We have recommended Norton™ Anti-Virus to our clients for years.  However, we no longer recommend it, and recommend to all our clients that it be replaced upon expiration (which is what we're doing).  Further, after changing to a new anti-virus product, we recommend you run their removal tool.

Why the change?

On June 8, 2011, we were installing Norton™ Anti-Virus 2011 at one of our clients (a doctor's office) on a newly purchased computer.  After using the Control Panel to remove the Norton™ trial that came on the computer, we installed the one-year version.  We had just opened a "3-pack" that had been purchased at COSTCO, but the "key" wouldn't work ... we received a message telling us it was invalid.

We went to online chat with someone who was obviously not in the U. S., and communication was somewhat difficult.  They kept asking us the same questions, as if they didn't understand our messages.  They wanted to have access to the computer, which I couldn't allow because of the federal HIPAA law.  I explained that, but they kept insisting.  I asked for a supervisor, but was refused until I said we'd never use their product again.  We finally got a supervisor, and they covered everything the first person did, asking the same questions again, and kept insisting they be allowed to access the computer.

After about 45 minutes of "chat," we discovered the problem was "left over" entries in the registry that needed to be removed.  That's right, after running the removal program from the control panel, there were still files left on the client's computer.  Norton™ was still there.

Why are there still files left after running their own removal program from the control panel?  If these files prohibit another version of Norton™ from being installed, are they doing something to prevent one from installing a competitor's product?  We don't know.

They wanted us to run the removal tool and re-install Norton™ Anti-Virus, which would have taken even more time.  I declined, and returned the 3-pack to COSTCO.

Microsoft™ has a "free" anti-virus package.  It's new, and we don't know how well it works, but we're using it on some of our computers.  Our prediction is that it will, in a few years, become the standard, and the other companies may no longer exist.

Norton™ is a trademark of the Symantec Corporation

Microsoft™ is a trademark of the Microsoft Co.