP) and I have never seen any such infections.

Sorry 'buzz' I tend to agree with 'ElbMek'. My new laptop came with Norton, I uninstalled, (this is going to be easy?), but not all of Norton uninstalled. OK, I could have gone to Norton's website and downloaded, installed, and then use their software to completely uninstall Norton. I didn't! I went through the Registry and found so much of Norton 'Hidden' within it that I think that if Norton, as a Company, wants to become more popular then it should rethink what their software loads onto NEW PC's, be they Desktops, Laptops or whatever. Also, as I have said, in a post earlier, I had occasion to uninstall 'Vipre Internet Security' from my desktop, No problem! No third party software to remove it, No special written software, (by Vipre) to remove Vipre. It is of course a matter of choice who and what the individual installs and configures on "Their own Property" Norton! yuck! keep it! Not interested. TOO! much hidden deep within ones personal property. I cannot exactly say that it was 'spyware' but a folder deep inside the registry, (which is clean now) looked ominous to me. Can I suggest that you check the registry of one of your family members PC's and let us know exactly what you find, 'Hidden'. I think you will be very surprised.

 

[elbmek]

you make these claims that norton is installing spyware on peoples machines

read my lips! I make NO claim. Just because you have not seen something, does not mean it does not exist. Have you ever seen Bigfoot or a Yeti? No, neither have I, it does not imply none existence. It means YOU have not come across it. I do not make 'claims' as you put it, I am stating actual FACT as EXPERIENCED by me. You are implying that I am lying, and I resent that, very much.

I dont care if you want PROOF, which I cannot now furnish because of the fact that I removed it and cannot remember what it was. I do not store snippets of information just in case, someone is going to ask me about it in 5-10 years time.

It happened, I cleansed it - end of ....................

 

[Snapp]

Here, here, Elbmek. Looks like buz won't/can't take me up on my offer of checking for deep down 'Norton' in his families PC's, You know and I know what We found.


I take back what I said about getting rid of Norton :shock: I have just re-checked my registry, 'Find' (Search) "Symantec". This is what was found,


SymantecSymSilent.exe

ConfigSymantec Installed Apps

SymantecCorporation.NortonStudio_V68kp9n051hdp

PackageStateSymantecCorporation_V68kp9n051hdp Removed 8 of these strings.

All the above strings were in HKEY_Users_Software.

Needless to say, remember to "Find" (search) not only for 'Norton' but 'Symantec' as well. Now I feel happier for re-checking the registry.

 

[azasadny]

MalWareBytes gets my vote as I've personally seen it prevent or clean everything I've thrown at it. I just used it last night to clean up a mess my neighbor's son made of their PC as he was trying to download mods for his games. I then installed the "Pro" version and it prevented about a dozen web attacks...

 

[Ex_Brit]

MBAM is great but it is meant to act as a supplement to a good antivirus program. Just ask them, they'll verify that.

 

[elbmek]

agree with Ex_Brit - I use it in conjuection with Microsoft Defender on Win 8.1; never had a hit since both running together

 

[Ex_Brit]

A quote from one of the lead developers of MalwareBytes (Bruce Harrison) :
...
As far as why MBAM is very good at dealing with this infection, that is simple. MBAM is designed to be very good at dealing with malware that the AVs seem to be having problems with. I do not spend my time making MBAM detect millions of infections that any decent AV already detects as MBAM is DESIGNED to work alongside antivirus software, not replace it. A huge chunk of the research that goes into MBAM revolves around what we see making it into HJT threads as the vast majority of these threads involve antivirus software that was in some way bypassed.
...
Lets settle this now and avoid any further misinformation. MBAM is now a very good backup to any antivirus software and will only get better in the future. MBAM will NEVER add antivirus abilities to its core app and is always advised to be used WITH antivirus software. We actually get this question a lot in the forums and I assure you that we always say :

"No, MBAM can't replace your existing antivirus software and is not designed to."

 

[elbmek]

thanks for that Brit - very explanatory

 

[elbmek]

Its been a while but this is how my laptop and pc stand right now.

AVG Internet Security 2014(with AVG Tune Up) superb AVG stopped me downloading a replacement program because it had been filled with ad bugs.

