Windows 7 start up time

[PeterBJ]

To completely remove Norton products from your computer you will have to download and run the Norton Removal Tool.

 

[stratman]

Norton Removal Tool has worked for me in the past.

I use Total Unistall 6 when I install apps. It creates a record of all changes done during the install (and even during version upgrading) making removing of all the bits and bobs leftover by some programs own uninstall routine as easy and a mouse click. Ashampoo Uninstaller is another good utility of the same type. The reason I went with Total Uninstall was due to TU being able to easily follow and complete the install AFTER a reboot that some apps want. If you install and uninstall apps then either of these two utilities can be quit useful.

Norton's used to be bloatware. Symmantec rewrote the code a few years back and it has worked smoothly on both my Win XP Pro desktop, Win XP notebook, and now my Win 8.1 desktop. The other security suite I'd recommend is ESET NOD32. Kaspersky is well regarded and can be had free after rebate in the USA. That is how I got my Norton for several years.

 

[PeterBJ]

I guess one of the uninstaller programs should be installed as the first program after installing OS and drivers? Else they cannot keep track of changes to the registry made when installing programs. So I guess it will be of no use to install them to get rid of a problematic program, that won't uninstall properly?

 

[stratman]

I guess one of the uninstaller programs should be installed as the first program after installing OS and drivers? Else they cannot keep track of changes to the registry made when installing programs. So I guess it will be of no use to install them to get rid of a problematic program, that won't uninstall properly?

The uninstaller app is best to be installed shortly after installation of the operating system for optimal usage. However, whenever you begin to use the uninstaller app you will notice its utility if you think an app like this would be of use to you.

Total Uninstall 6 is able to differentiate between "monitored" app that were installed using TU and those apps that were not monitored during installation. TU can "analyze" and then assist in uninstallation, by what mechanisms and to what degree I do not know as I do not utilize this function. But it is there and may improve on uninstallation. I do not know.

The other way to get around this obstacle of having installed an app without using TU is to uninstall the app the conventional way then reinstall the app to the same location on your hard drive using TU and then uninstall the app using TU. Cumbersome but may fill the gap for your needs.

Exactly how good is TU, or other similar app, can be loosely determined by installing a program using TU, uninstalling the program the conventional Windows way and then using TU to "uninstall" the program again. Since TU keeps logs of what it does, both in the installation and uninstallation processes, you can easily determine if TU cleaned out more stuff than the conventional uninstall routine. This process could be applied to Norton programs after using their uninstall app.

If you really wanted to compare these uninstall applications then you could, for instance, use Ashampoo Uninstaller to install and then uninstall a program THEN use Total Uninstall to do the same procedure. Comparing the two logs of what was monitored on the installation and the uninstallation would provide insight into which uninstaller performed better for that specific application. Free trials of both of these apps are available.