Unfortunately this or a quite similar question is common here on the Forum. May I suggest you type anti virus in the search engine near the bottom of the homepage. Numerous threads will appear for your review. If you have time you might want to do the same inquery with spyware.

If any answers you seek are not located there you will find many fine members who would be more than glad to help you.

DA

Well first off list for us the make, model and age of your computer and what operating system.

Next list for us the full name of your anti spyware programs. Is 'Spybot' really 'Spybot Search & Destroy' or has it a similar name but is really rogueware? Same with AdAware, is this AdAwareSE or AdAware2007.

When was the last time you updated the definitions for Norton, Spybot or AdAware? When was the last full scan done by any of those programs. Has your Norton subscription epired?

What firewall ae you using?

Seems like you have serious troubles with your computer so please give us as full a set of details as you can so we can offer better solutions.

It's a Dell Dimension 8300 desktop, running XP. It's about 6 years old maybe.

I have Spybot Search & Destroy and Ad-Aware 2007.

My Norton automatically updates the definitions. I'm not sure when it last updated, I haven't looked lately, but it's always been up to date in the past. My subscription has not expired.

The last time I updated my AdAware or Spybot was last week.

I dont have a firewall program, just whatever my computer came with.

You probably should try one of the online virus scans.
One I use from time to time is microsofts Safety.Live.com

Seems to take about an hour here to complete.

As always an excellent guide to refer to when you have security questions.
http://www.dslreports.com/faq/8463

in addition to running the online virus scans you probably want to run this online antispyware scan.

Here is a link that might be useful: scan

I was able to download AVG virus scan. It took 6 hours to scan and still never finished. I ended up stopping it because it was running really slow, I thought it was hanging up.

I did get my Norton to open though (after another reboot, which I'd previously tried) and it's running a full scan now. It did find 2 more viruses (trojan.metajuan and trojan.vundo) and was able to repair them after initially saying it couldn't. Previously it found a trojan.killAV virus and repaired it too. I have no idea what all these trojan viruses are.

I'll see what my Norton comes up with after it runs a full scan but I'll also look into some of the other online scans too.

Steph - you should never have two anti-virus programs installed and running at the same time.

I have had great luck with AVG Free.

I dumped Norton a couple years ago and have been problem free ever since. It took some work to completely get Norton removed from my system.

My computer is about the same age as yours - and it ran SO much better after getting rid of Norton. It is so much faster with picture editing and scrapbooking!!

I didnt know that you shouldn't have 2 programs installed and running simultaneously. Why is that?

I'm starting to hear all kinds of bad things about Norton...what's wrong with it?

Until I can get the AVG to scan completely I dont want to get rid of Norton. It ran over 6 hours scanning and never did finish. It just bogged down my system.

You need to uninstall one or the other.
AVG from control panel,
Or Norton by downloading and running nortons current uninstaller for your version on norton from symantex.

Most likely AVG and Norton are having a conflict and thats why AVG was taking so long.

Once you get down to one or the other working propertly, if you then still show any virus run the virus program while started up in safe mode.

Here is a link that might be useful: Norton Uninstall info

Absolutely Never have 2 anti-virus programs on the pc at once. Norton is a resource hog it just really uses a lot of resources and I had so many conflicts with it I dumped it years ago. When you do a complete uninstall of Norton then put on AVG or some other program you will be able to get it to run properly but likely not till then. You definitely need to use the special tool put out by Norton to remove their products because they are so embedded in the pc and registry it takes that to get most of it out.

Now with anti-spyware programs you can run several on the pc at the same time. Not have them scanning at the same time but you can actually have them on the pc together.

There are members here on the Forum who promote multiple AVs. They present their position as having one enabled and the other configured for on demand. I support the single AV idea as it reduces even the chance of conflicts.

When I purchased my new Vistam system last Spring I had early troubles with Norton. I removed it the second day even though in the past I found prior versions of Norton to be quite reliable. Yes, it took a while but I was successful with the removal and I replaced it with AVG.

"Now with anti-spyware programs you can run several on the pc at the same time. Not have them scanning at the same time but you can actually have them on the pc together."

I wish to clear this comment up so not to confuse any newer member. Multiple antispyware applications can be "installed" on a system. Most by default, though some by user configuration. only "run" on-demand. Thus, no conflict.

DA

Try disabling Norton then running AVG. If you decide to eliminate Norton - go to the Symantec site to get the tools that remove it completely from your system.

Are you using Internet Explorer? What version.

Do you keep your Windows Updates current? That is very important.

What are your security settings if you are using IE? I have mine set on Medium and I have my Windows Pop Up blocker turned ON. I also use Google Toolbar with and have the PopUp stopper enabled on it.

I use AdAware to do Spyware scans - but really don't have to much trouble.

Steph, I also had many problems with Nortons and removed it a couple of years ago by using the special tool at Norton's website. It was the only way I could get rid of it. I then downloaded AVG and things have been running smoothly ever since.

If my memory serves me correctly you cannot totally disable Norton by right-clicking on the application icon in the System Tray. To totally disable the application a user must go into Task Manager to disable multiple entries.

If you decide to remove Norton, please use the previously reported tool. Then if you have no other Symantec products installed do a START>Search using the terms Norton and Symantec individually. Right-click and delete any appearing orphaned files.

A RegEdit using the terms individually and deleting any appearing entries would also be a good idea.

From my experience, I found several cases of flotsam.

DA

Hi Guys,

Me again,i looked up the AVG just as you recomended,there were so many to choose from, how do i know if i will get the right one and not a rogue as you mention?

Thanks Carol

Maybe look Here
Above the downlad buttons are prices... pick the Free one.

Here is a link that might be useful: Free.Grisoft.com

Just follow this>
this is the page for the free AVG anti-virus

http://free.grisoft.com/doc/downloads-products/us/frt/0?prd=aff

do not click on the orange download button go to the one in blue right below that which says AVG 7.5 Free for windows, select that one to download

You will want to go to this tutorial and read it well, it tells you step by step what to do and how to do it, at the bottom of each page there is a link to the next tutorial click that to continue on with your AVG instructions This has great pictures so you will know exactly what to expect step by step! Be sure you save that link so that you can refer to it in the future. Ok.

http://www.top-windows-tutorials.com/free-avg.html

a few posts up mikie gave you the link to the Norton Uninstall info do that BEFORE you install and use the AVG.

I gave you all the directions and links on your thread.
http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/comphelp/msg0414211614082.html?12

all you have to do is just go look at them. There are step by step tutorials telling you exactly what to do and how to do it.

ok, thank you ravencajun.looking now.

Carol

I had Norton and was constantly plagued with its technical problems and viruses. Finally, when Norton refused to update itself even though I had a valid subscription I gave up and went with AVG. AVG was okay but itÂs very hands-on and geared more toward the advanced user. I finally went with Avira which is mostly set-it-and-forget-it. That along with Firefox and Zone Alarm have kept me virus free for more than a year.

Get rid of Norton, nothing but a big problem in itself, and I have 2 Av's running for years, NP...I use AVG and Avast both Free and work great together!!! Norton is like a virus it takes over your PC and really meees it up, while protection Suks!