Malwarebytes Pro - nothing been in machine since. both licences cover two machines

 

[Snapp]

Its been a while but this is how my laptop and pc stand right now.

AVG Internet Security 2014(with AVG Tune Up) superb AVG stopped me downloading a replacement program because it had been filled with ad bugs.

Malwarebytes Pro - nothing been in machine since. both licences cover two machines

Vipre Internet Security, Malware Bytes Pro, PrivaZer, CryptoProtect and Browser Protect make me feel safer surfing and downloading. You might say I am going over the top :shock: BUT, the feeling of safe keeps those nagging who or what is trying to get into my PC. I especially like, when I go to download, Vipre will not allow me to open or start to install a piece of software that has a bug/Trojan/virus installed with it.


I am asking a question, when leaving this thread, How do I find out about "WLAN IEE802.11 Not Exist?" loading, and found on bottom taskbar. My Wi-Fi works perfectly and there is nothing showing in Device Manager. I have searched for any help or info on this forum. Nowt, Nada, nothing. Anyone have any ideas.

 

[CountMike]

Check under "network" in Device manager.

 

[elbmek]

Never heard of that one, Snapp.

Since my post above, I have actually removed AVG Tune Up from my laptop, my games were jumpy, freezing and slow. After ages of checks and tests, I removed the Tune up, rebooted and then re-installed ToolWiz Care, same thing but very light and hey presto, all my games running properly again.

Someone asked somewhere else about Gamebooster and how bad iobits' was, totally agree. It totally rubbish. BUT, Toolwiz do a gamebooster that runs like the old iobit one did, and thats another reason my games are smooth.

 

[Snapp]

Check under "network" in Device manager.

Device Manager does not show any 'Exclamation' marks or any Wi-Fi card or LAN problems. Surfed the net and all I've come up with is "Uninstall", "Update" etc. and to no avail still there. In the box, when I click the WLAN not exist, it asks setup or exit. Setup doesn't go anywhere so I just exit. This is annoying as there doesn't seem to be any logical answer to why this should be happening and it is only on my laptop running Windows 8.1.

I might have a look at Toolwiz, from a gaming point of view, although I don't play online, just for my own personal pleasure and FPS only.

 

[elbmek]

type the driver details into google, I always find new drivers that way, easier than navigating the home sites sometimes.

 

[CountMike]

Seems like some "phantom" unsuccessfully installed driver than. Anything in startup ? can you trace it on the disk? (getting desperate here).

 

[Snapp]

Thanks guys for your input. Went to Revo Uninstaller and found Ralink something or other and uninstalled it, restarted laptop, all OK now, no show of WLAN IEE802.11 not exist. Must have been something I did when downloading HP Updates.


Thanks again for your input

 

[Odos270]

I haven't looked in the Registry but upon doing a search of the system drive, I found this left over. I used their uninstaller too. Next time I'll use Revo.

Norton
C:\ProgramData

NortonInstaller
C:\ProgramData

NortonStudio
C:\hp\HPQWare

C:\ProgramData\NortonInstaller\Logs\2013-07-26-21h30m40s
NortonInstall-2013-07-26-21h30m40s.log

C:\ProgramData\NortonInstaller\Logs\2012-12-10-10h56m10s
NortonInstall-2012-12-10-10h56m10s.log

C:\SYSTEM.SAV\LOGS\SymLogs\2012-12-10-10h56m10s
NortonInstall-2012-12-10-10h56m10s.log


Way back when I first got online, I researched different firewalls and AV progs. With all the bad reviews that I saw on Norton (Win95-XP) I decided I'd never run it. I've used AVG, Avast, Panda, Comodo and now Kaspersky. Only one that I was not pleased with was Panda.

If you want to test your AV, try this test.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EICAR_test_file

 

[CountMike]

That's just what I was talking about. Best thing you can do for your system is ti properly and cleanly uninstall pregrams. No programs like CCleaner and such can and will clean all that stuff left over after using that program's uninstaller. CC and such programs can not know what was all installed so they have to err on safe side and things they do not know about they do not touch. Windows is now resilient enough, so even cluttered registry is not nearly as much of a problem as the case with XP was.

 

[elbmek]

download and install iobit uninstaller, it does a force uninstall and included a reg scan to remove anything left behind, I use it regularly.

 

[Netpro]

Malwarebytes is much better