Re-activation of Norton Internet Security

blode

Instead of renewing Norton Internet Security 2003, I bought an OEM NIS 2004 (cheaper than renewing, how stupid is that?). This installed and activated without (major) problems. I used it for about a month then suffered a major HDD failure (thanks IBM). The original installation was on an IBM 160GB SATA and after the failure, as a temporary measure I retrieved backups of my data to a spare 40GB IDE drive which already had XP-pro installed. NIS was installed on there and activated OK. When my new hard disc returned from RMA, I decided to do a completely fresh windows XP home installation on it and transferred data from the temporary HDD using the file transfer wizard. This was achieved without a hitch, win XP re-acivated straight away. I did a fresh installation of NIS but it would not re-activate saying that I must have a pirate copy or something.

WTF is going on? It's the same configuration as before and yet NIS will not reactivate my legitimate copy. Norton customer 'support' just keep telling me that because the old installation is still active, this one is now invalid (a 'pirate' copy as they insultingly put it!). I don't really know what to do from here, my re-activation period is fast running out.

Mike

kryyst

have you tried un-installing norton and re-installing it? I know you used to be able to do that with every version of norton up to 2003 (not sure on 2004) it would then just reset the counter for another year. Most likely a registry is still existing for youer norton install from doing your file transfer. So after you do the uninstall you may still have to go through with regedit and find every existance of Norton IS in it and delete it.

My advice though and it doesn't really help you cause much is to get rid of Norton IS as it's a bloated piece of shit software. The Anti-virus is fine but the pop/spy blocker is bloated as are all the full time monitoring tools that it runs. I've seen noticable slow down on any machine running it as well as numerous problems getting on certain sites or just doing standard file transfers it's a horrible package.

If you want that level of security though there a bunch of free software that does it better and with less CPU power required.

AVG-Antivirus
AD-Aware
Zone Alarm for firewall
and perhaps most importantly (second to anti-virus software)

FIREFOX for your web browsing. If you are using FireFox for your browsing you don't even need any pop-up blocking software as it won't let them through. To make your emails safer you can also use Thunderbird email as it's better then Outlook Express and won't open and run things in the same way OE will.

If however you do want to use IE for browsing at least install Google's toolbar it's the best pop-up blocking that I know of for IE.

kanezfan

you need to call norton support and talk to a supervisor and tell them how useless their support is. for them to accuse you of piracy is ridiculous. and then do as kryyst says, uninstall it and re-install it.

Zuntar

I have never had this problem before; every time I've installed NAV on a new HD it takes without a hitch.

In fact I have one 20G drive in the wifys comp. that was gettin bloated w/ extra crap so I popped my spare 20G in there set up XP w/SP2 loaded NAV 2004 and it set the renewal date due out at a year. I've been running NAV 2004 on that exact PC for over 8 months.

Don't know what to tell you except try what kryyst says or perchance redue it all.

blode

Zuntar wrote:

I have never had this problem before; every time I've installed NAV on a new HD it takes without a hitch.

In fact I have one 20G drive in the wifys comp. that was gettin bloated w/ extra crap so I popped my spare 20G in there set up XP w/SP2 loaded NAV 2004 and it set the renewal date due out at a year. I've been running NAV 2004 on that exact PC for over 8 months.

Don't know what to tell you except try what kryyst says or perchance redue it all.

<rant> Done all that (and that's what Symentec 'support' also said - complete Kafkaesque nightmare. After about 2hours uninstalling, reinstalling, reading incomprehensible messages on the Symantec website and *still* not being able to reactivate I'm just about sick of it all! :-( </rant>

BTW, this is the cr*p I get from Symantec:
"We cannot provide further information about this product.
You may have been the victim of software piracy and could be in possession of counterfeit software. If you believe that this is possible, please send an email to piracy@symantec.com and let us know which product you purchased, your activation/product key, and how and where you bought the product. Any contact information you provide will be kept confidential.
If you would like to purchase a new copy of the product, click here. "

I think my activation period will expire tomorrow - this is stuff I've bought and paid for as well. Symantec customer services stink!

Mike

Zuntar

I'm not sure about what all gets transfered w/ the file transfer wizard, but I just tried that last week myself and was slightly pissed that it copies lots of extra shit that i didn't want or need; driectories and settings that i did not want and it did not tell me it was copying. My point is maybe that transfer is setting you up for fail!! Try a fresh install of XP, then do all the normal hardware driver installs, then do NAV first thing, NOT transfer of files. Thats the only idea that I've got.