Bill--
If only going to Norton/Symantec for updates had any efficacy, but it often
doesn't.
For home and small business users, to gain SP2 compatibility with Norton
products, the Norton side of that company issued the so-called *WMI update
patch* for SP2, but they have stubbornly only issued it as a Live Update
install*--in other words they have been totally goofy and not put it on
their site for just plain download. That's why the only reference to it on
their site is an FAQ. Rogue Norton WMI patches have been showing up on XP
forums and sites in response to this obvious ploy to try to make people buy
new Norton 2005 AV or NSW.
Sometimes the WMI patch makes Norton completely compatible, and this happens
more as you get newer versions of Norton, and other times it will make the
SP2 Windows Security Center recognize it, but a complete scan and Live
Update won't work and this can happen on the same version different boxes
depending on your luck. The WMI patch is not issue free.
http://www.mcse.ms/message1002520.html
http://www.symantec.com/techsupp/sp2/faq.html
The answers from Symantec on this FAQ just issued *just aren't true in some
cases.* There is the paradox that for many, Live Update doesn't work with
SP2 and Norton has elected not to deliver their update patches any other
way.Whether Norton is installed before or after, SP2 breaks Live Udpate and
you can't get the patch.
To remedy a broken Live Update, Norton offers KB 1806 which typically refers
you to Norton KB 1812.
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPOR...e=english&module=LU&error=1812&build=Symantec
KB 1812 often doesn't fix a broken Live Update, nor does their ultimate
suggestion to manually uninstall or reinstall Norton again.
NAV 2005 works fine without any patches, for some, and for others it works
until 3 boots and then you get the refresh freeze problem which is basically
an IE J-script problem/ Windows
Script Host problem fixed some times (but not all) with
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPOR...882568040070e925?OpenDocument&src=bar_sch_nam
They have staggered patches for many Symantec enterprise antivirus editions
with the propsect that they could come out on a loose time table as far in
advance of SP2's release as a couple months. One good point was it really
means little to have the Windows Security center recognize whether Norton is
on, and you could basically turn it off. People have pointed out that none
the less, when the Security Center doesn't recognize Norton Unless you're a
basic user who is not interested in those things at all, you don't need that
Security Center for anything. You can turn it off as Bill Martin said and
not worry about it. A lot of people will be turning off the Windows
Firewall anyway, because they elect to get 3rd party firewalls with more
functionality--but to MSFT's credit, the Windows Firewall is free and they
want everyone to have at least some form of firewall and ultimately AV
protection.
Symantec/Norton is a Platinum partner of MSFT, and had access to plenty of
SP2 code to become compatible before even the first beta build of SP2 was
released.
You did an *excellent bang up job* of summing up Norton's non-intuitive,
byzantine, disorganized, Raiders of the Lost Ark approach approach to
information on its website. Norton/Symantec is a maker of buggy software
with a buggy website. From the first time I saw it, I was sure taking a
daily chaos pill was required to work at Symantec/Norton.
Chad Harris
_______________________________________________________
Rick said:
Hi Jerry,
Check with Symantec support as there are various patches for their
products and SP2.
Rick, your advice was 99% correct. The problem is the other 1%,
which overshadows the 99%:
Symantec is almost impossible when it comes to support.
Their website is tortuous and frustrating, designed to
discourage people. Then they send you to their
"Knowledge Base", which almost never understands your
query, and then there is almost no way to send a specific
message. They even sent me a URL that's suppose to allow
the input of a text message......but it doesn't.
Finally, you hear from them....and their solution, if
it would work at all, involves one URL after another,
buried 3-deep, and you have to print out page after
page in order to see what you are supposed to do, in
sequence. To top it off, much of their "fixes" requires
you to search and destroy in the Registry.....a very
dangerous operation.
I gave up on fixing Symantec's System Works. I just live
with its error messages. Good luck to you in trying to
UNinstall Norton System Works....I did. And you can be damn
sure I'll not upgrade to the 2005 model which is now
available.
