Norton PC Checkup Tool

from JoeUser Forums

 

Hey… Doc loves a freebie, especially a good one that’ll point out shortcomings in security and performance.

So, it’s taken Symantec years to rehabilitate its name, and I read a review that really amazed me: Not in a good way either.

AnandK (a regular reviewer at The Windows Club) wrote a review of this free tool made by Symantec, which you can read here:

http://www.thewindowsclub.com/trust-norton-pc-checkup-tool

In short, not good at all: It finds “false” threats (regular, simple cookies), and doesn’t detect your own security software (if, I hope you have installed) and tells you that you are vulnerable. It’s suggestion to fix this? You guessed it: Buy Norton software.

It also tells you your PC performance is poor. Maybe, but AnandK is a fiend with his computer. He reviews suites and MS solutions regularly, and I believe him when he says his machine is lean and mean. He also made numerous restore points which the “diagnostic” software didn’t detect. Well, maybe it only detects Norton made restore points. If so, what’s the point?

So, Norton PC Checkup is at worst “scareware” and at best “adware”: 11.5 Megabytes of it.

Avoid it. Doc rates it two thumbs down. Maybe they’ll fix it, but its rep is shot.

If you want a good tool, try Secunia's, here:

http://secunia.com/vulnerability_scanning/personal/

To those celebrating, Merry Christmas from me to you and yours!

40,365 views 20 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top

If I even thought of using Symantec software, I would need a checkup!  ;P

Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Agreed.

Galactic Civilizations III
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I too agree, Norton is horrible security. It's a shame companies actually sell this poop to consumers.

Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I gave Norton the boot soon after setting up my Toshiba. MSE, Threatfire, MalwareBytes plus some clean up utilities like CCleaner and Glary Utilities. Don't need more than that.

Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting roflmfaoo, reply 3
a shame companies actually sell this poop to consumers
End of roflmfaoo's quote

Actually this is free. It's just not worth it. ;)

Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I was talking about Norton as a whole product but yes even free it's still not worth it. :) Merry Christmas to all.

Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting DrJBHL, reply 5
Actually this is free. It's just not worth it.
End of DrJBHL's quote

LOL

Is anything Norton 'worth it'?

Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Knew someone would catch it. Their Internet Security Suite is ok. Each vendor has its ups and downs... taking the long view? I try to win free software when I can. :)

Quoting Jafo, reply 7
Is anything Norton 'worth it'?
End of Jafo's quote

Yup... Ed Norton, "The Honeymooners" (Art Carney).

Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top

They are making it hard to go back, once bitten ...

Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Even freebies should work. Mine do and if Norton was half as good as they claim to be ...well we all know the answer to that one.

Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top

actually Norton products are not as bad as described. Im neither do commercial for them also im not trying to protect the product current bad status but i was using Norton back in 2008 and it was one of the safest security options you could have as a total unfamiliar www user. Back then it was a quality product that  was under the top 3 places in security solutions.And it always have been that way that shareware wasnt as good as the full software licence ( any Norton user knows ) The worst part is that Norton got slower and slower with each new version...But there is even worse than Norton...much worse Even if i dont agree completely on the article i thank you for warning others to keep them from filling the recycle bin more and more with unusefull products that only are sufficiant when it becomes a full product.

Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Here's irony for you...

I clicked on the first link link in the story to check out the review and it opened up a fake antivirus attack.

The irony in this is look what stopped it...

 

At this moment I'm pretty happy I have Norton's Internet Security on this machine, else I would be spending the day cleaning up the fall out from the attack.

Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I don't understand how it did that, CarGuy1. I check links before posting. I just checked it again. Led to the article I described.

I'd like to hear from people who don't have Norton on their machines where the links lead them.

My MSE, Threatfire, WOT and Bitdefender give no such warnings...

Quoting CarGuy1, reply 12
At this moment I'm pretty happy I have Norton's Internet Security on this machine, else I would be spending the day cleaning up the fall out from the attack.
End of CarGuy1's quote

If it were a true warning. Another Moderator has checked this and has not found what your Norton did. He does not use Norton.

Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top

The link took me to the article also. This on my XP laptop which has NO A/V installed......and I'm still alive!!

I trust Doc's links, I can't say the same for Norton. ;)

Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Which link? All the ones I see are ads. I'm curious to see if mine can pick up what CG's did.

Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top

OP in blue.

Reply #17 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Yup .... that one went to the article.

Reply #18 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting CarGuy1, reply 12
Here's irony for you...

I clicked on the first link link in the story to check out the review and it opened up a fake antivirus attack.

The irony in this is look what stopped it...
End of CarGuy1's quote

Ya how Ironic Symantec's Norton Internet Security would flag a legitimate web page like the Windows Club as containing malware.  Especially since it was critical of a Symantec "Free Tool" that misleads consumers.

Symantec's Norton products consistently did 2 things to me that caused me to never again have their products. 

They without my consent used my card number to change my renewal "option" to autorenew.  I had to on two separate occassions deal with them on that one.

Their "Internet Security" software would always seem to find severe threats starting about 90 days before renewal time. 

Reply #19 from WinCustomize Forums Top

True. On the first laptop I had I let Norton run its course. Here's more irony for you. The trial period was supposed to be for 90 days, said so on the ad, but lapsed after only six weeks. During the last week I was inundated with all kinds of nasties Norton said was on my machine. After uninstalling Norton and running MalwareBytes and Threatfire and MSE ...... nothing!