[OT] Help in Removing Norton SystemWorks 2003

REM · Sep 23, 2004

I'm working on two machines that have expired Norton SystemWorks 2003
on them. This is the primary problem, exploits come in a close second.

In remove programs the only option offered is "change," which starts
the darned thing all over. I don't see any option for removing this
resource sapping monster.

Does anyone have any experience, or know of any programs that might
make this exorcism easier?

I'm trying to utilize the installed system, as the owner doesn't know
where the software is... XP Home

omega · Sep 23, 2004

REM said:
I'm working on two machines that have expired Norton SystemWorks 2003
on them.

You have my sympathy. One of those monster squids, entangled everywhere.
I'd not be surprised if Symantec these days has, furthermore, adopted
use of MSI for installer/uninstaller. In which case my sympathy would be
doubled.

In remove programs the only option offered is "change," which starts
the darned thing all over. I don't see any option for removing this
resource sapping monster.

Does anyone have any experience, or know of any programs that might
make this exorcism easier?

I'm trying to utilize the installed system, as the owner doesn't know
where the software is... XP Home

I cannot offer deep help. Only a quick suggestion for Step One. Find out
what uninstall string exists for this app. The Add/Remove Programs cpl
thingy is a front-end that runs off this regkey:
[HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall].

To look at (and copy to clipboard or text) uninstall strings easily,
I recommend you grab down Steven's small program, Program Uninstallation
Information (PUI).

http://support.it-mate.co.uk/index.asp?mode=Products&p=pui
http://support.it-mate.co.uk/downloads/pui.zip (53k)

Once you get the uninstall string information, you'll have a beginning.
Maybe. You are talking -Symantec- here, so this is one situation where
I am not abundantly confident we can make it to Step 2. :<

lugnut · Sep 23, 2004

I'm working on two machines that have expired Norton SystemWorks 2003
on them. This is the primary problem, exploits come in a close second.

In remove programs the only option offered is "change," which starts
the darned thing all over. I don't see any option for removing this
resource sapping monster.

Does anyone have any experience, or know of any programs that might
make this exorcism easier?

I'm trying to utilize the installed system, as the owner doesn't know
where the software is... XP Home

Norton has a free utility to clean out the 2003 version.
The name of the file I have saved is removenav2003.exe. I
do not recall if this is the same name as on the server. I
d/l'd it from the Norton site. It will remove the
application. There will be some debris left in the machine
in the registry. I used regseeker to search out the rst of
it and delete it. I dumped the NAV in favor of AVG which
appears to do a good job w/o the performance load on the
machine.

REM · Sep 23, 2004

You have my sympathy. One of those monster squids, entangled everywhere.
I'd not be surprised if Symantec these days has, furthermore, adopted
use of MSI for installer/uninstaller. In which case my sympathy would be
doubled.

This sort of software should be illegal. People pay for it though. I
managed to squash the bugs with the WUBCD, and I stopped all processes
I could, and this 1.2 ghz with 340 megs of ram is still hobbling along
trying it's best to run Norton. The bugs might have mussed things up
too bad for a real recovery. I think I'm going to suggest he buy new
software, or allow me to give him my 98Se and Me and install those.
The WUBCD is currently running faster than booting from hard drive.

I cannot offer deep help. Only a quick suggestion for Step One. Find out
what uninstall string exists for this app. The Add/Remove Programs cpl
thingy is a front-end that runs off this regkey:
[HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall].

To look at (and copy to clipboard or text) uninstall strings easily,
I recommend you grab down Steven's small program, Program Uninstallation
Information (PUI).

http://support.it-mate.co.uk/index.asp?mode=Products&p=pui
http://support.it-mate.co.uk/downloads/pui.zip (53k)

Once you get the uninstall string information, you'll have a beginning.
Maybe. You are talking -Symantec- here, so this is one situation where
I am not abundantly confident we can make it to Step 2. :<

Very informative! I'll have a go at this and see how it goes. Thanks!

sld;akfj · Sep 23, 2004

REM said:
I'm working on two machines that have expired Norton SystemWorks 2003
on them. This is the primary problem, exploits come in a close second.

In remove programs the only option offered is "change," which starts
the darned thing all over. I don't see any option for removing this
resource sapping monster.

<snip>

Hello REM,
Just had to do an uninstall of Norton 2003 last night on a customers PC.
I sympathize with your situation.
Boot into Safe Mode and run MSCONFIG, Spybot S&D, or any other tool for
modifying startup programs. Disable all startup items related to Norton,
and restart.
Go to Add/Remove programs, select Norton 2003 and click on Change. Once
the process starts you will be offered the option to remove completely.
The scraps will most likely need to be removed by hand.

omega · Sep 23, 2004

REM said:
This sort of software should be illegal. People pay for it though. I
managed to squash the bugs with the WUBCD, and I stopped all processes
I could, and this 1.2 ghz with 340 megs of ram is still hobbling along
trying it's best to run Norton. The bugs might have mussed things up
too bad for a real recovery. I think I'm going to suggest he buy new
software, or allow me to give him my 98Se and Me and install those.
The WUBCD is currently running faster than booting from hard drive.

