Alright, so here's how it happened. I installed Norton AV 2002 on my XP machine and then a few days later I noticed the clock in the system tray had not been set, so I set the clock to the proper date (i.e. way beyond the year or so Norton gives you before demanding you to pay $ for updates). So now I can't update my virus definitions unless I suppose I change the clock back to a year ago (LOL). I tried uninstalling Norton and reinstalling it but it must have some sort of anti-piracy security cookie it plants somewhere mysterious in your system so it can't be tricked that way because it still demands subscription to be updated even after reinstall. Anyone know a sure way around this?

Goto symantec's site www.symantec.com and download "symclean" and it will wipe all references to ALL symantec programs from your registry and completely uninstall ALL symantec programs. Then reinstall NAV with the correct date/time settings. It should work correctly after that. Be sure and read the readme's before using symclean.

Also, it is not a "mysterious cookie", it sets a key in the registry that is picked up by future installations of symantec products so it cannot be uninstalled then reinstalled when the subscription date expires. The other way is to manually go through the registry and remove the keys which can be time consuming and is not for someone unfamiliar with how the registry works.

Thanks, Max. I will try Symclean. Hopefully that will clear out the gremlin in my registry. Or maybe it's a snipe. Or a goatsucker. You never know what one can find in a Windows registry. Thanks!

It costs about $3.00(US) for updates... how bloody mean can you get?

I can get very bloody mean, mate. Maybe some people like pissing away $ on corporations--not I. 3$ can buy me . . . er . . . a taco. As Sancho Panza is very fond of tacos, he will use symclean. And he'll eat his 3$ taco on the back of his donkey and enjoy it while Symantec has 3$ less in its coffers.

Why the hell should we pay £40 for a program, then have to pay $3 when we want to update? eh? eh? eh? I ask ya? LOL $3 isn't a lot but it's $3 we shouldn't have to spend,!!! If the softare was £5, then yes $3 an update isn't too bad! Matt