Deleted Kaspersky & Say No to Norton

[CountMike]

I have read a lot of "Eula" files but I seriously doubt there would be something like "Yes, I agree to have your spyware on my computer". Just bunch of legal mambo jumbo that does not adhere to lows in most of countries.

 

[Ex_Brit]

But there usually is something along the lines of "I agree to allow you to gather information for marketing purposes" or words to that effect....that isn't spyware. Anyway as I said, we'll have to beg to differ. Your definition of spyware is at odds with the accepted usage. Marketing & usage information gathering is unfortunate I know, but a fact of life these days. It does help manufacturers design a product best suited to its customer base after all.

Anyway, got to go. All the best.

 

[CountMike]

As I said before, what I agree on is one thing, what I do not, gets booted out, I know what I am doing and how to get rid of the stuff, problem is when they push it on unsuspecting people that do not know how what and why.

 

[Ex_Brit]

I agree wholeheartedly.

 

[Snapp]

I really love this discussion. As I have try to point out at the beginning. Some pre-installed software, ie, Norton Antivirus Trial Version, is difficult to uninstall. I should not have to go surfing and looking for special tools on Norton's website to remove their software. I use Vipre Internet Security on my Windows 7 and Windows 8 PC's. Not ever had a problem with removing it and all traces of it. I had occasion to modify my main PC, Windows 7, and removed Vipre's trial version. Tried another antivirus program, didn't get on with it, went back to Vipre, for up to 10 PC's and installed from scratch. If there was anything of the previous version in the PC it would have recognised instantly where to put the files.. I agree with CountMike, my PC's belong to ME.. Surely that is why we all/some use an antivirus program I am still glad to be using VS Revo Uninstaller. Saves me time.

 

[Ex_Brit]

Yes it would be nice if all software went cleanly but that sometimes doesn't happen and it isn't just security software that's guilty of that.

 

[Snapp]

Agree with you. I suppose its because way back in 90's I had a heck of a job with Norton and it brings back memories, of a novice trying to reformat hard disk, re-installing windows 95 and other software I needed/wanted at the time. Norton has left a bitter taste in my brain.



May I ask/or send you pm from where lived in the UK??

 

[whs]

Peter, Here is my list of removal tools. Maybe there are some that are not on your list.

AV Uninstallers - Windows 7 Help Forums

 

[Ex_Brit]

Good list, thanks. It wasn't my list, merely copied from elsewhere.

 

[whs]

Good list, thanks. It wasn't my list, merely copied from elsewhere.

Originally it was not my list either. But it was handy and useful.

 

[Snapp]

That list is worth copying or bookmarking. Very good list.

 

[BUZ]

as for a recent question in here about whether to use McAfee or Norton. When I bought my pc; the first thing I did was uninstall Norton, same for two laptops. Norton is VERY heavy software to use and is takes over such a large amount of the relevant system. Not only that but not many people know but it plants a spyware software hidden in the symantec folder which is NOT deleted on uninstall. but it can be manually deleted if you know its there. norton then continue to monitor your usage even when its not in the computer.

Actually Norton is very light compared to many others. Can you please tell us exactly what "spyware software" Norton plants in the Symantec folder? You do know that Norton offers a removal tool right?

https://support.norton.com/sp/en/us/home/current/solutions/kb20080710133834EN_EndUserProfile_en_us

 

[whs]

This spyware story is ridiculous. NIS is a fine product. Reminds me all the hearsay about Vista and then everybody had egg on their faces.

The Mojave Experiment - YouTube

 

[elbmek]

Ref my post on Iobit Uninstaller, I have to go bak on my recommendation and have now removed it. CCleaner does it all for me now. Uninstaller has craftily been fitted with a switch to install Advanced system Care along with it, and the switch needs to be turned off, and is not easy to find. Crafty sods, as I no longer have ASC installed even though I paid for it because it is missing a lot of spy stuff which I now find the MSE (in win 7 laptop) and Defender (win 8.1 pc) work much better AND since removing Kaspersky Internet Suite 2013, my pc is a damn sight faster booting up. (So is my laptop).

 

[elbmek]

This spyware story is ridiculous. NIS is a fine product. Reminds me all the hearsay about Vista and then everybody had egg on their faces.

The Mojave Experiment - YouTube

NO it is NOT. I found the spyware INSIDE the symantec folder after I had removed NIS a while ago. Also, on another machine, a spy hunter also found it and reported symantec folder as bugged. It is not rubbish, it is only your opinion.

Oh, and in my laptop, which had norton installed when new, I was looking for something and found a hidden Norton folder, did not look inside just force removed it.

 

[Snapp]

Ref my post on Iobit Uninstaller, I have to go bak on my recommendation and have now removed it. CCleaner does it all for me now. Uninstaller has craftily been fitted with a switch to install Advanced system Care along with it, and the switch needs to be turned off, and is not easy to find. Crafty sods, as I no longer have ASC installed even though I paid for it because it is missing a lot of spy stuff which I now find the MSE (in win 7 laptop) and Defender (win 8.1 pc) work much better AND since removing Kaspersky Internet Suite 2013, my pc is a damn sight faster booting up. (So is my laptop).

I have to agree with 'elbmek', that 'IoBit' does install 'ASC' as well as the main piece of software of IoBit. By using 'ASC, I made a mistake and took out a piece of software I needed, "Der!".

 

[BUZ]

This spyware story is ridiculous. NIS is a fine product. Reminds me all the hearsay about Vista and then everybody had egg on their faces.

The Mojave Experiment - YouTube

NO it is NOT. I found the spyware INSIDE the symantec folder after I had removed NIS a while ago. Also, on another machine, a spy hunter also found it and reported symantec folder as bugged. It is not rubbish, it is only your opinion.

Oh, and in my laptop, which had norton installed when new, I was looking for something and found a hidden Norton folder, did not look inside just force removed it.

Can you please post exactly what you found? Also what is spy hunter?

 

[elbmek]

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

 

[BUZ]

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.

 

[elbmek]

yes I meant 360. I did not say 'spyhunter' but A spyhunter. I do not remember what it was now. The situation will not repeat unless I buy a new machine with Norton already in it.