Symantec Norton SystemWorks 2005 Premier

[ozgeek]

Symantec Norton SystemWorks 2005 Premier

After reading reviews on the Internet about the latest Symantec products, I?ve decided to purchase Norton SystemWorks 2005 Premier. And here is my own review for this powerful suite of system tools from Symantec.

Norton SystemWorks 2005 Premier includes the following programs:

- Norton AntiVirus 2005

- Norton Utilities 2005

- Norton CleanSweep 2005

- Norton GoBack

- Norton Ghost 9

- CheckIt Diagnostics (NEW)

- System Optimizer (NEW)

- Along with other advanced system tools.

We?ll go through each one of the above componen

Norton AntiVirus 2005

Symantec is famous because of this popular program. Norton AntiVirus scans your system for Internet threats like viruses and worms. New in this latest version are the Internet Worm Protection which blocks worms before they arrive on your computer and QuickScan which quickly scans your system for any threats after new protections updates are installed.

New Virus Signatures are downloaded either automatically or manually via Symantec?s LiveUpdate service.

When performing a full system scan, if you have large hard disks, it can take a while. As it scans, it looks through your system for any suspected files and adds it to the DETECTED list. After a system scan, it?.. and then show you a full summary of the seNorton Utilities 20052005

This component contains useful tools which you can use to do various activities to keep your computer off its knees. Utilities included are SpeedDisk, Symantec?s equivalent of Windows?s Disk Defragmenter, Norton System Doctor, a system monitor which watches your system for any problems, UnErase Wizard, which lets you un-delete deleted files, Norton DiskDoctor, a disk diagnosis program, Norton WinDoctor, which helps you fix Windows-related problems, System Information, which is basically an advanced version of the already-included Windows System Information, and WipeInfo which lets you get rid of private or important documents so they can not be recovered by any means.

There are no new or updated components in Norton Utilities but polished icons and Norton CleanSweepeanSweep

This component allows you to safely delete junk files such as Internet cache and system temporary files. You can choose what to delete and what not to delete. Norton CleanSweep also feature a Safe Program Uninstall if the original Uninstall function of any program on your system will not uninstall, CleanSweep can help you.

You can schedule regular CleanSweep jobs so that it will keep your system clean at aNorton GoBackn GoBack

I see no need for this to be installed as it is Symantec?s competitive program of System Restore. No review for this as I have never used this yet. I?ve heard it?s very similar to that of System Restore already included in Windows Norton Ghost 9Norton Ghost 9

Norton Ghost allows you to create exact copy (called an image) of a hard disk to another hard disk, over the network or a CD or DVD. If your operating system or other software breaks down your system, you can attempt a restoration of the image back to it?s original disk so you?ll be back up running without worrying about having to format and re-install and re-configuring every program again. This new version allows you to create and schedule images without even leaving Windows. If you regularly perform backup imaging, you will be glad to hear that Ghost 9 now supports updating an image with a new image (called Incremental imaging).

The only drawback is that a component of Norton Ghost, called the Ghost Agent, starts up with Windows which can be bad for those on slow computers but it?s worth it. ?Rather have it than risk losing your data?.

The new version of Norton Ghost now appears in a XP-style interface, which makes Ghosting and managing ghost images easier.

I have not tried performing a backup imaging but when I do, I will edit this se

CheckIt Diagnostics

CheckIt Diagnostics

This is a separate optional install component which allows you to evaluate your system hardware. I have not got this component installed but I believe it would be a good component for most hardware-concerned users. This component is new in NortonSystem Optimizerer.

System Optimizer

One of the new components introduced in Norton SystemWorks 2005 Premier. System Optimizer is basically a lighter version of TuneUp Utilities. It lets you customise the appearance and behaviour of various parts of Windows. Yes, a tweaking tool from Symantec. A very nice interface which consists of a list of tabs (appears as buttons) on the left side of the windows similar to the SystemWorks main menu interface. The right side of the window contains settings about your system. This component is recommendeThe Main Menu Interface>The Main Menu Interface

When you start Norton SystemWorks, you are faced with this nice, well-layout interface.

