New laptop question.

[con-pilot]

I received a new laptop, an HP G62-340US from my wife a couple of months ago. Now I have not loaded anything from my old laptop/notebook into this new one.

I just today downloaded the latest Norton system, there had been a free one running which expired today.

My problem is that I can no longer view any 'You tube' videos, could before. If they do try to run, they are very, very slow to load and stop and start constantly.

Any ideas before I go through the hassles of trying to contact Norton?

Thank you.

[Mike-Bracknell]

Uninstall Norton.

Download AVG Free, Avast, or a free AV program of your own choosing. Ensure it's anti-virus only (i.e. not with a godawful firewall incorporated as an "internet security" package - use the inbuilt Windows Firewall for that instead).

Job's a carrot :ok:

[jimtherev]

Norton Utilities used to be a wonderful tool; Norton AV wasn't bad either. But since Symantec took over the package has grown so huge and blobby that I'm surprised that anything works! In fact, I'm convinced that Symantec are trying to take over the world...

Me, I went from Nortons to AVG for a few years, then when AVG got a bit bloated I went to Avast! free on the advice of the good folk hereabouts. That, with a firewall of your choice and a good sprinkling of adblockers & so on, should do all the Norton does.

And btw, download and use Norton's own removal tool; other methods of removal seem to leave all sorts of broken stubs around which confuse Windoze.

Just my opinion.

(Delighted that it's shared with Guru-Mike!)

[Mike-Bracknell]

Jim, a Guru to me is (was?) a Tandoori restaurant in Hemel :)


Oh, and Saab, when you read this, is there any chance of halving the time associated to the following?

"This forum requires that you wait 120 seconds between posts. Please try again in 8 seconds."

[Spurlash2]

1. Could be an unrelated network snagette. What time of day were you trying to play YouTube? Weekend/evening/holiday, all impact on connectivity.

2. AV software running? Is Norton running a setup scan? (don't use it myself, just guessing, in which case everything will return to normal when it has finished). anything working in the background? Something is sucking up your processor, or the network you are on is very busy. Do you have Windows update on Auto downloading stuff?

3. Try Right clicking the Taskbar and select TaskManager. Click the Processes tab, and click the CPU column to sort high to low. Might show something that is causing the stuttering video streaming.

[Loose rivets]

How clean would the computer be if con restores to an earlier time/date?

Mind you, it does sound as though he's shelled out for the full version - what's the deal con?


Oh, by the way, does it have drive D allotted to recovery, or did you get a system disc with it?

[Saab Dastard]

is there any chance of halving the time associated to the following?

"This forum requires that you wait 120 seconds between posts"

None whatsoever, I'm afraid.

SD

[vulcanised]

Amazed that someone as savvy as con would even consider having Norton on his computer.

You will have to go to some trouble to thoroughly remove it (google removing Norton) but it's worth it.

Avast + ZoneAlarm have served me well over many years.

[Eddie_Crane]

I''ve got a fairly old (3 yrs) Windoze laptop I use, it has the bog standard factory-supplied firewall enabled, Micro$oft Security Essentials and the free version of Malwarebytes. Works like a charm, no problems whatsoever with anything.
Norton Removal Tool highly recommended to get rid of that nastie.

[hellsbrink]

Norton Removal Tool highly recommended to get rid of that nastie.

Unless that has been changed, the next thing to do after the "Norton Removal Tool" is to go through the entire c:\ drive and the registry removing every single reference to "Norton" and "Symantec" as it does not remove everything that is left behind after you "uninstall" that bloatware.

Symantec should get bitch-slapped for saying it does.

[spannersatcx]

I have NAV installed and don't have any problems with youporn sorry youtube videos at all, perhaps something else is slowing it down.

[Booglebox]

Agree that anything bearing the name Symantec / Norton is worse than a waste of time. Uninstalling it through the programs menu on the control panel should kill it, otherwise there are freeware utilities (google) that go through the registry and remove stuff for you.

This particular problem, however, sounds very much like a problem with your Flash player (Youtube plays videos through it). You can download the latest version here: Adobe - Install a different version of Adobe Flash Player (http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/)

Also, not using Internet Explorer (Chrome or Firefox are vastly better) will also help. :)

[Tarq57]

Is it possible you have two Norton applications installed?

I refer to the OP where you said you downloaded the latest one to take over from the free one that expired.

Couple of points: - The "free" one wasn't actually free; it was a trial version, as installed on many new out-of-the-shop units. Once the trial is up, you have to pay Symantec some $, they will send you a license, you enter the license and hey presto, your expired unit is alive and well.

- If you actually downloaded a new Norton (which might well be a different program to that installed) without removing the trial one, they will fight and squabble, and hog computer resources. Almost anything is possible.

From reports I've seen, the latest versions of Norton are a heck of an improvement since 2010, being a lot lighter and cleaner. Not for everyone, but for many. Personally I've been put off Norton because of it's past problems, and I don't really like the way they do business - my preferred alternative is Avast free, and it has never given me a reason to want to change.

Whatever AV you are installing or removing, there is more often than not a specific removal tool designed to finish off the removal. It doesn't always find leftovers, but often does, and is therefore worth running.