Help removing Norton from new laptop!

Hi guys, just got a new, Compaq Presario CQ60 Laptop but its got a Norton antivirus preloaded on it as a 60 day trial which I still have not activated, I want to load Kaspersky onto it which I am sure will not work unless it's completely gone,(as the laptop is replacing a desktop that I have just tried to get McAfee off of and now have no internet access on thanks to it not fully uninstalling........... aaagggghhhhh) so I have 'googled' how to remove it and have found so many hellish stories of having to compltely restore etc, most forums suggest using the Norton removal tool to get it gone but then I see others have had to start messing with individual 'registry' entries and still having to remove them...... which I don't really feel confident enough to do .....

Has anyone got any suggestions or personal experiences of this problem and how I can tackle it !!!!
Cheers in advance...

format c:

If its brand new, it hasn't got any of your data on and you should have all the re-install disks right?
Just rebuild the fucker, otherwise you could be fucking around with it for days and it will still be fucked.

It hasn't got any disks with it, it's supposed to have a system recovery thing built in without disks and you have to make your own, but had steamed in like the preverbial 'buul in china shop' and loaded itunes and loaded music onto it but thats on a portable drive so guess I can do that again...... if I restore it to factory settings though won't all the programs/rubbish pre loaded still be there ????/ sorry to be a div

As someone has already advised. Format c:\, beg borrow or steal an installation CD/DVD.
Do a fresh install using the windows key that you already have.

Yeah it will, but then you should be able to remove Norton safely before putting anything else on there. AV programs generally uninstall fine, they just don't interact very well with other AV programs, so make sure you have Norton off before you attempt to put anything else on.

Install a copy of Windows XP. I'd assume your new laptop can handle the 64bit version. It'll be much faster.

http://www.mininova.org/search/windows%2Bxp%2Bx64/seeds

screwdriver and hammer™

64bit is nice, but I still had some problems with certain drivers - so maybe not something to go for unless you're an advanced user.

But yes, I forgot that you'd be running vista - bin that shit and install xp, and it will run like shit off a shovel and be a lot more stable.

bloody vista

You can usually pry it out with one of these:

Did you try turning it off and on again?

count to ten too?

crossing fingers....

pressing all the keys used to work for my amstrad

just delete all reference to Norton in the Registry - regedit

Download a little program calle Advanced Windows Care.
Install.
Open and go to "Tools".
Click on startup manager.
Uncheck anything to do with Norton.
Restart. The go to control panel and unistal all orton apps.
Most of the uninstal problems occur when Norton is active.
This method keeps the whole program suite inactive so it can be trashed.

BTW: Avast is a top notch free antivirus that works really well and autoupdates for ever.

T..dl. P.p

Delete System32

Nah but srsly, bit of a thread derail but I have an unopened 3 computer licence version of Norton 360 v2.0 if anyone wants it on the cheap. My dad bought in error and asked me to ebay it but I can't be bothered...

Removing Norton? Just uninstall it - what's the prob?

Removing Norton? Just uninstall it - what's the prob?

Hmm my thoughts exactly !

Removing Norton? Just uninstall it - what's the prob?

+1

By the way essexmirage, you haven't stated your level of computer competence. As hippy has said, most people would just uninstall Norton if they didn't want it. Its McAfee that needs an extra piece of removal software, but Norton should directly uninstall. I recently uninstalled Norton from a friend's computer, and no issues.

Apologies if this is overly obvious:

1. Go to Control Panel
   
2. Go to Programs.
   
3. Go to Prgrams and Features
   
4. Uninstall your chosen program.
   
5. Restart computer and install Kapersky.
   
6. Restart computer again and off you go.
   
   

IF the uninstall did not work, then you will need to force the uninstall.

I also use AVAST, as recommended above by markrjohnson, and its good.

Believe or not there is no uninstall built in to Nortons. Sounds a bit like a virus itsel, doesnt it?

You have to download a tool from the synantec website to remove it. Strange... But true. When I am not on my iPhone, I will post a link. There is no cut and paste on this thing!!

The last version of Norton AV I used had an Uninstall feature.

Well I have an average grasp of whats what on computers but not overly competent, but as I was having such a mare on my other computer I kind of thought this would be the same problem to uninstall, I will have a go at the uninstall route now and see how it goes via the synantec tool and try to install Kaspersky after the restart.......

Download the latest version of Ubuntu and run that- you can run itunes etc withing a virtual machine environment.

No real need for anti-virus then, as the VXers currently don't really bother writing virii for linux.

The last version of Norton AV I used had an Uninstall feature.

Sorry, I meant one that worked.

THe fact that this

http://service1.symantec.com/Support/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2005033108162039

is available means that they know it doesn't work too.

Download the latest version of Ubuntu and run that- you can run itunes etc withing a virtual machine environment.

No real need for anti-virus then, as the VXers currently don't really bother writing virii for linux.

It is not quite as simple as that for a non-geek, is it now?!

It is not quite as simple as that for a non-geek, is it now?!

Just follow GA2G's advice above and that should work.
I had Norton on my comp not long ago and uninstalled it no problem