My take is that since it's a user ignorant enough to install not only
Symantec, but then trialware to boot, there would surely not exist now
a decent overall configuration and set of software installs. That their
computer begs for a clean reformat. Do as you said, start them over, with
a new plan.

Very informative! I'll have a go at this and see how it goes. Thanks!

It'll be handy to have around. I see in the meantime, a helpful followup
in this thread, from lugnut, about a specific program Symantec released
which (partly) uninstalls this thing.

As for whether software like Symantec suites should be illegal, well, my
modified wish is only that we be financially compensated for the time. Can
you imagine how fat our wallets would become if companies like Symantec and
MSFT had to compensate us even a mere fifty cents an hour, for the enormous
time we have to expend in rescuing our systems from all their majors bugs?

Bjorn Simonsen · Sep 23, 2004

lugnut wrote in <[email protected]>:

Removing Norton SystemWorks™ after Add/Remove Programs does not work

removenav2003.exe.

....is the AV remover only. Try this instead:

Using the Norton SystemWorks™ cleanup utility (SYMClean)
<http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/nsw.nsf/docid/2001101612274407>

Introduction to SYMClean
<http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPOR...sf&view=docid&dtype=&prod=&ver=&osv=&osv_lvl=>

How to obtain the latest version of SYMClean
<http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPOR...7?OpenDocument&ExpandSection=2&Src=#_Section2>

<copy>
To obtain the SYMClean utility
If you have the NSW 2003 CD, you can find the SYMClean utility in
the Support\SymClean folder on the CD.

If you do not have the NSW 2003 CD, or you want to ensure that
you have the latest version of SYMClean, download the SYMClean
utility:
Download SYMClean from the Symantec FTP site
<ftp://ftp.symantec.com/public/english_us_canada/products/norton_systemworks/ver5.0/tools/SYMCLN.EXE>.
Select "Save this file to disk," and then click OK.
Set "Save In" to Desktop, and then click "Save." The step saves
the file to your desktop.
<copy>

All the best,
Bjorn Simonsen

omega · Sep 23, 2004

Bjorn Simonsen said:
Removing Norton SystemWorks™ after Add/Remove Programs does not work
<http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/nsw.nsf/docid/2001100212100807>

Using the Norton SystemWorks™ cleanup utility (SYMClean)
<http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/nsw.nsf/docid/2001101612274407>
Introduction to SYMClean

How to obtain the latest version of SYMClean
<http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPOR...7?OpenDocument&ExpandSection=2&Src=#_Section2>
Download SYMClean from the Symantec FTP site
<ftp://ftp.symantec.com/public/english_us_canada/products/norton_systemworks/ver5.0/tools/SYMCLN.EXE>.

Fine results, Bjorn!

You know, my bet is that the #1 of the Most Frequently Asked Questions for
Symantec suites, it's

"how do I make it go away?"

REM · Sep 23, 2004

lugnut <[email protected]> wrote:

Norton has a free utility to clean out the 2003 version.
The name of the file I have saved is removenav2003.exe. I
do not recall if this is the same name as on the server. I
d/l'd it from the Norton site. It will remove the
application. There will be some debris left in the machine
in the registry. I used regseeker to search out the rst of
it and delete it. I dumped the NAV in favor of AVG which
appears to do a good job w/o the performance load on the
machine.

Wow! They make an app to do a sloppy cleanup... and don't include it
with the program? Sheesh. I can't imagine why anyone would pay for
this degree of pain. <G>

Thanks for the info. I've just about talked him into using my old Me
and 98SE installs. Then, I can really get rid of this thing. Fingers
crossed...

REM · Sep 23, 2004

Removing Norton SystemWorks™ after Add/Remove Programs does not work
<http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/nsw.nsf/docid/2001100212100807>

...is the AV remover only. Try this instead:

Using the Norton SystemWorks™ cleanup utility (SYMClean)
<http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/nsw.nsf/docid/2001101612274407>

Introduction to SYMClean
<http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPOR...sf&view=docid&dtype=&prod=&ver=&osv=&osv_lvl=>

How to obtain the latest version of SYMClean
<http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPOR...7?OpenDocument&ExpandSection=2&Src=#_Section2>

<copy>
To obtain the SYMClean utility
If you have the NSW 2003 CD, you can find the SYMClean utility in
the Support\SymClean folder on the CD.

