Tiscali and Symantec Are W*****s.

[acbus1]

Bought Tiscali Broadband with Symantec Norton Internet Security software (downloaded from Tiscali, so no CD) back in September.

The Norton doesn't protect my hard drive well enough to prevent hard drive re-format every few weeks.

Thanks to excellent advice on here, I use Acronis Trueimage to produce a brand spanking new hard drive with all my software installed. The process takes less than five minutes. Well, it would if I didn't have to load Norton from scratch. That painful process takes 30 minutes (so I do it during idle moments when I don't need the computer).

Until, that is, the Norton site told me that I'd reached my download limit and couldn't refresh the software.

Contacted Tiscali. They gave up after leading me down several garden paths and referred me to Symantec.

After several emails over twice as many days, Symantec want a key code, which I wasn't given. I have a PIN, which, for some reason, isn't good enough. Tiscali say the PIN is the same thing as the key code. Symantec say not.

Apart from this, Norton Internet Securty suite is a pain. It's like having a demanding child on my computer, and, as I've said, it doesn't work! If this post achieves sending that message out, then I'll be happy enough!

So to h**l with the lot of them!


Can anyone please recommend, based upon good experiences, an Internet security suite (not Symantec, obviously) which blows all the whistles and rings all the bells to protect my hard drive, please?

[frostbite]

That's a lot of trouble chasing something liable to give you grief anyway!

I use Avast (free) antivirus and ZoneAlarm (free) firewall - in 2 years never had anything get through for Adaware to report on.

You can get Avast at http://www.avast.com

[Hobgoblin]

I have had the same problems with Norton/ Symantec and cannot agree more. After the umpteenth reformat due to Norton Internet Security being a load of sh*t, not to mention a SERIOUS drain on my poor laptop's resources, I finally read Karoush Ghazi's Tweaking Comapnion for XP. 186 pages of gold dust

I now use Tiny Firewall (free), AVG Anti Virus (free), Ad Aware (free), Spybot (free) and FireFox (free). I was so impressed that I even donated to all of these people (you don't have to buy their products but if you like it you can donate IF you want to - no pressure).

I have not had a single problem in more than a year and my laptop has never been faster or more stable.

I can only recommend you download the Tweaking Companion for XP from his site, (free download), www.tweakguides.com and read it from cover to cover.

At the end of the day you don't have to do anything he recommends if you don't want to. (Unlike Symantec who forces the Resources Hog on you!)

[Brian Dixon]

I use F-Prot anti-virus, Ad-Aware, and Crap Cleaner on a regular basis. Seems to keep the vast majority of nasties at bay, but I do update them all at least once a week.

As a back-up I use the free Housecall facility on the Trend Micro website.

Like you, I had nothing but problems with Norton.

Good luck,
Brian

Edited to add - I also use Zone Alarm and, very recently, now browse via Mozilla Firefox

[Saab Dastard]

I can't recommend a hardware firewall enough. Especially when it is rolled into a wireless access point.

I'm fortunate in having Sophos AV provided free via work, but I believe the corporate standard is to move to ... Symantec, unfortunately (by the sound of it)

[ZK-Pilot]

Nod32

Advertising!!

Used this since losing faith in Norton AV back in 2003 and most of my customers also use it. Constantly out performs all others for system resources and speed.

[bjkeates]

I don't mind Symantec as far as their support goes, however I absolutely despise Norton Internet Security. I had a perfectly good computer and it was an incredible drain on it - most software was only running at about 30% of the speed it should have done due to NIS hogging the memory. I got rid of it and instead installed Symantec Anti-Virus Client, which my University gave us free on a corporate licence. It's basically the same program as Norton Anti-Virus, but with the front end cut down to a massive extent and is actually very efficient. It's a good product - it's a shame Norton, as such a popular product, is giving Symantec a bad name.

[RiskyRossco]

Seems there is more giong against Symantec than for it.
When I lost my first h/d to viruses, from pure ignorance, a good friend warned me off Symantec. "It's as good as a virus."

Began with Grisoft's AVG freeware, tried this and that, incl. Nod32, a2Squared, then a freeware trial of Pandalabs' Titanium. That last sold me and I went the full paid-up route. Brilliant kit. Updated automatically, avg and anti-spyware, with a firewall. Very low-maintenance. Their 'Truprevent' technologies seems to be at the leading edge of virus/worm/trojan defence.
Zonealarm and CCleaner are must-haves and they're free.
When the budget improves I'll look around for a standalone hardware firewall.

[PPRuNe Pop]

I wouldn't have Norton within a hundred miles of my computer, and I am sure that you could count in the hundreds those who have said the same thing here on PPRuNe over the past 5 years or more. Absolute pain from go-slow to taking over the OS.

[Tarq57]

A friend who fixes these informed me that some of the freeware applications are just as good as those you pay for. But they all have their "achilles heels". Decided the answer (or part answer) is to change occasionally, or have several independant scanners of various types, especially anti-spyware.
A2 (squared) free is a good (but slowish) stand-alone malware scanner that can be used in addition to your monitoring antivirus, I'm using Avast for that, and find it pretty good. Also using Ewido antispyware,MS (giant) antispy (not Windows defender), AdAware and Spybot. None of these appear to cause conflicts, none are too demanding to use or configure, some require a bit of attention, ie manual updates/scans, which I've found a good habit to get into. It's keeping me aware...a bit like trying to stay aware of human health nasties that keep mutating.
Norton tried to cripple my new computer, and wasn't exactly a clean un-install. Even after a re-install of the OS, there are still traces.
PS (edit) Trend Micro also have an online free virus scan, very good if concerned that something might have slipped through.

[oldbeefer]

I've used Avast!, Windows firewall and their Defender. Never had any problems despite confuser being online 24/7.

[Memetic]

I have used Sophos in the past provided by work (Free home licence for every office licence. ) It was excellent but had flakey update software when not stand alone.

AVG as recommended by many on here was fine. Used with zone alarm.

I now use Norman (www.norman.com) for AV for its "Sandbox" which should stop new nasties before they get an update out and am lazily using the XP firewall behind my hardware firewall.

As for updates, once a day is the minimum. And practice "safe text" in any case.

[acbus1]

Thanks for all the recommendations!

Good to see that there's agreement about Symantec (Norton) being useless. Your info explains a lot about my computer woes since joining Tiscali Broadband with Norton "Security" as a "special offer" add-on. I asumed it was just linked to being on Broadband and collecting more viruses. Experiments based upon your info suggest that Norton is causing a lot of the problems, not viruses!

Tiscali are no better. Their help "service" is staffed by people who don't take the time to read previous messages. As a result you end up in a closed loop situation, discussing, over and over again, the same suggestions and failed results!

Tiscali also keep trying to pass the buck onto Symantec (Norton) and play me off as a go-between. I bought the product from Tiscali....they should sort ant defects (even if they have to contact the manufacturer).

Tiscali are OK until something goes wrong.



In short, IMHO, steer well clear of Symantec (Norton) and Tiscali.



Lots of thanks again for all the advice!