Symantec said, "The root cause of the issue was an incompatibility due to a three way interaction between some third party software that implements a file system driver using kernel stack based file objects - typical of encryption drivers, the SONAR signature and the Windows XP Cache manager."

Look, if you don't know why it happened, just say so. Don't make shiat up.

Prank Call of Cthulhu: Symantec said, "The root cause of the issue was an incompatibility due to a three way interaction between some third party software that implements a file system driver using kernel stack based file objects - typical of encryption drivers, the SONAR signature and the Windows XP Cache manager."

Look, if you don't know why it happened, just say so. Don't make shiat up.

Three way interaction? Kinky! Haven't had one of those since college.

A blue screen of death IS a security improvement to XP.


There really isn't much reason to use XP anymore unless you've got some old weird drivers. Move to 7 already.

"My antivirus doesn't support windows for workgroups! This is an outrage!"

FTFA: Symantec said, "The root cause of the issue was an incompatibility due to a three way interaction between some third party software that implements a file system driver using kernel stack based file objects - typical of encryption drivers, the SONAR signature and the Windows XP Cache manager."

So, the BSOD was caused by 2 Symantec products conflicting with one another? And the other one dealt with (or can conflict with) encryption drivers?

Heh.

IHS wants us to use Symantec Endpoint Encryption software to meet HIPAA standards for Meaningful Use. This should end well.

fluffy2097: There really isn't much reason to use XP anymore unless you've got some old weird drivers. Move to 7 already.

We are gradually moving to 7 here as funds get freed up for spending. I think we're 70% of the way there.

"Symantec's most recent statement said new definitions were rolled out to correct the problem and since then, "no new customer issues have been reported from the field".

How do you update the definitions if your PC is crashed?

I don't test my patches but when I do....I test in prod


/seriously folks is it that damn hard

I'm going to take a guess and say that someone in management decided to ignore the engineers and cut some corners.

"Symantec's Endpoint Protection"
When they say Endpoint, they mean Endpoint.

Anyone still using Symantec for their AV deserves to have their system crashed.

/ I'm talking to you, Grandma.

I recall Symantec crashing my dad's computer years ago. It decided that 7 pm on a Thursday was a perfect time to do a virus scan. Problem was, I was straining the computer by playing Warcraft 3.

It would grind the computer to a halt. Nothing but power cycling did anything. Sadly, this manages to fark Windows up to the point where it wouldn't even boot in safe mode. A reinstall was necessary.

The worst part about it all? It enabled the scan on its own about a month later. Same results.

/man was dad pissed off

Archimedes' Principal: Anyone still using Symantec for their AV deserves to have their system crashed.

/ I'm talking to you, Grandma.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking. They were shiat 6-7 years ago and only caught viruses after they were on the machine. Now the shiat drains resources by running all the damn time and if you dare turn settings down they give you annoying pop ups saying you have an issue.

Mcafee has done this, Symantec has done this, etc.

Eset NOD32, it's the only way to be sure...

/although MSE is a suitable 'at home' replacement for the average user

I do not understand the hate for Norton VP. I've only ever had one virus issue (root virus, from where else....a porn site) that it did not protect me from.

Two anti-virus applications on the same workstation even from the same vendor doesn't seem to be the smartest move. Shame on Symantec for having installation routines that allow it.

DeathByGeekSquad: Mcafee has done this, Symantec has done this, etc.

Eset NOD32, it's the only way to be sure...

/although MSE is a suitable 'at home' replacement for the average user

Kneel before NOD!

fluffy2097: A blue screen of death IS a security improvement to XP.


There really isn't much reason to use XP anymore unless you've got some old weird drivers. Move to 7 already.

Windows XP SP3 is fine. If it works for people, there's no reason to upgrade.

They also allow for people like you to make comments like you do, but whatever.

DeathByGeekSquad: Mcafee has done this, Symantec has done this, etc.

We got hit by the McAfee thing here at work (roughly 1600 PCs). That was a huge pain in the ass day. We dropped them shortly after. McAfee didn't even offer lunch as an apology.

We are only installing Windows 7 on new (since the last year or so) PCs. The rest still have XP.

I use MSE at home and am pretty happy with it.

ferretman: I do not understand the hate for Norton VP. I've only ever had one virus issue (root virus, from where else....a porn site) that it did not protect me from.

it's not the virus protection but the program itself. it's a bloated piece of shiat that takes over your machine and slows everything to a crawl.

Norton, McAfee, Kaspersky...all junk IMHO. Resource hogs, can be more annoying than most adware/malware if you try to change the settings, and cause as much or more issues with your computer than the malware they are 'protecting' you from.

Seriously, they bloated the software into a 'jack of all security trades' and ended up with programs that hamper computer performance the same or worse than viruses.

spawn73: fluffy2097: A blue screen of death IS a security improvement to XP.


