AVG

[Pia]

Originally Posted by jane

preferably without using any of the norton removal tools or registry cleaner as i just seem to make things worse.

Jane i'd use the removal tools if i were you, my friend had the same problem on her pc and she's even worse at techy stuff than me so i sorted it for her using those and it was gone
Best off getting rid altogether and then you know it won't be conflicting with your current AV and also using up your memory/RAM.

[ADd]

What seems to be happening is the registry still has an entry asking Windows to start the Norton Auto-Protect Service. However this message:

The Norton AntiVirus Auto-Protect Service service failed to start due to the following error:
The system cannot find the path specified.

Indicates that the file the registry entry is pointing to no longer exists (you have deleted it). Therefore the error log has been created. Typical of an incomplete uninstall, however if it isn't causing problems, it doesn't look critical. You could go to start>>>run type services.msc browse through the list created and see if there is an entry for Norton Auto-Protect Service. If there is highlight it and right click, choose properties, then under start-up chooses disabled. This should stop the service attempting to startup, and stop the error logs.

[jane]

Originally Posted by ADd

What seems to be happening is the registry still has an entry asking Windows to start the Norton Auto-Protect Service. However this message:

Indicates that the file the registry entry is pointing to no longer exists (you have deleted it). Therefore the error log has been created. Typical of an incomplete uninstall, however if it isn't causing problems, it doesn't look critical. You could go to start>>>run type services.msc browse through the list created and see if there is an entry for Norton Auto-Protect Service. If there is highlight it and right click, choose properties, then under start-up chooses disabled. This should stop the service attempting to startup, and stop the error logs.

thanks, have just done that and then restarted with no error messages in the event log!! yey!!
i wonder if that will be an end to it?

[ADd]

Hopefully, the orphaned entry is still in the registry, but as you have disabled it Windows will 'ignore' it when you start-up.

[jane]

Originally Posted by ADd

Hopefully, the orphaned entry is still in the registry, but as you have disabled it Windows will 'ignore' it when you start-up.

what do you mean "hopefully" that sounds bad lol!! i have turned the pc on and shut it dowm about 3 times and nothing bad has happened!! does that mean im in the clear? what if nortons not in the registry then is that bad? i should think its still there because i cant get rid of the bugger lol

[ADd]

Well you never know.

Norton's entries in the registry are not 'bad' as you have disabled the service in services.msc they are just superfluous. Here a link and quote:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/256986

Description of the registry
The Microsoft Computer Dictionary, Fifth Edition, defines the registry as:
A central hierarchical database used in Microsoft Windows 9x, Windows CE, Windows NT, and Windows 2000 used to store information necessary to configure the system for one or more users, applications and hardware devices.

The Registry contains information that Windows continually references during operation, such as profiles for each user, the applications installed on the computer and the types of documents that each can create, property sheet settings for folders and application icons, what hardware exists on the system, and the ports that are being used.

The Registry replaces most of the text-based .ini files used in Windows 3.x and MS-DOS configuration files, such as the Autoexec.bat and Config.sys. Although the Registry is common to several Windows operating systems, there are some differences among them.
Registry data is stored in binary files.

So the registry tells the OS what to do, and where things are - (plus many other functions). Thus the entry that was giving you problems was 'asking' Windows to start the file, and thus the service. As it wasn't there, an error was produced. In my experience disabling this service is not critical to the Windows OS, and as you have done it the correct way, you should experience no adverse effects, I have many services disabled and no 'crashes' on my System. (though I'm not perfect, so don't quote me).