can I keep Norton System Works but replace AntiVirus with AVG?

[artchik]

I am trying to install Norton System Works 2003 but have run into the usual headaches that many others have experienced. Despite numerous visits to the Symantec support labyrinth and countless uninstalls, clean boot & reinstalls, re-downloaded updates and inevitable error messages, I am trying to figure out a plan B.

From what i can tell, it's Norton's AntiVirus that is causing all the problems. I was wondering if I could uninstall the entire System Works suite for the zillionth time, but reinstall only the other utilities and leave AntiVirus out of it. Instead, I thought I'd try to install the free program AVG which I have read so much about on this site. Does anyone know whether Norton System Works utilities will play nice with AVG?

The Symantec support site is like an endless loop of fixes that keep leading me back to the same results. If I had known I was in for such trauma I would never have bought it in the first place.

BTW I am running win 98

 

[Rockn]

What exactly do you need from system works you cannot live without? It will run just fine with AVG, but you can find better utilities than SW.

 

[slipe]

It should work OK as I’ve read posts by others that have System Works but still use their preferred AV.

Before giving up try the SW cleanup utility if you haven't done that: http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/nsw.nsf/docid/2001101612274407

 

[slipe]

I will have to respectfully disagree with Rockn about SW. I have the pro version and I don’t know what is missing from the regular version.

Ghost is an excellent program. Some people like Drive Image better because of the interface, but as I understand it Ghost 2003 also has a more Windows like interface. I don’t see how the older versions could be much easier to use though.

WinFax is the best fax program you can get other than WinFax Pro. I use the version that comes on SW rather than the pro version, which I have.

GoBack can be handy for Win98, which has no resident quick reversion utility. I don’t know of any comparable utility.

Cleansweep is an excellent uninstaller. If you monitor the install of anything with the fast analysis turned off it will do an excellent job of monitoring an install so it can be completely uninstalled. Even if it did not monitor the install it makes a backup of the uninstall so you can put things back if an uninstall causes a problem. With a Windows uninstall something is just gone, and if you took a shared file with the uninstall you are just going to go through the hassle of finding it somewhere.

Norton Utilities is useful if you don’t let it take over your computer. It provides information that is hard to get elsewhere and the defrag is far superior to the Win98 version. I wouldn’t pay separately for Utilities but it is OK for some things. Don’t let it automatically fix your computer though.

Norton AV is hassle free. It updates its definitions on its own and the only time you know it is there is when it intercepts a virus. It has extremely low CPU and resource use.

 

[artchik]

Thank you Slipe and Rockn. I don't have the pro version of NSW, but there are still a few utilities that I thought would come in handy. GoBack, CleanSweep and the defragger were three that came immediately to mind.

I will try the link you sent me...I have been afraid to try the "removal" applications that have been suggested at the Symantec website, mainly because the language implies that they are a "last resort" type of action to take, and I got a little nervous about causing even more problems by using them. Right now my computer runs fine but I just get a popup error message while running certain features of AntiVirus. I'm afraid if I start messing with the registry and stuff--I don't know how "harsh" that removal application is--I might end up with more serious system problems.

 

[Rockn]

Slipe has corrected me and it's well deserved. WinFax and Ghost are two of my favorite applications from Symantec. I would rather have them seperate....just me. Ghost 2003 is a huge improvement over the oldre incarnations. I do not like any of their utilities such as GoBack or CleanSweep. There are apps that do a far better job. The AV program however is a turd and a HUGE resource waster, not to mention you eventually have to pay for a subscription.

 

[artchik]

Rockn, what apps do you prefer to GoBack and CleanSweep? I am seriously considering dumping out the whole Norton software suite due to all these problems. I just had a hard drive replaced and don't want to mess it all up immediately.

Previously there were so many people that had nothing but good things to say about the Norton utilities which is why I bought NSW, but just like when you buy a new car and suddenly you see cars just like yours all over the place, I am now seeing postings about problems with Norton everywhere I look. It makes me think I should dump it out while my OS is still stable.

 

[Rockn]

For cleaning I like Window Washer. It has DOD spec overwrite for slack space and cleans up almost every application you can think of. Once you buy it youu can download the plug ins for anny app that you want. It does a great job on IE temp files, history and cookies. For restore stuff I wouldn't really use any of that stuff like GoBack. I get my OS the way I want it and then create a Ghost image of it and either save it to CD-ROM or another drive. If my current running OS gets screwed up too bad I just restore it from the Ghosted image and I am up again in 20 minutes or less.

 

[artchik]

Thanks for the speedy reply, Rockn. I will definitely look into Window Washer. Ghost will have to wait until I join the 21st century and get a CD burner *sigh*. Norton AV is history no matter what. Your input and thoughts have been much appreciated!

 

[slipe]

Cleansweep’s main purpose doesn’t overlap Window Washer. Cleansweep is primarily for installed programs. If you just install it to dabble, its main feature is to uninstall programs safely with a backup. But if you always have Cleansweep and have it monitor all of your installs with fast analysis off and csinject active it will do great things. Even if a program has a faulty or non-existent uninstall applet Cleansweep will completely remove it. I will download a half dozen sticky note programs and try them all. I know Cleansweep will completely remove the ones I don’t keep with absolutely no hassle and no crap left on the computer. Cleansweep will pull a program up by the roots and move it to another partition or even another computer. If it monitored the install it will do it perfectly (well – almost perfectly). Cleansweep has some cleanup stuff but I never use it. Window Washer looks fine, but it is no way a substitute for Cleansweep.

Cleansweep is also a good troubleshooter. If you suspect a software conflict just start uninstalling things. When you find the problem restore everything else. Cleansweep puts them back exactly where they were with all of the settings and files and even the links still work.

I don’t understand the ”The AV program however is a turd and a HUGE resource waster” Norton AV doesn’t use measurable system resources. My resources are exactly the same whether I boot with it disabled or enabled. It doesn’t use much in the way of CPU cycles either. If Norton AV is using resources there is something wrong.

If you aren’t going to use Ghost, GoBack can really save your bacon. I’m tech support for friends and family and GoBack is on all of their computers. I can fix their computers by phone when they really get them messed up. I tell them to boot and hit the spacebar when the GoBack screen appears. Then go back to a time when the computer was working. Fixes it every time. I don’t have GoBack active because I use Ghost and it doesn’t like GoBack – at least in the 2002 version.