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Symantec AntiVirus Instructions for Windows

Symantec AntiVirus is the "corporate" version of Norton AntiVirus, and bears no resemblance to the "consumer" version of Norton AntiVirus for Windows. As you can see from the screenshots below, it's very unobtrusive and works quite well.

Download the Installer

Different versions of Windows require different versions of Symantec AntiVirus.  Make sure to download the version that is appropriate for your operating system.

Windows XP & 2000 only: Symantec AntiVirus 10.1 [28.6 MB file]
Windows Vista only: Symantec AntiVirus 10.2 [29.6 MB file]

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Remove Existing Antivirus Software

Symantec AntiVirus will not work properly if another virus scanner is running at the same time. It's best to just completely uninstall any existing antivirus software.  Sometimes these programs are split into several components, so be sure you uninstall them all; for example, all Norton programs use a program called LiveUpdate, which must be removed separately. It's fine to continue using other security programs like Ad-Aware, Spybot, and ZoneAlarm; these will not interfere. However, if you have an integrated security "suite" that combines several functions, like a firewall, a virus scanner, and a spyware scanner (like Norton Internet Security or McAfee Internet Security Suite), you should disable the virus scanning feature of the program.

XP

Vista 

XP

Add or Remove Programs

To remove existing antivirus software in Windows XP navigate to Start Menu > Control Panel > Add or Remove Programs. Then highlight the program to be uninstalled and click the Remove button.

Vista

To remove existing antivirus software in Windows Vista navigate to the The Window start menu now looks like this (Vista's Start Menu). From there go to Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features. Select the program you want to uninstall and click uninstall.

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Run the Installer

Find and double-click the installer program you downloaded earlier.

Symantec version 9 (for Windows XP & below) does not present any options; clicking the Next button will immediately install Symantec AntiVirus with the best settings already configured.

The installer for Symantec version 10.2 (for Windows Vista) does present options during the installation.  First, you'll be prompted to accept the license agreement. From then on, the default options are correct, and you can simply click Next until the installation completes.

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Run LiveUpdate

After the installer finishes, it will start LiveUpdate, the program that downloads the newest virus definitions and program updates for Symantec AntiVirus. Continue clicking the Next button at each screen until it finishes.

If LiveUpdate is not able to download new updates, make sure you're connected to the Internet. If you are, and it continues to fail, contact CUS for assistance -- it's very important that LiveUpdate works properly.

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Schedule LiveUpdates


XP

Vista 

XP

Symantec AntiVirus will now be installed in the Start Menu, in the folder Symantec Client Security. New Scan

Start the program, then from the Edit menu choose New Scheduled Scan. Here you can schedule a time every day or week to run an automatic virus scan. Although Symantec AntiVirus is always running in the background watching for virus activity, it's still a good idea to regularly do a comprehensive scan of your whole computer. Give the scan a name and description, then click Next.

Scan Frequency

On the next screen, pick a convenient time to run the scan, when your computer will be running but you won't be using it. It's highly recommended to run the scan daily. After choosing a time, click Next.

Scanned Drives

On the next screen, check the box next to My Computer, causing all the drives below to be checked also. Then click the Options button, and check the box marked Scan for in-memory threats, click OK, then click Save at the previous screen.

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Vista

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Symantec Antivirus will now be installed ( The Start Menu in Vista>All Programs> Symantec Client Security).  Start the program and from the Edit menu choose New Scheduled Scan. Although Symantec is always active on your computer, a comprehensive once-a-day scan will help things run their smoothest. Choose Full Scan from the set of scan options.

Then click Next. Name your scan something informative like DailyScan and click Next. It's okay to leave the description area alone. Scanning daily will make your world a safer place.

Choose a frequency (we strongly recommend daily to ensure the safest computing experience). Then pick a time when your computer will definitely be on but you won't be using it, say during a night time PE class or even while you sleep (in this case leave it plugged in).

Wrapping Up Installation

Now's a good time to restart your computer. When you restart, a gold shield icon will appear in the System Tray (next to the clock), signifying that AutoProtect is on, which means that AntiVirus is watching for virus activity in the background. However, your computer is not completely protected. You still need to install Ad-Aware and Spybot Search and Destroy, to protect your computer from adware and spyware.

If you have any problems or need assistance, feel free to contact CUS at x7525 or cus@reed.edu.

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