Hi, For some reason my Norton anti virus 2003 version number 10.0.1.13 keeps turning off the auto protect everytime my PC restarts. I have run adware, spybot search and destroy, and norton anti virus all with freash updates to no avail I have also run all 3 programs in safe mode. I have always had the auto protect turned on but just lately it has been turning off each time it starts. Anyone heard of this looked on the norton site found it very hard to get around and find out anything. Any help would be appreciated. I have always been security minded and keep everything upto date and run adware after each big internet surf. Kaz

Kaz, there's a virus around, which as a measure of self preservation, turns off Norton's first thing. It hides in restore so it comes back with each boot. If that's what's happening, the cure is to TEMPORARILY disable restore (you'll lose ALL your restore points), scan, re-enable. HTH. Ed in Texas.

Hello, Well, there are viruses that do this, but if your scans come up clean with Norton you “should” be okay. I had a similar problem, and drove myself nuts for a few hours before I figured out what it was. The spyware program I was using was detecting a Norton regkey which was legit. After several hours of research and troubleshooting, and auditing of the regkey in question, I found that this regkey was actually the key that controls Norton starting up, and auto protecting, not part of the virus the spyware scan detected. Symantec is usually a head of these viruses, but here is a way you can tell weather or not it's a virus or your spyware programs wiping out a legit key. Before you go any further, make sure you are up to date with Norton, and you have the latest defections. Do a full system scan. If you come out clean. Goto Below. 1) Uncheck then recheck the auto protect option in Norton. Hit apply. This should put Norton back in the start up. 2) Reboot, and see if Norton starts up. If it does, then go to step 3. If not, follow the first replier’s instructions. 3) Run your spyware scans as normal. 4) Reboot, and see if Norton starts up. 5) If after the spyware scan Norton doesn't start up, then repeat steps 1, and 2 then goto step 6. 6) Run your spyware scan and ignore W32.Anpes@mm AKA "NAV Agent". Make sure it’s a registry key not a file. If it was a file it would be a virus. http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/w32.anpes@mm.html If you had this virus it would have been wiped out by the full scan, and you would be showing the symptoms listed in the above link. HTH For some more helpful XP tips visit: http://www3.sympatico.ca/computech911/Tips.html

Hey, 1 more note, by saying "Starting up" I mean auto protect enabled. For some more helpful XP tips visit: http://www3.sympatico.ca/computech911/Tips.html

Computec911 Thankyou very much for your help Norton is starting up again as per normal. I have been running adware and spybot quite a lot lately. The next time a run them I will make a note of the file you suggested i have copied your email into word so I have it for the next time I run them. Thanks again for your time and effort in replying to my post. Kaz

Hi my auto protect was turned off again this morning when booting I have turned off system restore and done another scan nothing found so I done another scan from safe mode still nothing found. I have run adware sbybot and everthing is clean turned on system restore after running the adware but in the next boot up it was off again without running adware. But still Norton is starting with the auto protect tuned off. I have to turn it on manually each time. Thanks for all the help given so far Kaz

Kaz, Your going to have go through everything your spyware programs find. All keys and all programs. Look for a reference to navapw32.exe, or NAV Agent and find out how to ignore it in all your spyware programs. That's what's causing this issue. For some more helpful XP tips visit: http://www3.sympatico.ca/computech911/Tips.html