I’ve found an anti-virus so good it crashes your system on the reboot after install, and, and, and, then when you try and uninstall it leaves little bits of the program that continue to screw up your system and mess with your head in the process.
CA Internet Security Suite – STAY CLEAR OF THIS TIME WASTING PIECE OF (censored) APPLICATION. I was given a copy from a JV partner who told me that I needed to change my anti-virus suite. Although I was really happy with my anti-virus software (NOD32), this particular associate is an IT professional and I believed he had my best interests at heart. For the record, I still don’t doubt the fact he was looking out for me.
So I installed the application last night and changed a few settings so my computer would automagically scan overnight. When I got up this morning the scan had hung. Odd…so I rebooted it and it was like all over red rover after that.
Eventually, I got…let’s say annoyed…and went to uninstall it. HA! That would have been too easy! Anyways, I followed all the very polite uninstall prompts (I swear they’re there to lull you into a false sense of relief) and did the reboot as it so politely asked me to do. Then….nothing…and more nothing…and you get the idea. I stuffed around with this (censored) application for about five hours. Why? Because the computer would no longer boot! As in it killed my computer!
Ok, so it temporarily killed my computer. I FINALLY got it to boot into safe mode (THANKS KIRSTY!!!), CA Internet Security STILL wouldn’t uninstall in “Safe Mode”. I figured this was really annoying and then rebooted it again thinking that if it booted in safe mode it was likely to boot normally again…HA!
This went on for a while longer and I eventually got CA Internet Security uninstalled—or so I thought. I went to browse and I had CA Parental Controls telling me the page I was trying to view was “unauthorised". I tried a few other sites that I know are “safe” sites and the same deal. So the saga continued and I’ll cut the chase. I finally got hold of CA Internet Security’s technical support (who were wonderful btw) and they sent me instructions to remove the offending hanger-oner. I did have to go back into safe mode and run VB scripts to kill it but all is fixed. (If you’re having the same issue here are the instructions they sent me).
Lessons learnt:
- If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. NOD32 is a kick ass product and I should have never messed with another anti-virus. And I highly recommend NOD32! (It uninstalls happily when you ask it to [not that I will ever do that again]. It obviously has no inferiority issues)
- Just because someone recommends your change something doesn’t mean it’s the best thing for you. Refer point 1.
- Having a sister who is a bigger geek than you is VERY useful. THANKS KIRSTY!!
- Calling the technical support line isn’t admitting failure! And they’re generally very nice after they’ve run you through the hoops and realise you actually have a problem worth their attention. It also means you don’t waste a whole day trying to fix something they might have resolved faster…although I did spent a few minutes going "yep, I tried that", "yep, done that too".
- Call technical support early. There is no point being stubborn…(yep, I did say that) and if you can’t Google the answer because the stupid software application has blocked you out of your own browser then call the support number…it’s not worth wasting a day to have the little bit of satisfaction of resolving it yourself.
Special mention to Ambika Kantharajan who works on the CA Internet Security Suite help desk. You offer FANTASTIC customer service and it was the saving grace of my experience with your company. Keep up the good work hon, you’re awesome!
Over the last decade Lesleigh Ross has been leading project and change teams in complex delivery environments and transformation projects across public, private and not-for-profit sectors.
Leigh is highly skilled in industry best practice methodologies and frameworks which is demonstrated through her ability to deliver quality business outcomes across ‘green fields’ and recovery projects and programmes.
As a ‘digital native’ Leigh believes delivering innovation in business is only possible through collaborative project design where the business and technical teams work hand in hand. A geek in her own right Leigh is able to “degeek the geek” and facilitate effective engagement through all stages of project delivery.
Leigh is the current Queensland Lead for the Change Management Institute and a proud member of the Australian Institute of Project Management and the International Centre of Complex Project Management. She is active in her local chapters and national interest groups which are focused on improving the professionalism, diversity and inclusion within the project management community.
In my experience if your using a new anti virus refer it to your friends first lol. Even I found nod32 good. But sometimes a new virus comes and the company hasn’t added that to its database or maybe my wasnt updated. It happened in my case and nod didnt detect it. I place an icon file and autorun file to display that icon on my removable drives. Whenever pen drive gets infected icon disappears.It helps to be sure if there is a virus or not. Btw in all the anti virus reviews I have ever read in computer magazines, internet never heard of CA suite.