BleepingComputer.com: Norton Problem

Like Dennis H, I downloaded the 2006 Norton security software provided as part of my ISP's service. It's the Yahoo-Norton team-up. It downloaded just fine but I can't get it to activate: the anti-virus and the firewall. It keeps giving me notices, activate now or Norton will stop working. But when I try, it says it can't complete it, try again later. I've been on the phone with tech support from my ISP. They can't help me. I've used the Norton tool to take it all off and put it all back again probably four times. I'm at my wits end and am thinking of just giving up on Norton. I run McAfee on the other family computer and on my laptop.
Any ideas before I give up? I'm afraid I'll be left with no protection at all...

This is probably due to an ActiveX problem. Norton uses ActiveX a lot.

You could spend a lot of time tracing it down but it's simply not worth it. Norton is a resource hog and does not provide a good protection at all. I've seen repeatedly computers devastated by viruses and trojans that had Norton on it. This is mainly because it updates only once a week.

Check out Top Ten Reviews and you'll see that Norton only ranks 7th.

I'd recommend chucking Norton and using something better.

If you decide to get rid of Norton, you can find several Freeware alternatives here:
Freeware Replacements For Common Commercial Apps

Thanks very much. I think I will chuck Norton. Several months back, I had a computer tech company over to help me instal and set up my wireless home network. He discouraged me from using the security packages provided by the ISPs. He said they are simply not that good. He recommended TrendMicro PC-cillin which has a deal if you're buying it for three computers, I think.
Also, are the free security softwares effective enough? Do any of them have a problem working with Firefox which is the browser I prefer. That was part of the problem I had with the Norton security provided by the ISP. I had to make Explorer my default browser in order to download it in the first place.

The help and advice is much appreciated. Great forum!

Everything I use is Freeware, and I haven't had any problems.
My browser of choice is also Firefox, and I use AVG Free for my Antivirus.
All of the programs in that list are recommended by, and tested by, our members.
They're all spyware free.

One more question: if I do use AVG Free, it doesn't have a firewall, does it? I have Spybot Search and Destroy with TeaTimer on and AdAware. What else should I be using for a firewall?
Thanks!

Zone Alarm ( free ), is one of the most popular.

There's also some Firewalls listed at the link I provided above.
Since they're free, try some out and see which one suits you best, but remember to only have one Firewall running at a time.

Looking at AVs and firewalls one is only really dealing with half the problem since sooner or later a malware infection gets in if only because those malware makers now use certain AVs and firewalls as their benchmarks to test their malware. - meaning that you must seriously think, both of how to back up before it happens, and what to do once it has happened. I know a lot of people who, once compromised, are either stuck on a malware removal forum for days(no offence meant here to those who do a great job on this site) or spend hours backing up their systems, looking for drivers, checking for program CDs, etc., before they clean install their os.

In short, don't put too much faith in AVs and firewalls, be prepaired for the worst. - besides, your harddrive can die at any moment without reason and then what good would have all this protection been?