Are there good alternatives to Norton Utilities?

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jonspanos

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May 9, 2006
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I've been using Norton Utilities for many years but I've finally grown tired of the expensive upgrades, paid subscription services, and the system resources it consumes. So this brings me to the question: Are there good alternatives to Norton Utilities?

If I replace Norton here are the things I'll need replacement utilities for:

1) Anti-virus
2) Firewall
3) Disk repair / de-fragmentation
4) Backup


Thank you for your help,
Jon
 
I use Advance System Optimizer and it works pretty well. I use to be a Norton user serveral years ago, but their programs take up so much processing power that my machine always ran slow.

Here is a review of different utilities. Norton came in 6th.

http://pc-system-utilities-software-review.toptenreviews.com/

For Anti-Virus: I recommend AVG by Grisoft. If you search hard enough on their site, you'll see the free version. No subscriptions and always kept up to date.

For Firewall: Free Version ZoneAlarm is very good. I also run this because McAfee wasn't that good and required a subscription.

For Disk Repair: Check the toptenreview site.

For backup: Genie Backup is one of the best.

http://data-backup-software-review.toptenreviews.com/
 
I use Advance System Optimizer and it works pretty well. I use to be a Norton user serveral years ago, but their programs take up so much processing power that my machine always ran slow.

Here is a review of different utilities. Norton came in 6th.

http://pc-system-utilities-software-review.toptenreviews.com/

For Anti-Virus: I recommend AVG by Grisoft. If you search hard enough on their site, you'll see the free version. No subscriptions and always kept up to date.

For Firewall: Free Version ZoneAlarm is very good. I also run this because McAfee wasn't that good and required a subscription.

For Disk Repair: Check the toptenreview site.

For backup: Genie Backup is one of the best.

http://data-backup-software-review.toptenreviews.com/
 
for antivirus use kaspersky antivirus 5.0 personal pro and i have no problems. it is the weapon of choice if i have a system that has already been infected. it costs a little but it's the best. they also make the antihacker firewall.

for firewall i recomend agnitium outpost firewall. it's very good and not too expensive. it's easy to configure too but as with any firewall u got to know what u are doing.

for registry repair and others i use jv16 power tools. it a very powerfull tool and u can do harm as well as good to the system if u leave the predefined settings.

for defargging i use o&o defrag 8. it does a great job.

for security use firefox or opera instead of internet exploder. also a good addition is spybot search & destroy 1.4 wich is free. asahmpoo uninstaller platinum 2.0 is also very usefull.

symantec is bad for ur computer, it hogs ur computer badly and the antivirus and firewall are not so good. i used nsw when i had windows me. when windows xp appered i noticed i had no use for it.
 
Norton and any Symantec producs are garbage. Uninstall everything, any trace of Norton and Symantec. I would use McAfee, it has everything you need. Also, Spybot Search and Destroy. Good luck.
 
McAdware: Just say no... as bad or worse than Norton.

For antivirus/firewall/antispyware: Panda Platinum Internet Security.

Registry repair: I think there are a number of free products that do the job quite nicely. I personally use RegSrub XP... but there are others.

Defrag: Raxco Perfectdisk.
 
I also hate Norton software. It seems to get into everything and slow your computer right down. (ie too resource hungry). It's also is quite expensive when you can do the same thing for nothing. I reccomend AVG (free edition) antivirus as its not resource intensive and does the job. I use Adaware for spyware (Again, very good, and free). I use windows firewall, but do agree that it's too basic. Have a look at this site for some reccomendations;
http://computercleanup.blogspot.com
 
1) Anti-virus - AVG or AVAST, both are light on resources, good detection, and free, Antivir has even better detection but no email scanner is a killer for me.
2) Firewall - With windows updated, I feel Windows XP firewall is sufficient, if your a higher risk online user you should go with zone alarm.
3) Disk repair / de-fragmentation - diskkeeper lite (free & better than standard windows defrag, or try diskkeeper full version for 30 days)
4) Backup - Nero or windows backup
 
Hello everyone,
I am interested in some alternative that can replace a particular instrument from NU suite.
jonspanos has asked:
Are there good alternatives to Norton Utilities?

If I replace Norton here are the things I'll need replacement utilities for:


3) Disk repair / de-fragmentation
Click to expand...

and WilliamT has answered:
I use Advance System Optimizer and it works pretty well.
For Disk Repair: Check the toptenreview site.
Click to expand...

WilliamT, i thought you mean that Advance System Optimizer has a good alternative to replace the Disk Repair instrument in NU.
I got Advance System Optimizer Lite and tried it, but couldn't detect a tool similar to Disk Repair from NU. Its actually the very tool i got Advance System Optimizer for.
I may be wrong, so could you help me, which tool exactly from Advance System Optimizer can replace Disk Repair from NU?
Thanks a lot and regards.
 
I have my personal stuff and 117 customers using Zone Alarm for AV and all types of Malware; and Firewall to boot.

Raxcos' Perfect Disk for defragmentation

BackUpMyPC for Disaster Recovery (I think it's called PC Backup now)

They are all purchased apps.
 
