Norton 360 3.0

[JackSpadesSI]

I've been a long-time Norton user but I have never updated past Norton 2003. That's on the 3 computers we've had for a while: my old desktop, my wife's desktop, and my laptop. We recently got 2.5 new computers: I built a new desktop, my wife got a laptop, and I built a Windows Home Server (that's the 0.5 computer).

My new desktop and my wife's laptop each came with a 90-day trial of Norton Internet Security 2009 which are each nearly expired. The WHS has no security installed, but since it doesn't directly connect to the internet I'm not really sure if it needs any (please correct me if I'm wrong).

Norton 360 3.0 just came out and it is built on NIS 2009 (therefore, supposedly very light and speedy). There is a 3-user and a 5-user pack available. Amazon has the 3-user for $49.99 and the 5-user $124.99 (which is stupid because that isn't proportional at all).

Questions:
Does WHS need its own license of the security software installed?

Do I need licenses for each of the other computers (they're all still used to varying extents) or can I monitor Computer B's files from Computer A's security software?

If I need a license for all 5 computers - can anyone find the 5-user pack cheaper than $124.99?

Finally, can I just disable the built-in backup feature of Norton 360 3.0 (I'll have my WHS be my method of backing up and I don't want Norton 360 3.0 constantly whining that I'm not backed up through its methods)?

As always, MUCH thanks!!!

 

[Red Squirrel]

Norton 360 is actually malware that is made to look like an antivirus. If you installed it already do a full scan with malwarebytes to remove it. You may need to reformat if worse comes to worse.

 

[lxskllr]

Originally posted by: RedSquirrel
Norton 360 is actually malware that is made to look like an antivirus. If you installed it already do a full scan with malwarebytes to remove it. You may need to reformat if worse comes to worse.

Norton 360 isn't the same thing as Antivirus 360. The former is a rather crappy(older version), but legitimate A/V, while the latter is malware.

I've heard good things about Norton 2009. If the new 360 is built off of that platform, it should be good. The older versions were kind of sucky, and I personally wouldn't allow them on my machine.

bsobel should be able to tell you about the licensing if it isn't on their site. The way it works for typical servers is you need 1 license for the server, then 2 licenses for each workstation(1 for the server coverage, and 1 for the station itself). I don't know if this applies to WHS or not.

I imagine you don't have to use the backup. If it can't be uninstalled, you don't /have/ to use it. It'll just take a little more disk space.

 

[JackSpadesSI]

Antivirus 360 is NOT the same thing as Norton 360!!! Norton 360 is a software security suite from Symantec Corporation. Antivirus 360 is, indeed, a malware program. If you don't understand the difference then I would ask you not to comment as if you do.

Norton 360 3.0 is the newest version of their all-in-one suite (just released in the past few days). 3.0 is built on the same platform as Norton Internet Security 2009 - unless their website is lying to me then I'm sure of that.

I agree that older Norton software (such as the 2003 version I've used) is rather bloated, but it isn't awful. It slows system start up, but not much after that. Anyway, it did its job as an antivirus program so I can't really complain.

I'm not concerned with the extra 50 MB of HDD space (or whatever the backup portion would take). I've got a 1 TB HDD, anyway. I also have 4 GB of memory and I've heard claims that the entire suite only takes a small, small fraction of memory to run. What I'm saying is system resources probably won't be the issue...

...I just don't want some stupid pop-up EVERY time I boot my computer that says something like "Your system is at risk. Back up your system right now" if I already have backed it up with WHS.

 

[JackSpadesSI]

lxskllr,

How is it possible that I would need ELEVEN licenses to protect 5 computers and a WHS??? You said two licenses per PC plus one for the server itself.

If that?s the price of security, then count me out! I really don?t see how 5 licenses for 5 PCs wouldn?t protect my network. That would mean that every single internet-accessing PC would protect against incoming viruses or malware.

Would someone please clear this up for me?

 

[lxskllr]

With a business server you pay for the client usage. You have A/V for the server itself, then you pay for each client connected to it(just like the server software). You then pay to have A/V on each workstation locally. WHS may not work this way, but I really don't know.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Software licensing is BS, but that's how it is. McAffee might be a better solution if you have servers, think their licensing is not as bad.