I'm working on someone's PC. The owner has ESD version (i.e. downloaded from Symantec) of Norton 360 with 250+ days left on their subscription. I replaced the mobo and upgraded the hard drive, cloning the old drive to the new using Ghost. Not only did I have to re-activate Windows XP MCE (as expected), but Norton began complaining about needing to re-activate. So I did, activating both Windows XP and Norton 360.
I ran chkdsk with media scan on the new WDC HDD as I always do, and it reported a number of bad sectors. So I ran the Western Digital diagnostics utility, which advised to RMA the drive (brand new).
I installed another HDD (same make and model), using Ghost to clone the drive. Windows didn't mind at all, no need for reactivation (since I had already done that). But Norton de-activates itself again just because the HDD has changed. I tried to activate again but nope, its exceeded the total number of allowable "product installations".
There is a highly obscure way for me to contact Norton to dispute or correct this, and here is the process:
"Print the completed form and send it, along with a copy of your proof of purchase, the name and contact information for the vendor, your product CD and the envelope the CD came in, to the appropriate address listed at the bottom of the form. Please note that in order to process your query; Symantec will need all of the requested materials, including the envelope your CD came in. If you cannot provide this, please state the reason why. Once the product submission is received by mail, Symantec's Brand Protection team will examine the submission, and if the product and the product key are authentic, validated and not abused, we will send you a notification detailing the finding together with the next appropriate steps or resolution."
SNAIL MAIL! Can you f-ing believe it? No telephone activation support, no email activation support.
Great! I have to return the PC to the owner with a non-functioning Norton 360. The owner will be required to POSTAL MAIL as much documentation as required for rebate submission, in order to get the remaining balance of the paid subsciption that they are entitled to (assuming they even get a favorable outcome from Symantec's "investigation").
I can only presume this is deliberately crafted to make you purchase another subscription. e.g. you can mail all that stuff to us and be without a functioning security application for two or three weeks, or purchase another subscription and product key online right now. Great choice (by design).
I ran chkdsk with media scan on the new WDC HDD as I always do, and it reported a number of bad sectors. So I ran the Western Digital diagnostics utility, which advised to RMA the drive (brand new).
I installed another HDD (same make and model), using Ghost to clone the drive. Windows didn't mind at all, no need for reactivation (since I had already done that). But Norton de-activates itself again just because the HDD has changed. I tried to activate again but nope, its exceeded the total number of allowable "product installations".
There is a highly obscure way for me to contact Norton to dispute or correct this, and here is the process:
"Print the completed form and send it, along with a copy of your proof of purchase, the name and contact information for the vendor, your product CD and the envelope the CD came in, to the appropriate address listed at the bottom of the form. Please note that in order to process your query; Symantec will need all of the requested materials, including the envelope your CD came in. If you cannot provide this, please state the reason why. Once the product submission is received by mail, Symantec's Brand Protection team will examine the submission, and if the product and the product key are authentic, validated and not abused, we will send you a notification detailing the finding together with the next appropriate steps or resolution."
SNAIL MAIL! Can you f-ing believe it? No telephone activation support, no email activation support.
Great! I have to return the PC to the owner with a non-functioning Norton 360. The owner will be required to POSTAL MAIL as much documentation as required for rebate submission, in order to get the remaining balance of the paid subsciption that they are entitled to (assuming they even get a favorable outcome from Symantec's "investigation").
I can only presume this is deliberately crafted to make you purchase another subscription. e.g. you can mail all that stuff to us and be without a functioning security application for two or three weeks, or purchase another subscription and product key online right now. Great choice (by design).