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Troubleshooting Problems

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This section contains information about various issues that have been found with the Symantec antivirus products distributed by NC State University. We list solutions to many problems, and explanations for common errors. If you have a question that isn't answered on this page, please contact the NC State Help Desk for assistance.

Topic sections:

 

Uninstalling Symantec Antivirus Products

 

Using Antivirus Uninstall Cleanup Utilities (Symantec CleanWipe and Norton Removal Tool)

  • What is the Symantec CleanWipe utility?
    CleanWipe is a Windows-only utility provided by Symantec Corporation to clean up debris left by incomplete uninstallations of corporate Symantec AntiVirus and Norton AntiVirus, such as those provided by NC State. It can also delete incomplete or failed installations of these products. It completely erases any trace of SAV or NAV from a computer.

  • What is the Norton Removal Tool?
    Norton Removal Tool is a Windows-only utility provided by Symantec Corporation to clean up debris left by incomplete uninstallations of consumer Norton antivirus products (Norton AntiVirus, Norton Internet Security, Norton 360, etc.).

  • What is the NoNav cleanup utility?
    NoNav an older removal tool formerly provided by Symantec Corporation. It is no longer being used.

  • Why does NC State recommend using a cleanup utility after uninstalling a Symantec antivirus product?
    Symantec's uninstallation programs will occasionally leave behind debris on your Windows computer, such a files and configuration information. These leftovers can cause problems when you try to install or use other Symantec products, such as the Symantec antivirus software provided by NCSU. Using a cleanup utility will help to insure that your computer will not have trouble when it's time to upgrade your antivirus protection.

  • How do I use the CleanWipe utility to clean up after uninstalling an NCSU-provided version Symantec AntiVirus?
    See our Using the Symantec CleanWipe Antivirus Removal Utility page, which provides step-by-step instructions.

  • How do I use the Norton Removal Tool utility to clean up after uninstalling a consumer version of a Norton AntiVirus product?

 

Problems with Virus Definitions

  • How can I find the date of my virus definition file?
    See our page on Virus Definitions Date, which explains this topic in more detail.

  • How do I fix a corrupted virus definitions file in Windows?
    See our page on repairing corrupted virus definitions, which offers two different methods for repair.

  • In Symantec Endpoint Protection 11, my Proactive Threat Protection definitions are stuck on Wednesday, July 30, 2008 r1. Is this a problem?
    Symantec Corporation claims that this issue is "cosmetic." However, NCSU OIT has created a utility to clean up this issue.

 

Windows Specific Issues

  • A message saying "Symantec AntiVirus Auto-Protect is Disabled" pops up on my screen. What does this mean?
    This usually means that the Symantec virus definitions stored on your computer have become corrupted. Learn more about repairing corrupted virus definitions.

  • In my system tray, there is a red "NO" symbol on top of the Symantec shield. What does it mean?
    This can mean that the Symantec background virus scanner has been disabled. To enable it, right-click on the Symantec AntiVirus shield icon and choose "Enable Auto-Protect." If the red "NO" circle is still present after a few seconds, try rebooting your computer in Safe Mode and run a complete antivirus scan.

  • How do I boot my Windows computer into Safe Mode?
    Please see our page on Safe Mode, which explains this topic in more detail.

  • How do I tell how much RAM I have in my Windows computer?
    Please see our page on determining your amount of RAM.

  • How can I tell if my Windows computer has a firewall?
    See Do I Have an Active Firewall?

  • I'm using the built-in Windows firewall. How do I set it up for Symantec AntiVirus?
    See Setting up the Built-in Windows Firewall for Symantec AntiVirus.

  • I'm using a different firewall, not the built-in one for Windows. How do I set it up for Symantec AntiVirus?
    See Setting up Another Firewall for Symantec AntiVirus.

 

Mac OS X Specific Issues

  • I installed Symantec AntiVirus 10.1 on my Mac, but the Symantec menubar icon is gone, and the antivirus preferences are missing in System Preferences. How can I get them back?
    Symantec left out these options in the 10.1 version of Symantec AntiVirus for Mac OS X. They can be installed using a separate program (see our solution for details).
    Note: We recommend using newer versions of Symantec AntiVirus. SAV 10.1 for Mac OS X is no longer current, and will be discontinued in the future.

 

Other Troubleshooting

  • I installed new antivirus software without uninstalling my previous antivirus software, and now my computer is slow or I'm seeing error messages. What can I do?
    You should use only one antivirus software product at a time. Go to the Download Free Antivirus Now page. Select the most appropriate link for your operating system and follow the instructions for removing all the extra antivirus programs from your computer.

  • How can I tell whether my Symantec Antivirus is actually running?
    See the page on checking Symantec Antivirus activity.

 

Page last modified December 5, 2008 by helee2