Difficulties with Nortons Systemworks 2002

[iceman_ii 0]

Anyone out there have similar problems? I loaded W2K SP3, and now when I go to defrag, I get a polite message from Nortons telling me to update speed disk because it isn't tested on SP3, with an implication that I probably should not run it. What the heck is this all about? Did SP3 change something so that Speed Disk will not work?

 

TIA,

Scott

[Four and Twenty 0]

symantec/norton use metods outside ms apis for things like disk defrag

since they know that ms frequently changes things that can cause things to get screwed up with thes methods they programed in a thing that tells you to make sure it is up to date so you don't unknowingly FuX up your system

[Christianb 8]

I followed this issue right from the start. Because I have a backup system and I was excited that SP3 Came out. I installed it immediately. Ever since then I've had this problem. Don't worry about it. Microsoft hasn't made any changes to their file system since release. Symantec is simply covering their asses, should microsoft make a change in newer service pack or upgrade to a newer OS , just think of the reprocussions if 10,000 customers downloaded Sp3 and wiped out their systems. However that is not the case just OK and ignore it. The problem is symantec's website says "this happens all the time just run LiveUpdate and we'll remove the message" well their support staff has the right idea, but their developers are freaking stupid, lazy, and out of it, and forgot to release an update. So they're support people tell you, oh ya just run liveupdate, and you do, and the message is still there. What a bunch of jerks. And I told them this and they don't even read the e-mails and so they don't actually know that somethings wrong. They just skim the e-mails and keep telling everyone the same thing. Is that just a little annoying? or is just me?

-Christian Blackburn

[Christianb 8]

If they'd actually pay attention to their customers instead of assuming that they always know the answer and that they're stupid. They would have already figured out that there was an issue and fixed it. On the other hand maybe they want to leave it annnoying so people will upgrade to NS 2003. Either way I'm perturbed by the whole ordeal . I'm sorry you have also had problems with this too.

-Christian ;(

[Christianb 8]

If you want to just given Norton the finger you can always go "Start" --> "Programs" --> "Accessories" --> "Sytem Tools" --> "Disk Defragmenter".

[BladeRunner 0]

Hummm, lets see.

2 Options.

 

1. Symantec doesn't warn you as you attempt to run Speed Disc or similar.

There is an issue with Win2k SP3 that requires you to have a certain version of the program, but rather than warning you it decides to run.

Half way through the Speed Disc run it starts moving some files it shouldn't, your directory structure becomes corrupt, then files get deleted which the program assumed were just cross-links.

Next an error message appears telling you to re-boot your system as an error has occured.

On re-boot your system gives you "No OS found" and that is as far as you get.

 

or

 

2. You attempt to run Speed Disc, a pop-up warning appears warning you of possible incompatability.

You could run the program anyway, but you decided to check for an update which you duely download and install.

Then the program runs as normal.

 

Think I know which option I'd prefer.

I'm sorry but Systemworks has never ever caused me a problem in the numerous years I've been using it.

I don't have the "system monitoring" switched on however no package from within System Works is "bloated" or uses lots of memory.

[iceman_ii 0]

BladeRunner:

I agree whole heartedly with you on prefering Option 2, however, option 2 is NOT what the wonderful folks at Symantec have given us. As Christianb stated (and one can tell that he is quite justifiably ticked about this issue) The program has told me that it is not certified with SP3, fine, it's not certified with SP3, so I'll just go to live update, piece of cake.

 

Viola! I run Live update, and Live update does NOTHING! When you go to the Symantec website, one is quite uncerimoniously informed that (sticking nose up in a rather snobbish fashion) "We no longer support that version".

 

What the hell is THAT all about, I think Christianb hit the nail on the head when he suggests that Symantec is trying to annoy you into getting 2002.

 

Christianb:

As to your suggestion to use the native defrag.... I think it actually blows worse that Symantecs support. It may be just my humble opinion, but when I defrag, I prefer to defrag, not just move fragments around, which is OBVIOUSLY Micro$ofts preference.

[Christianb 8]

Thanks IceMan for sticking up for me. Like my sister used to say when she was a kid "I'm right, I'm right, and I'll always be right!" . I agree that the Norton version is somewhat better. However I think both companies are missing the freaking point. First off it's a really good idea to run ScanDisk (now called CheckDisk) first. If you want to defrag there should only be three options:

[ ] CheckDisk Thorough (otherwise it'll run the Quick CheckDisk)

[ ] Process all drives?

or Specify which C:, D:, etc...

[ ] Power off when complete

 

And these should also be available from a command line (so you could add them to task scheduler). Currently MS's defrag doesn't even support command-line function. What's up with that?

[Mr.Guvernment 0]

Quote:

Currently MS's defrag doesn't even support command-line function. What's up with that?

cause they are trying to phaze out of dos completly?

[adamvjackson 0]

Most likely. Dos isn't part of the .net plan.... so....

[Christianb 8]

There's dos and there's the Win32 console which isn't going away any time soon. OS functionality and their .NET take over the world scheme aren't that related. Almost all professional win32 apps support command-line function. Ever opened a document? That's command-line function not dos. When you double-click on a text file Windows probably launches

%WinDir%\Notepad.exe C:\MYFile.txt. I'm sure defrag could still be .net or .whatever compliant and support "Defrag C:, D:" functionality. And by the way Defrag is a win32 console app as far as I know. There's just a gui that's displayed to users.

[adamvjackson 0]

No, defrag is a plugin for MMC.

[Christianb 8]

That is basically what I said there's a GUI, the MMC portion and dfrgntfs.exe and dfrgfat.exe which I thought were console apps. But I don't know how to tell. Whatever the case you can't run them externally.

-Christian