There really isn't much reason to use XP anymore unless you've got some old weird drivers. Move to 7 already.

Windows XP SP3 is fine. If it works for people, there's no reason to upgrade.

4GB of RAM ought to be enough for everybody.

theurge14: spawn73: fluffy2097: A blue screen of death IS a security improvement to XP.


There really isn't much reason to use XP anymore unless you've got some old weird drivers. Move to 7 already.

Windows XP SP3 is fine. If it works for people, there's no reason to upgrade.

4GB of RAM ought to be enough for everybody.

And Windows 7 wont do them any good with the 32bit CPU.

If you are using ANY Symantec products, you really are a tool. There are so many other, better software vendors out there. If you are a server admin, and you are using symantec products, then you should be shot and your bones burned.

iaazathot: If you are using ANY Symantec products, you really are a tool. There are so many other, better software vendors out there. If you are a server admin, and you are using symantec products, then you should be shot and your bones burned.

Server admins unfortunately usually have to use whatever junk the IT management has decided that is going to be the cheapest. It seems like if they could find something for free, they will try and make them use it.

/TCO: How does it work?

Prank Call of Cthulhu: Symantec said, "The root cause of the issue was an incompatibility due to a three way interaction between some third party software that implements a file system driver using kernel stack based file objects - typical of encryption drivers, the SONAR signature and the Windows XP Cache manager."

They aren't making shiat up. Its the same thing that happened when they released Symantec 11. It was incompatible netware's file system. It would crash any computer running it. Had to wait on netware to release an updated driver for it.

They know its a fault in their software, they just dont care.

I have never had any "legitimate" software mangle more systems than Symantec's. Any time I see Norton anything on a problem system it's the first thing I remove. If it lets me. Sometimes it just likes to hang around like the stinky piece of shiat it is.

vrax: I have never had any "legitimate" software mangle more systems than Symantec's. Any time I see Norton anything on a problem system it's the first thing I remove. If it lets me. Sometimes it just likes to hang around like the stinky piece of shiat it is.

Agreed. I work at a computer repair facility and what do we do when we get the green light? Pull that POS Symantec out. Im good for being open minded about people's opinions about antiviruses and what they use. Just not Symantec.

As per my boss:
Norton Commander was the dos version of Norton Utilities. It took over the computer, just like today. Seems like some things never change.

I think I remember a program from Norton called Crash-guard or something...immediately after installing it on my Win 3.11 system, it caused my system to crash non-stop and when it wasn't crashing, it was running extremely slow....right before crashing.

Our email server has (host-provided) Symantec Endpoint on it. And if it stacks up too many "hey I found this virus" warnings it slows everything to a crawl for some reason. And it's a damn email server, so every time anyone in the company gets a virus-laden email it's gonna throw up those warnings. So I disabled the warnings a long time ago. Its a server, its not like I'm logged in waiting to close out the warnings all the time. Just kill the email out of the spool and move along with life, server! But I get in today and it was slow, so I RDP in, and sure enough, it had somehow re-enabled them all and had a stack of 50 or so waiting for me. I wondered what was up with that. Now I know it's apparently Symantec's retarded update process. I guess i should be thankful it didn't BSOD.

or GTFO.

the cake is a pie: Our email server has (host-provided) Symantec Endpoint on it. And if it stacks up too many "hey I found this virus" warnings it slows everything to a crawl for some reason. And it's a damn email server, so every time anyone in the company gets a virus-laden email it's gonna throw up those warnings. So I disabled the warnings a long time ago. Its a server, its not like I'm logged in waiting to close out the warnings all the time. Just kill the email out of the spool and move along with life, server! But I get in today and it was slow, so I RDP in, and sure enough, it had somehow re-enabled them all and had a stack of 50 or so waiting for me. I wondered what was up with that. Now I know it's apparently Symantec's retarded update process. I guess i should be thankful it didn't BSOD.

If only there was an easier mechanism to send those warnings out. Perhaps some sort of a mail system that would send electronic notices that would arrive in your own personal inbox. I could be on to something.

To be fair, Symantec crashing computers happens on every other day ending in Y as well, this wasn't an isolated incident.

Why are people still using an operating system that was first released 11 years ago? And why was the "blue screen of death" included with that system? I recall from my Win95 days hating it when that damn thing kicked in, interrupting whatever I happened to be doing. I remember wondering why Microshaft included it with later systems despite having to know that users hated it.

Cloudchaser Sakonige the Red Wolf: Why are people still using an operating system that was first released 11 years ago?

No shiat! It's like companies want you to use THEIR images and hardware instead of buying you what you want!! It's a goddamn conspiracy!!

Cloudchaser Sakonige the Red Wolf: why was the "blue screen of death" included with that system?

It's a diagnostic tool.

For example, by asking this question, the blue screen of death has allowed me to determine that you're a troll.