About two weeks ago I was alerted by my Norton Internet Security Software (NIS) that my subscription was about to run out. I then purchased and downloaded the NIS 2005 product installer. I ran this osfwtare and it hung my system - to the point where I was forced to do a hard boot, basically shut it down and bring it back up.
The system did not come back up, never reaching the point where Windows XP would load, only booting to the point of a memory check and never completing the POST. I rebooted in Safe mode, at which point I was given a choice to RESTORE TO a Previous date, and since the system was effectively non-functional this seemed like a good idea.
Once the system came back up, I found that I had neither NIS 2004 OR NIS2005. Hmm... I was also unable to get to the ineternet or email since the failed install process left "remnants" of NIS2004 and it was attempting to do what it was made to do - protect the system.
I have another computer and I accesed email from there and went to the Digital River site. I found a phone number for support, called and was conneted to someone with a very thick accent named "Kevin"... Yeah. Right. Kevin had the fix for my problem even before I finished explaining it to him. An amazing example of precognative thought... I finally got him to allow me to complete my sentence. At which point he said he was transferring me to "support". Huh? Anyway, the phone rang in my ear for 10 minutes. No one picked up and I hung up.
At this point I figured that I'd email (from my other computer) support. That was SEVEN days ago.in my email I asked that they explain to me how to remove the remnants of their software. I got a response from someone, who said I simply had to Redownload it. I guess they did not read where I stated that I had NO internet access. I wrote AGAIN and got a response from an AUTO BOT which stated I would be contacted in three days or less... Nothing. Nada. I waited and wrote again, this time wording my note using language a tad stronger than the first... Got another message from an Autobot, again stating that I would be contacted in FOUR to SEVEN days. Here I sit. And here I wait. If anyone knows the name of the CEO of this company and his address - I'd *love* to contact him or Her directly.
Thanks for listening.
I have been a customer of Symatic since Peter Norton owned the company. After this ridiculous experience I will find my Antivirus software eleswhere.
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