Norton Internet Security ruins by night

[Goofy4TheWorld]

So while working last night in a mad rush to get done before the ice started falling from the sky, Internet Explorer suddenly began crashing as soon as it was opened. I spent two hours doing System Restores and IE downgrades, but nothing worked. Long story short, Norton had released an update which totally disabled IE 10 and 11 from any PC running Norton. They fixed the problem by sunrise, but not before I had lost all of my IE settings in my attempts to "fix" the issue myself.

I have 32 days left with Norton, and I am done with them. I have had a few instances where I have found a PC with Norton simply "shut down" leaving the PC with no antivirus, and that coupled with last night's debacle sealed the deal for me.

I have a 5-PC Norton license and need to find a replacement that is cost-effective for 5 PCs and that isn't a resource hog on the PC but that is an extremely reliable security suite (two PCs regularly access unencrypted credit card data, so security is a top priority).

Anyone out there have a suggestion on what's the best way to protect PCs without regular technical problems or outright failures?

[Drachengeist]

ESET NOD 32 Antivirus updates multiple times a day (always in the background with no impact) and has kept our household of 5 computers virus free for years. If they upgrade to a new version during your license year you get the upgrade for free. For even more iron clad anti malware you can concurrently run Malware Bytes that is like twentysomething dollars for a multi computer license.

Both play well with any software I have had on my machines and have caught any number of things trying to sneak in through files from other sources, email or web pages that have been corrupted.

[Basket Mommy]

We use Avast. No problems. I will never use Norton because I've read so many accounts like yours. They're awful.

[manutd1]

Ah, the peace and love of owning a Mac!! No muss no fuss...

[1DisneyNut]

Ah, the peace and love of owning a Mac!! No muss no fuss...

Except for the fact, you can't run windows based applications on them natively. That and you can buy at least two windows machines for the price of one Mac, install Linux on them in a dual boot configuration for free, have all the worry free web surfing you like for less than half the price and boot up into windows to run windows applications whenever you want.



Anyway, I have been using Microsoft Security Essentials for about 5 years now on all of my windows machines and the ones I maintain for family. No problems whatsoever. It is free and updates regularly.

In the past, I have also had good experiences with Avast and AVG but they got to where the free versions popped up windows all the time trying to sell me the paid version or their other software and it was annoying.

Norton is terrible. I have been immediately uninstalling it from machines as soon as they come out of the box for years.

[TinkerbellT421]

I hate Norton and Macafee. After years of encounter need problems, including rendering my mothers pc useless one year to the point in damaged it beyond repair and had to buy her a new one.

I swear by Trend now. They have been great for me, and they do protect multiple pc's) I have three on mine, can't remember if it does up to five.

[manutd1]

Except for the fact, you can't run windows based applications on them natively. That and you can buy at least two windows machines for the price of one Mac, install Linux on them in a dual boot configuration for free, have all the worry free web surfing you like for less than half the price and boot up into windows to run windows applications whenever you want.



Anyway, I have been using Microsoft Security Essentials for about 5 years now on all of my windows machines and the ones I maintain for family. No problems whatsoever. It is free and updates regularly.

In the past, I have also had good experiences with Avast and AVG but they got to where the free versions popped up windows all the time trying to sell me the paid version or their other software and it was annoying.

Norton is terrible. I have been immediately uninstalling it from machines as soon as they come out of the box for years.

Windows? Who wants that? lol
Seriously though...My wife works in healthcare...Her office recently switched to Macs...took a bit for everyone to "learn" the simple differences and run new programs...but now, no one misses the model T's.
I know that back in the day when I did have a windows computer.....i used AVG, seems a lot better than macafee and norton.
Sorry, for the thread hijack....

[brad192]

Sad, Norton used to be the "go-to" for utilities and anti-virus back in the day. I'm dating myself, but does anyone else remember the Norton Utilities, Norton Commander, or the first iterations of their anti-virus software? They were awesome! Most of these were pre-Windows, and were successfully ported into Windows when it came along. Too bad the company has lost its reputation so much.

Is Peter Norton even still alive?

[brownie]

Haven't used Norton for years. Microsoft Security Essentials and Super Malwarebytes for me for now, though I need to swap Security Essentials for something else.