If you do not have the NSW 2003 CD, or you want to ensure that
you have the latest version of SYMClean, download the SYMClean
utility:
Download SYMClean from the Symantec FTP site
<ftp://ftp.symantec.com/public/english_us_canada/products/norton_systemworks/ver5.0/tools/SYMCLN.EXE>.
Select "Save this file to disk," and then click OK.
Set "Save In" to Desktop, and then click "Save." The step saves
the file to your desktop.
<copy>

Thanks Bjorn!

REM · Sep 23, 2004

sld;akfj@;ldsfajl.nan wrote:

Just had to do an uninstall of Norton 2003 last night on a customers PC.
I sympathize with your situation.

Boot into Safe Mode and run MSCONFIG, Spybot S&D, or any other tool for
modifying startup programs. Disable all startup items related to Norton,
and restart.

Go to Add/Remove programs, select Norton 2003 and click on Change. Once
the process starts you will be offered the option to remove completely.
The scraps will most likely need to be removed by hand.

Thanks! That makes perfect sense. I think I have the go ahead for ME!
Now, I have to try to identify devices and chase down drivers, but
that's better than dealing with the current OS situation.

omega · Sep 23, 2004

Bjorn Simonsen said:
Removing Norton SystemWorks™ after Add/Remove Programs does not work
<http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/nsw.nsf/docid/2001100212100807>

Out of curiosity, I went over and read some of those docs. That whole
situation, what an ugly mess. And the SymClean program is not how it sounds,
does not provide a easy route out. They say that it is not for performing
a full uninstall; that its purpose is to enable the installer to reinstall.

Manual Install (after fail via Add/Remove Programs)...
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPOR...100807?OpenDocument&ExpandSection=1#_Section1
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPOR...f&view=pfdocs&dtype=&prod=&ver=&osv=&osv_lvl=

The above looks like a candidate project for when one needs to burn up
15hrs of their life. And I bet that after all that, one still ends with a
large amount of hidden registry garbage. (Once where I did a regsvr32 /U
on some Symantec dlls, it amazingly resulted in a write of !new entries.)

REM mentioned leaning towards doing a full wipe on the target system.
That sure strikes me as the best way to clean that sty; bring in the
bulldozer and level the whole thing.

(Sure appreciate the ACFer lifestyle, over ordeals like that Symantec chaos.
PRAISE BE to all our independent-small-clean-civilized freewares...)

eLmimo · Sep 23, 2004

I'm working on two machines that have expired Norton SystemWorks 2003
on them. This is the primary problem, exploits come in a close second.

In remove programs the only option offered is "change," which starts
the darned thing all over. I don't see any option for removing this
resource sapping monster.

Does anyone have any experience, or know of any programs that might
make this exorcism easier?

I'm trying to utilize the installed system, as the owner doesn't know
where the software is... XP Home

This is my exact situation right now on.

And, when rebooting, after a crash Norton disk doctor gives me an error
message, and freezes (and/or using GoBack): Cannot go further checking
your disk blablabla..., or something like that.

I had to configure my pc for using win98 integrated tools!

I would really unsinstall it cleanly, and get rid of Norton bloat, but I
didn't achieve it yet :-(

eLmimo · Sep 23, 2004

what i myself do need is a clean win98 user who could install 2003
version and pass allong the totall uninstall log here, please.

Thanks much

REM · Sep 23, 2004

eLmimo <[email protected]> wrote:

what i myself do need is a clean win98 user who could install 2003
version and pass allong the totall uninstall log here, please.

There were some pretty good suggestions offered in the thread. A fresh
install is the best in the situation I was in. Maybe for you also?

eLmimo · Sep 23, 2004

There were some pretty good suggestions offered in the thread. A fresh
install is the best in the situation I was in. Maybe for you also?

yep, thanks REM.

I'm reading right now, but you're probably right about the true solution

Have a good day

El Gee · Sep 23, 2004

I am not trying to be a smart a$$, but the only way I have EVER gotten
rid of it is to reformat and start over. Big Mess.

--
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
El Gee

Did you hear the one about the dyslexic, agnostic, insomniac?
He would stay up late every night and wonder if there was a dog.
Remove yourhat to reply ... but it
may take a while. Best to go to www (dot) mistergeek (dot) com and
reply from there.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Bjorn Simonsen · Sep 24, 2004

omega wrote in said:
Out of curiosity, I went over and read some of those docs

I'm glad at least somebody did. I didn't my self, not carefully
anyway, just remembered using this one (or something like it) from
Symantec way back when I needed to remove traces of their SystemWorks
my self....and it worked.

All the best,
Bjorn Simonsen