I have disinstalled Norton Anti-virus but still every time I turn my computer on I get the following message:

SYSTEM.INI needs the following file but can't locate it: C:\PROGRA_1\NORTON_1\NAVAP.VXD. Hit a key to continue.

In Explorer I have found an empty Symantec folder under Programs, which doesn't show in the Start menu, as well as a 'Symantec Shared' folder containing 'Virus Defs,' under 'Shared Files.'

How can I get rid of that initial message that blocks my PC at startup?

If you're running Win98, go to start, run and type msconfig then ok. Go across to the system.ini tab and find the NAVAP.VXD and knock the tick off it. This should stop system.ini then looking for it. Whilst there, go to start up and make sure there is nothing still in there relating to NAV. Once done, it's worthing running a registry cleaner.

HTH
Caroline

Open system.ini in notepad, find the line that calls the file and delete it. Save system.ini
Next time you boot/reboot the problem should be gone.

Go to C:\ and locate autoexec.bat file, right click on it and select edit.

Place the cursor beside and to the left of the words that are giving you the problem and hit the enter key (this will insert a line above the troublesome words) and in the newly inserted line type
@ECHO OFF

Go to File/Save and exit
The only thing that you have done is stopped your machine from displaying the message upon start up.

Delete it out of the system registery. Goto Start/Run and put in "regedit". Find it under HKEY/Local Machine/software. When you see it, delete it out of there.

at least GElled knows where to find it!!!

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\VxD\NAVAP