How about that XP Service Pack 3?

[joeekaitis]

If you're techie enough, you can get Windows XP Service Pack 3 directly from Microsoft's servers, even though Microsoft took down the SP3 download page and withdrew it from Windows Update. Seems SP3 isn't 100% compatible with Microsoft Dynamics Retail Management System, and if you have to ask "What's that?", you're probably not running it.

So, if you'd like to squeeze a little more performance and stability out of Windows XP and you're confident enough to be your own tech support, have at it. Back up your data files at the very least, or your whole system if you have a big enough external drive, though most users report no problems, including this user.

Oh, and Boot Campers, be sure to visit Apple.com and grab the Boot Camp update. Run it from within Windows before you install SP3.

 

[rp2813]

Hey Joe, since you seem to know about this stuff and XP in particular, what can you tell me about Norton 360 version 2.0? Ever since I followed the prompts to upgrade to 2.0 I have a LOT of trouble getting on line and get knocked off a lot once I'm on, and am having to reboot my PC and cross my fingers that I can regain access. Symantec goes out of its way NOT to provide even a particle of tech support. I am so annoyed.

Ralph

 

[joeekaitis]

Two words:

"Dump Norton."

Seriously. Norton's security software has become bloated and resource-hungry, slowing your system to a crawl and often crashing otherwise harmless software.

I use the free version of AVG (http://free.grisoft.com) on my iMac's Windows XP partition, but if you'd prefer a product with tech support, go with either NOD32 by ESET (www.eset.com) or the retail version of AVG (www.grisoft.com). Avoid Norton like the plague.

 

[rp2813]

Oh, I know. I inherited Norton when I took over my partner's laptop. I'm willing to dump them, which is what I did on my old PC due to their complete lack of customer support. I was advised by a computer guy that NOD32 was really good and he recommended it, and he also said Trend Micro was good. There was some sort of advantage to Trend so that's what I ended up with. Now I'm back to square one with Norton, and I've heard it can be next to impossible to de-install it.

 

[nurdlinger]

AVG

I use the retail version of AVG on two machines, one XP SP2 and the other WIN2K SP4. It is reasonably unintrusive. However, the daily updates often (3-4 out of seven days) require a reboot of the WIN2K system, while the XP system is able to cope without rebooting. This is most annoying because the WIN2K system is often downloading big media files and interrupting that for a reboot causes a lot of wasted time and bandwidth.

 

[joeekaitis]

If you can't completely uninstall Norton, you have only one regrettable and inevitable course of action: Scan your data for viruses, back it up, format, reinstall. Sometimes the cure is as bad as the disease.

 

[redcarpetdrew]

Hold your horses...

It is possible to sh*tcan Norton. Go to www.komando.com (The website for the 'Kim Komando Show' radio talk show). There you will find in her free downloads section a neat little routine to help flush Norton... I've used it and it works. I use AVG free with XP and Zonealarm for the firewall. No problems so far (knocking on wood surface...) .

RCD

 

[rp2813]

Thanks Drew, I am going to check out that site. My laptop has been posessed for about a year, won't go to sleep, won't shut down without a "hard boot" to make it shut off. I'm re-booting a few times a day now and I place all the blame on Norton.

 

[whirlcool]

Norton Really Sucks!

It seems that the past few versions of Norton products have been buggy and appear to be rushed to market before they are fully debugged. I used to run Norton Anti-Virus 2005 and my system had tons of lock ups, freezes, strange behaviour. I finally dumped Norton and went with Kasperski Anti-Virus. It's not a resourse hog like Norton was (man will Norton slow your system down!) and my system reliability went up to 100% of the time!
It's by design of Symantec that it's hard to remove Norton once installed. When I tried to install Kasperski, it refused to install stating that "permission has not been granted". I sent an e-mail to Kasperski and they immediately told me that Norton is still lurking on my system and that I have to get an "secret" uninstall program from Norton to remove it totally. I think activites like this with Symantec should be illegal. I won't ever own another Symantec product as long as I live! They totally ruined the good Norton name.