The first selected tab you see is the Home page where you can see various details about your system. When clicking on each tab, the space on the right provides more information or warnings about each aspect of the components selected for example, when clicking on Norton AntiVirus tab, you will see if your virus signatures are up to date, that you have performed a full system scan, and that each component of Norton AntiVirus is either On or Off.

If any components in Norton SystemWorks require your attention, the System Status will change to Attention and the background colour change to yellow or red. If all is good, System Status will show OK and background colour will be green.

Some components such as Norton GoBack which has not been installed on my system will still h

LiveUpdatethe left.

LiveUpdate

A service provided by Symantec that allows any Norton products installed on your computer to be updated. Yes, this is like Windows Update, but for Symantec. Virus Signatures and other important updates are provided via LiveUpdate. When you connect to the internet, and have the Norton SystemWorks open, click on the LiveUpdate button on the top. LiveUpdate will establish a connection and look for updates and then, by default, asks you if you want to download and install them. You can opt for a silent download and install by changing the settings in LiveUpdate.

LiveUpdate is not free-for-life. All Norton products come with a 12 month free LiveUpdate subscription. When your time is up, you need to purchase an additional year to keep your Norton Products Updated. I?d rather opt for a new version rather than stuck with an out-dated product as new products te

Overall Summarytures.

Overall Summary

Overall, I believe that Symantec Norton SystemWorks 2005 Premier is a very good suite of system tools. It is also great for working on systems used by computer users with limited knowledge of computers, as well as experienced users like me.

Norton SystemWorks, as stated by some readers on www.neowin.net, is not recommended on slow computer systems because they state that Norton SystemWorks takes considerable lots of RAM. Let me explain that this can be right and wrong. Norton SystemWorks does use more than one service. On my system, I can see GhostTray.exe (Norton Ghost), navapsvc.exe, npfmntor.exe, nprotect.exe (Norton AntiVirus). All of those add up to take up only 4 MB of memory when not in use.

I had very good experience with Symantec so that was the reason why I purchased Norton SystemWorks 2005 Premier for $179.00 (AUD).

Edited December 2, 2004 by winxptwker

[+John Teacake MVC]

Thats quite a good review, I was looking to update my Norton the last one I bought was 2002.

[akaladis Veteran]

systemworks has always been one of my top choices, however, after i think version 2003 it got from bad to worse... can we have the features of 2005, in the 2003 shell?

[IbSta]

systemworks has always been one of my top choices, however, after i think version 2003 it got from bad to worse... can we have the features of 2005, in the 2003 shell?

585030088[/snapback]

...n3g :no:

[+Warwagon MVC]

I don't now every system I've seen it on takes a good performance hit

[Slimy]

great review!

Symantec Norton SystemWorks 2005 Premier

On my system, I can see GhostTray.exe (Norton Ghost), navapsvc.exe, npfmntor.exe, nprotect.exe (Norton AntiVirus). All of those add up to take up only 4 MB of memory when not in use.

I had very good experience with Symantec so that was the reason why I purchased Norton SystemWorks 2005 Premier for $179.00 (AUD).

585026088[/snapback]

but, how can norton antivirus and norton firewall not be in use? i mean they are on 24/7 and who's not opening a file or surfing the net when they are on the computer? woulda been great if you posted your taskmanager..

thx for the review, i might be trying this program out, might

[RadishTM Veteran]

Umm Slimy?, Norton SystemWorks 2005 Premier doesn't have a firewall - only antivirus.

Radish?

[NeoXY]

nice review.....but kind of pricy.....:/

[alpoinacan]

Well done overview of the suite. Hope it turns out to be money well spent. Ghost's new interface is a nice change. Hope it works half a good as it looks. You've got a definite flair for writing tech articles.

[Slimy]

Umm Slimy?, Norton SystemWorks 2005 Premier doesn't have a firewall - only antivirus.

Radish?

585048313[/snapback]

[Oblivion]

Nice Review :)

[bush]

:no: nothing new for over 3 years

[Cloud Geek]

the newer versions of system works 2004 and 2005 seem to only work well on 3ghz high end systems so unless you have a good system just install the features you need

[IK47]

kool