Removing Norton AV 2004 and other Norton...

Hello! I am not yet a geek but sure trying to fix up my Dad's old computer with Windows 98 and, alas, Norton AV and it also has Norton System Works and Norton Web Services. ack!

Computer is really REALLY slow and does not shut off by itself half the time. I uninstalled some programs that will never be used, and NAV 2004. Except now I get the error messages at boot up that the system is looking for C:\program 2/norton~\savrtpel.vxd... also looking for savrt.vxd and symtdi (or is that a 1?).vxd.

NOW, I still have some Norton folders on the machine. Shall I remove these or will it be looking for even MORE things? Nothing Norton is being used on the computer and I'd like to lose it all, esp. since Norton seems to behave like a virus more than an AV.

Have googled around and know this can be a major thing to get rid of.

Also, I downloaded on my computer (not the '98 which does not have Explorer on it so I can't use DSL connection, nly a dialup), Norton Removal Tool 9x.exe and also IE6setup.exe and cannot run either of these (or am I doing it incorrectly)? The first said it was illegal act, the second was looking for Windows updates and then said something might be wrong with proxy.

If I put these on a CD, and copied them to the computer and clicked the .exe programs, shouldn't they have run? I also tried that from the CD.

I looked thru past posts on removing NAV 2004, but many refer to instructions on Symantec site that are no longer there.

Can you help? I am about ready to give up on this. Some folks tell me it is easier to install XP (I have XP Pro) on this old machine than to deal with Norton removal.

Thanks.

C.

 

Hi! I'm glad to have a reply!

I will try safe mode. But the link you gave me to download athe removal tool-- that's the program I have. And I've gotten all kinds of error messages.

I'm almost ready to give up on Norton since I did delete a few registry keys and most error messages are gone (I was lucky!). Two big problems are when the computer gets to windows, I get that the computer is looking for so and so program... flashlight... and can't get rid of it looking. Is there some way to delete that?

And then the computer sometimes shuts down when it's supposed to, other times I have to pull the plug.

The one program on the CD that worked okay was ccleaner. I ran that. And defragged.

What else... hmmm...Oh! There is no Windows Explorer on it. If it had something like that I could connect to my dsl and could actually get programs downloaded to it rather than thru my computer to CD to that computer <a pain>. I think it had 4.0 (I see a folder but no .exe). Any suggestions on that? Remember this is Windows 98.

Thanks!!

 

Damn!

Forgot that in safe mode you can't view a CD, so I can't run it.

Sheesh, I should have remembered that from Windows Me... and Win 98 is even worse! (no thumbnail photos!)

 

Thanks.

I know version 6.0 does NOT work.

But with that "missing shortcut" message..... is that possible to get rid of without a reinstall? And I don't have discs for Win 98 (my Dad threw em out would you believe?!)

If this thing is too far gone I wonder if I should try installing Win xp Pro (I have a copy but I'm afraid I will screw it up and the computer will do absolutely nothing when I'm done with it).

Any opinions?

Oh, the processor is really weird: an x86 family 15 model 2 stepping 9. Otherwise it apparently has enough memory and 12.5 gigs storage.

How hard is it to install a new OS? <nervous>

 

Hmm, unless that Win '98 rig was high end ATT, I think you would be quite disappointed with XP on there. Just seeing you having a 12.5 GB hard drive in there leads me to think that XP would be a bad idea. It's not worth the cost unless you have an unactivated copy of XP just laying around plus lots of time. Loading an OS is easy, for the most part.

 

Sorry, my response had nothing to do with Norton AV/FW.

 

That's okay... I have multiple problems on this computer.
Yes, I do have a copy of XP Pro and also media center, which I bought on my Dell computer.

Not too hard to load on? I should find directions and be brave and give it a try. <a not brave person>

 

g'day firstly sorry to drop in on augiedoggie but i see you have a bit of a problem,have you tried to run the scan disk function to try and stabilize the system before you try and run the nortons removal tool.it has been a while since i have used win98 but if you switch the computer off with out the normal shut down procedure just turn the power off and turn it back on the scan for errors should automatically start to run.also on the subject of win xp seeing that this is an older pc and with only a 12.5 gig hdd are you sure that it has the ram to run this os.

 

I think the memory was 256.

Yes, it does do scandisk automatically after pulling the plug on it when it starts up.

I also defragged.

Ran ccleaner.

Cannot get a browser on there... it always finds some reason not to run it. With 5.0, I had to move every single file (not the folder) from my computer to CD <sigh>. then it didn't run... was looking for updates it couldn't find.

6.0 gives error messages.

This is why I'm thinking putting on a new system or using it as a doorstop. ;-/ I'm pretty frustrated at this point.