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(More customer reviews)Something happened with this release for Norton System Works (2004) (the 2004 version of "Internet Security" also had similar problems). This is the fourth version of SystemWorks that I have used and it has always been a favorite. It has saved my system on more than one occasion, and makes disc clean up a snap. The antivirus feature is phenomenal, and is regularly updated. I think their antivirus software was one of, if not the best, on the market.
Well, no more. This version along with Internet Security 2004, are beyond hope. They are a royal pain to install, and don't function properly once finally installed -- if you can install them at all.
Symantec dropped the ball with this version. Why they brought this to market is beyond me. First, it serious, serious installation problems. Back in May 2004, when I first reviewed this, it had taken me over 16 hours to install and run. Since then, I have had one problem after another.
To say that it is "buggy" would be the world's most profound understatement. Almost from the beginning, LiveUpdate would not function. First, it failed whenever connecting to get updates. When I finally got it working, it only worked properly for many a month. The next problem was that it didn't recognize all the installed components, so it would not update them, most notably and importantly, virus definitions. Without this important feature, both SystemWorks and Internet Security are all but useless. Without updated virus definiations, your PC is also at serious risk!
Norton Ghost, which is included with this professional version, also had a glitch that Symantec doesn't yet have a fix for, and apparently their techs haven't been able to recreate. Their only solution at the moment is the annoying time consuming uninstall/reinstall (which doesn't always work). The Symantec site has some fixes, and a web tool that can analyze whatever Symantec product you have installed, and tell you about some possible fixes. It's a nice feature, and very useful, but not perfect. So far, it hasn't fixed the Ghost issue. I received a message that I had an older version of Ghost and it referred me to their update page when I had just installed their latest version of it! I tried to "Ghost" my hard drive only to have it fail just before it completed. Another failure and feature that refuses to work.
Once installed, however, some of the functions do work OK (disk doctor, One Button Checkup, and WinDoctor). These tasks are faster and easier than in prior versions, and I found the menu to be much more navigable. But this doesn't make up for it's innumerable other short-comings.
The other annoyance with this that you have to remove every single remnant of previous version of Norton SystemWorks before you installs this. Warning! The Windows "remove program" feature does not do a good job of this, and neither does Norton's own removal program. A lot of "fragments" were left in the Registry, and it the Norton system folders. Their website had a download that helped remove those, although I had to manually remove a good number of files from the "Programs" directory. If you have an older version of "Internet Security" installed, you may also need to remove it as well before proceeding with SystemWorks install. You also need to go in and MANUALLY remove many Symantec files from the REGISTRY. (Intructions for doing so are on Symantecs website.) Even this, however, did not solve my problems. As of October, 2004, these products are NOT working and I'm ready to demand a refund from Symantec.
I just uninstalled SystemWorks and Internet Security for at least the fifth time due to funtionality issues. Once again it won't reinstall, even with online and email assistance from Symantect Technicians.
The best thing to do with this version, is to leave it on the store shelf. It doesn't work, and will cost you an enormous amount of your time, not to mention your hard earned dollars.
Personally, I may never buy Symantect products again. And that's a shame. They use to be so useful and neceesary. No longer. Avoid this product at all costs.
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