COH32.exe- HELP!!!

Hey Guys,
I'm having a major problem with COH32.exe. Every time I turn on the computer and try to start doing something on it, my computer starts to hum and it goes rrrrreeaaaaaaalllllyyyyyy slow for about 15-30 minutes. After pressing ctrl + alt + del, I see the process "COH32.exe" running...and when my computer just so happens to stop going really slow that process disappears. I decided to do some research on it and found out it was a Norton program thingy....but I couldn't find any ways to disable COH32.exe, and I would really like to, seeing as it slows down my computer so much. Thanks for the help!
~Doug

 

I'm sure there will be those who will disagree with me, but I would uninstall Norton completely and replace it with AVG.
I've found Norton to be not only very large, cumbersome and a resource hog.

 

Iam not a lover of Norton - I used to use it, a few years ago, but found it too much of a resource-hogger, too.
Even the best anti-virus can be caught out, if you feel you might have caught something, then It seems that particular 100% issue , with that file, is common.
It could be worth a trip to the malware forum- but read and run this , first
http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=35407
If you then feel you want to change,install a different anti-virus, then this link gives you the Norton removal tool - to stop clashes of anti-virus programs
Always download and save another anti-virus , first.
Always read the notes on the page.
THIS IS ON MAJORGEEKS DOWNLOAD PAGE

http://majorgeeks.com/Norton_Removal_Tool_SymNRT_d4749.html

The Norton Removal Tool uninstalls all Norton 2007/2006/2005/2004/2003 products from your computer. Before you continue, make sure that you have the installation CDs or downloaded installation files for any Norton products that you want to reinstall. Also, if you use ACT! or WinFAX, back up those databases and uninstall those products.

Windows 98 and ME users should download (VIA THE THIS CLICK) this version.

I find Avast, free version, is very good.
http://majorgeeks.com/Avast_Home_Edition_d1968.html

Also, I have used the free version of cyberlink antivrus/spam tool, and particularly like it.

It would be best, if you feel you need to check, to us the malware forum - they are very good, but depending what time you have, I have used this for extra virus scanning/removal
combofix download for virus
http://download.bleepingcomputer.com/sUBs/ComboFix.exe

And then
on-line scanner
http://support.f-secure.com/enu/home/ols.shtml)

 

Well, this all helps guys, thank you! But I want to allow my subscription to run out first before I uninstall Norton...in the meantime, I was wondering if there was a way to disable COH32.exe or change when it runs or something, tyvm!
~Doug

 

It's the proactive threat protection, set to run about every 15 minutes.

Since you bought the subscription from Norton and don't want to remove it, contact Symantec to see if it can be disabled or set to scan longer than 15 minute intervals.

 

Hi Doug,

Mike from the Norton Authorized Support Team. Your post indicates that your installation of Norton has become corrupt. The first thing I would suggest is that you run the Windows Checkdisk and Derfrag programs to make sure that your hard drive is ok.

The next step is to properly uninstall and reinstall Norton and to then run a Comprehensive Scan to make sure your computer is not infected.

1. Click on the link below, and carefully follow the instructions to use the Norton Removal tool:

Norton Removal Tool and Instructions

2. After the tool has run and removed all Norton products, restart your computer. Log into Windows and run the tool again. Restart your computer after it finishes running a second time.

3. Make sure that your internet connection is working properly and then reinstall your Norton product. Towards the end of the installation, LiveUpdate will run and download any available program and definition updates.

When the installation is complete, please run a "Comprehensive Scan" on your computer to make sure that you are not infected.

Please try this process and let me know the outcome. When you respond back to this thread, please also let me know which Norton product and version you have installed, as well as your OS and machine specifics.

Thank you,
Mike

 

While I very much apologize for resurfacing an old thread, this topic comes up near the top of search results and I feel it's important to give some experienced perspective. I've got about 25 years in Information Technology.

In my experience, people tend to gravitate towards a few camps: pack leaders (McAfee, Norton or Symantec) / free solutions (something else, like AVG) / or not understanding the issues (inadequate or missing protection), and sometimes vehemently defend their positions.

When I did extensive research on available security products, McAfee and Symantec products consistently come out on top; at the time I checked Symantec had led for several years. Norton (home) products--from the same company--have indeed surfaced in recent news as being bloated...but they listen to feedback and they're working on it. Further:

Norton is a HOME product; overwhelmingly, what you get as a home user is bloat(feature)ware, even if you started with "free" and "unbloated" products. Even with free software like AVG, at some point (usually when the user base is large enough) most of them split off into feature/bloatware.

