norton security scan

jhe

hi, i would be grateful if anyone can advise me as i am not a confident computer user. i have in the past had had several viruses on my computer that i have found myself by running a full system scan. however for the last few months when running the scan it jumps from scanning4000 items to 7500 items which i think is the part were it is scanning for viruses. i have tried disabling system restore and running the scan in safe mode and it still jumps between the 4000 and 7000 items.i have had an online chat with norton but after several questions i was told i needed to pay £70 for their technical services, i refused as i said if it is infected with a virus i am not prepared to enter my bank details apart from the fact i am not willing to pay it anyway. i then got a phone call from a very insistent man from norton who wouldnt take no for an answer until i got a little annoyed with him. i have tried running online scans off the internet that i have read about on mse and no virus shows up. can anyone please advise me why the scan jumps between these items as it didnt use to do this. thanks

bob_man_uk

virus programs usually scan inside archives as well as hidden system folders, I have noticed on older programs it usually jumps about 600-100 items when it runs into system cab files it realises it can scan inside them. i think newer ones scan them before starting so it knows how many folders/files there are....

Im sure a lot of people will tell you to not use norton, the fact they got very pushy over a sale says it all too. Personally, i'd go for avast, if you feel like you want something with a bigger name, barclays give kaspersky if you have an account and HSBC give mcafee.

jhe

thanks bob. as i told norton i will be using a different security in future, i have used norton for years and have bought a subscription every year off them as this was what i got when i bought my first computer. i still have 4 month left on the subscription. it has always jumped the items as you say 60-100. but never over 3000 items at a time as its doing now. the scan sometimes stops at 8000 items saying scan completed. i then have to keep repeating the scan for it to run fully. maybe i am concerned over nothing but i am a bit paranoid after finding viruses in the past. thanks for your reply

bob_man_uk

im sure this is just one of the many foibles you can add to the list of "whats wrong" with norton/symantec

there are lots of alternatives out there, just wait till your subscription expires or take the leap and drop it now... i wonder if you get as persistent as the guy who rung you, will you get your money back :P

jhe

thanks bob. i wont be contacting norton again {i couldnt understand a lot of the conversation with the man who phoned had to keep asking him to repeat himself, so i would probably be on the phone all night if i was asking for a refund!} i will just learn by my mistakes and take my custom elswhere. think i might have to get another internet security installed as i dont trust norton security, not 100% sure if there is a virus on my computer as it runs seems to be running slow and sometimes unpredictable, not a major issue most of the time, but maybe a different security would set my mind at rest.thanks again