Norton sucks

1. nod32
2. Sygate pro (firewalls don't need updates, so save it 😉 )
3.O&O
4.acronis (just the rescue CD )

nod is light and fast and IMO the best in av (has only 2 processes)

Sygate again light and fast (has only one process)

O&O again light and fast and hands down the best defrager( one process that you can kill if you like, it does not need to run 😉 )

acronis is great for backup, but here is how to use it right, once you install it make a rescue CD and then you can uninstall acronis and just boot of the CD and backup from there, for best results with backups you need to do it before windows boots anyways 😉

you list is missing some thing important, and this a good anti spyware, that would be spysweeper. SS is the only one that is good out there, the rest of them don't pickup everything ss gets and it has no false positives, spybot and adaware are a joke next to it and so are all the other anti spyware.

I'm telling you all this after extensive testing, I have my own freeware website and all I do all day is test software, and I do test shareware also.;

which BTW allt he apps I have listed are shareware (cost money)
 
What I use:

1. Anti Virus: None
2. Firewall: Zone Alarm 3.7
3. Disk repair/Defragmentation: Windows XP default, plus Pagefile defrag
4. Backup: Norton Ghost 2003
5. Spyware/adware: None (Adaware SE if necessary)
6. Registry Cleaner: Registry Mechanic
7. Browser: Firefox 1.5

Haven't had an issue in a long time.
 
I'm telling you all this after extensive testing, I have my own freeware website and all I do all day is test software, and I do test shareware also.
Click to expand...
Hi edklite
Seems like no one can help me with my question. And since you say you really test lots of tools you might be able to help me with finding a tool specifically to replace the Disk Repair from Norton Utilities.
I already have made my choice for all other tools to replace Norton.
Thanks a lot in advance.
 
dist repair comes with xp you don't need an external there really isn't anything one disk repair can do that xp or others can't 😉
 
I'll give you a break, Ed, and answer that one.

Right-click your "C" drive - Properties - Tools - Error Checking - check both boxes and reboot.

The utility called Chkdsk will run and take (depending on disk size) 35-75 minutes.
 
I'll give you a break, Ed, and answer that one.

Right-click your "C" drive - Properties - Tools - Error Checking - check both boxes and reboot.

The utility called Chkdsk will run and take (depending on disk size) 35-75 minutes.
Click to expand...
Thanks a lot pscowboy, a useful tip for me.
 
Hey, what do you know? I'm sick of SystemWorks too. Glad to know I'm not alone.... Norton has come a long way as a brand, seemingly by shedding all the great utilities that made the Norton name known in the first place.

I'm really looking to replace just some of the Norton Utilities bits. Mostly the registry cleaner (which has been a little brain dead last few versions) and the CleanSweep was kind of handy but not irreplaceable.

If you're on NTFS, chkdsk will do the trick in place of disk doctor for file allocation issues; unlike for FAT filesystems, Norton has little to no extra capability over chkdsk. Gotta love journaled filesystems. Spinrite is much better at detecting bad blocks.

Someone in this thread suggested Diskkeeper, and I'm glad 'cause I couldn't recall the name. They had defrag for NTFS back in the days of NT 3.5.1 / beginning of NT 4.0 and they really knew what they doing then.

I should also plug F-Prot from Frisk -- I was downloading their signatures from the Internet when they were connected via 14.4k modem (1992 or so). After the norton real-time protection failed to work, reinstall, or uninstall properly from my son's computer, I downloaded the lastest windows version and it's lightweight and full-featured as it ever was.

I'm using Windows Defender for spyware, but I'm beginning to have my doubts as to its effectiveness. And I have no need of firewall since I have a broadband router/firewall combo and it pretty well locks us down ok.

hth and thanks to all those in this thread with the other good suggestions, plugs, and areas for exploration.
 
Perfect Disk is much better than Diskeeper.

Registry cleaner I like is RegSupreme Pro - only $17. Only use it in Normal mode - don't overclean.

I remember F-Prot from the old W95 days. Was a good product then too.
 
Perfect Disk is much better than Diskeeper.
Click to expand...
I am really interested to know why? Can you please comment on that? cause I've heard Diskeeper is a monster in defragmentation tools world.
Which defragmentation tool is the best in general?
Thanks.
 
I used to laud Diskeeper until I personally tried Perfect Disk - loved it. At the time (2 years ago) it allowed an offline defrag of system files & swap, which Diskeeper did not.

PD has since gone on to be rated the best by virtually all the comp magazines - PC Mag, PC World, etc.
 
I used to laud Diskeeper until I personally tried Perfect Disk - loved it. At the time (2 years ago) it allowed an offline defrag of system files & swap, which Diskeeper did not.

PD has since gone on to be rated the best by virtually all the comp magazines - PC Mag, PC World, etc.
Click to expand...
Sounds convincing.
 
Try O&O defrag it blows both of them away 😉
Click to expand...
You seem very sure that this programs is the best out there. How about this offline defrag of system files, hibernate & swap files? Does O&O defrag offer defragmentation for them?
Thanks.
 
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