In contrast, business customers are trying to work, so the rules are different. If you go with *business* products, you get something that *works* without all the extra toys you seriously don't need. Business licenses are frequently significantly less expensive, and some don't have license limits. Do you run any kind of business? Could you?

That said, I cringe when I see the "best start over with something less bloated" line of reasoning. If someone's reading this because they're having similar pangs...there's more to it than that. Do you have startup scans enabled? Do you really need a startup scan if you're using realtime protection? Is your computer actually underpowered for what you're doing? Do you have enough memory (because if you don't, is your computer swapping to disk; at ~20x or more slower than memory)? Do you have a 5400 RPM drive instead of a 7200? SATA or IDE? Do you have 10,000 files in your temp folders (or your recycle bin)? Is the drive badly fragmented (i.e., you can't remember exactly when you last ran defrag)? Are you running updates periodically so you get patches that fix these problems? Did you have a lapse in protection that might have opened you up to a 0-day threat? Are two firewalls running--sometimes Windows turns it back on even if you have another product installed? (Did reinstalling a firewall product indeed solve your problem? Well, these software packages turn off the Windows firewall, so the "solution" to your problem wasn't actually the product, just what they do on reinstall. Putting the old one back may work just as magically well.) It should be clear that there are dozens of things that can be to blame, and none of them are the software's fault.

Finally, I'll give some directed feedback on AVG vs. Symantec. I used AVG for a while because it was free and people talked about it, but after repairing scores of computers that were "protected" with AVG, I solidly returned to the pack leaders. AVG typically left between 3 and 12 threats on the machine, all of which were removed by a Symantec product or a combination approach with something like AdAware (Symantec Endpoint Protection also addresses areas addressed by AdAware). McAfee was used to check Symantec's work, and while I've used both, I prefer making a decision and sticking to it, especially for the consistency.

My final opinion is this: Use what does the job. Sweeping recommendations to remove a product due to limited information are best taken with a grain of salt--if only because the people writing your software are PEOPLE and make mistakes. The leaders have teams staying on top of problems, and when I look at "free product that underperforms" against the cost of a business license (and even the support that comes with it), I think the difference is chump change...especially when so much of the issue could simply be in the computer itself.

In the end, even if this is an old thread, my hope is that when future visitors leave this thread, they leave armed for better decisions. I use and prefer Symantec. I have used McAfee, with a neutral opinion. I don't use, and don't prefer, AVG. You use what you think is best.

 

While I can agree with you on the business/enterprise versions, the Symantec home products are still crappy IMO, though I did like the 360 beta. Sure, it will help people protect themselves who don't know any better like I was back in '02 but please remember that this is a techie site, not some car or cooking forum, most folks still have no idea of what a virus or malware is except that it screwed their machine.

The free apps are good if one also practices proper internet hygiene, that's a given. There is no software that is %100 fool proof.

BTW, I have had no issues running free apps after I got rid of Norton when the subscription expired. Perhaps that was because I had to learn what was going on that Norton didn't protect me against back then. I now run ESET's NOD32 and is only my second pay for AV.

Whatever happened to the excellent products that Norton used to have? I'm talking 25 years ago too.

 

I have used AVG a number of years now and it picks up threats that Symantec does not. I am sure it can be visa versa too. I also use an ad removal software that works well in conjunction with AVG. Symantec often spots the threat but has trouble dealing with it. I am not so sure Symantec and Nortan are worth the money. I have had an IT expert tell me that some of the freebies are off the radar scope of the threat makers and often do a better job of keeping up with them.

 

digdog, welcome to MajorGeeks but please do not drag up a thread that is 19 months old!

 

Hi Mike,

is it also possible to use these stepts when having problems with Symantec Endpoint Protection 11?

In this Anti virus unit i get this process COH32.exe tilting the CPU usage to 100% while COH32.exe running about 5 to 6 processes at a time all named COH32.exe

To all other posts i really appretiate the recommendation to switching Anti Virus units, not every AV unit gives you the proper protection against Viruses. You may seem to be working great but in the long run thats where the propblems starts to really affect your system because you have no view of where it begins and most newer Virusses are not noticeable. Proactive Threat Protection helps to scan possible threats that can lead to more serious problems. NOD32 also has this feature i believe and Mc Afee (however Mc Afee is not a strong AV). That according to what i spectated on the current systems i have running.

 

Hi RedhatJames,

The Enterprise Symantec products such as Endpoint are engineered differently so I'm not sure if the steps I included above would pertain to this issue. I woiuld encourage you to ask this question on the Symantec Forums. They will be able to assist you better. Symantec Connect Forums

Thanks,
Mike