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I'm having issues with my Norton Internet Security center (it came preinstalled with my computer), it seems to me that it is hogging resources, interfering with anything I want to do on the internet and basically being an ache in the backside.

So I want to remove and replace it, but not pay through my nose to do so.

So two sections:

Replacement

As replacement I found these suggestions, amongs others here on the site:
- Avast for antivirus
- Adaware & spybot for antispyware (in combination?)
But that leaves me without firewall, apart from the windows firewall... would that one be sufficient or give me as much trouble as NIS? And are there any cheap/free alternatives?

Removal
For one reason or another, I didn't get a CD version of NIS, so is there a way to copy it whole and back it up somewhere or will removal be an irrevocable decision.

[QUOTE=Lestat]I'm having issues with my Norton Internet Security center (it came preinstalled with my computer), it seems to me that it is hogging resources, interfering with anything I want to do on the internet and basically being an ache in the backside.

So I want to remove and replace it, but not pay through my nose to do so.

Replacement

As replacement I found these suggestions, amongs others here on the site:
- Avast for antivirus
- Adaware & spybot for antispyware (in combination?)
But that leaves me without firewall, apart from the windows firewall... [/QUOTE]

I use Avast, Spybot, Adaware, MS Defender, Counterspy and Spyware Blaster in conjunction with one another and it never causes me problems.

My only Firewall is the Windows one. I have not installed an additional firewall because of all the reports I've heard that they are often more headache than they are worth.
In using the above combination of protection I have not had any malaware attacks, even without a firewall. But... if anybody can suggest a good one, I'd certainly be interested as well.

The firewall I use is the one with McAfee Security Suite. Never had any problems with it at all, although I do exit it when I play games but thats because I exit/disable everything when I play recent-ish games anyway as my pc is not exactly high spec lol.

Yeah, but one of my problems with NIS is that even when you disable it, there are still quite a few processes linked to it that keep running...

you can use a free version of zone alarm for a firewall
i used it for quite sometime,but now just use the windows one.
ok just too lazy to download it again

I use a free version of AVG for my antivirus

I'm using the AVG Firewall Edition (that's AV + firewall) and Spyware Doctor. AVG is rather cheap (about $ 50 for two years) and works great. Spyware Doctor is rather expensive (IIRC about $ 40 per year), but it works great too. Never problems with those two.

[QUOTE=Lestat]Yeah, but one of my problems with NIS is that even when you disable it, there are still quite a few processes linked to it that keep running...[/QUOTE]

Probably best not to get McAfee then as I think thats the same - even if you exit it there are still things like the virus spotting stuff and privacy stuff running that I have never been able to figure out how to disable.

[QUOTE=Lestat]Removal
For one reason or another, I didn't get a CD version of NIS, so is there a way to copy it whole and back it up somewhere or will removal be an irrevocable decision.[/QUOTE]

I think you need a CD, because it uses the registry rather much.

[QUOTE=Lestat]
Removal
For one reason or another, I didn't get a CD version of NIS, so is there a way to copy it whole and back it up somewhere or will removal be an irrevocable decision.[/QUOTE]
It will be irrevocable unless you ever get the urge to restore your computer to it's factory default install.

[QUOTE=Lestat]I'm having issues with my Norton Internet Security center (it came preinstalled with my computer), it seems to me that it is hogging resources, interfering with anything I want to do on the internet and basically being an ache in the backside.[/QUOTE]

Well at least you know they installed Norton correctly. That's the reason I've always hated the program.

Anyway, as for my picks, I use both free antivirus and free firewalls. My antivirus is AntiVir, and my firewall is Zonealarm. Oh, and for spyware, SpyBot Search and Destroy.

All free .

That's one of the reasons why I do not use Norton, that and Windows do not go together at all. I am not sure you can get completely rid of it without actually doing a lovely thing called format C.

As for what to use - I use a number of things that are or can be used as free versions Spybot, AdAware... ZoneAlarm as firewall but as an antivirus program I have always used Kaspersky and in my opinion that is the best thing you can use. Best support IMO as well, I have used their services for nasty virus removal and I have always gotten their reply about how to do it manually within a day. For two years it is 63 $ so I think overall that's all right.

They do have something called Kaspersky Internet Security and I have heard only good things about it but considering the price ...

I use Norton Firewall and Antivirus (System Works) and love it. Yes it is a pain at first, but once you go to the firewall setting and find your program and tell it to "allow all" it shuts it up.
Also if you want all those little programs to stop running do a clean boot.
Start, run, type msconfig, services tab, check the "hide all microsoft services" box, and deselect all, restart your computer and it will have very few processes running.
Computers are cheap and easy to upgrade by the way. I got a video card with 256 memory for 80 dollars and Sams club. My computer is a 6 year old dell, runs just about perfect. (Just started to poop on me this year.)

I'm sorry but even if I tell it to allow all it doesn't do it. It interferes with me getting on the company network and other kinds of software, without any information or message that it is doing so. I only notice when I desactivate it that certain things work that didn't work before.
Nope for me Norton 2005 has been a subpar experience and has been removed from my system.

EDIT: oh and the ICT guy from my company was decidedly sarcastic where it concerned norton.

@Lestat,
I ended up deciding to try out the Kerio Sunbelt firewall. You get a fully functional one month trial, and after that a more limited free version. I have to say that I'm very impressed so far. It's extremely simple to install and use, and it doesn't actually eat up that much of my system.

You can find it [url="http://www.sunbelt-software.com/Kerio.cfm"]here[/url]
If you decide to pay for it, it is $20 USD for the first year, and after that a renewal subscription is $10. It has gotten very good reviews, and it's a nice price too. Even the free version is really decent in what it provides.

An alternative is to get a cheap hardware firewall. Most routers have one built in and thery are 10 times better than software firewalls while taking no resources because it masks your IP address and can be set to be invisible from the outside. If you only have one computer its no big deal to plug it into a router before going to your ISP. If you also have a laptop, the router will allow you to use both computers at the same time as a network.
I also have Windows Firewall enabled only because it complains so annoyingly if it is disabled. AVG Antivirus, Windows Defender, Firefox rather than Internet Explorer and Thunderbird instead of Express cuts down on spam and infected emails.

Dowaco,

Go to Control Panel, Windows Firewall, and find where it says "change the way windows notifies me"... bla bla bla. You can shut up Window's bitchen about the firewall being disabled.

@ DW: testing now. For the moment it works fairly OK though I have a few problems with it (such as it blocking me to see certain images without informing me, even when I tell it basically to inform me of anything. Luckily I found the solution).
Since I have quite a few things running over the net (teleworking amongst others), I had to do quite a bit of "allow" clicking in the beginning, but that is (logically) going down now.

I use the Keiro firewall and AVG anti-virus and they both work great except for AVG cutting in to grab updates and freezing my Morrowind. Otherwise they work great.

Here's a link to a site that lists several freeware programs of various functions.
The 46 Best-ever Freeware Utilities