I did some standard Windows updates recently and (coincidentally?) around the same time I started getting a "Windows security alert" saying that my computer might be at risk, and if you click on the little bubble, the "Security Center" pops up (I gather you can also get to the Security Center thru the Control Panel as well) saying that that it did not find antivirus software on my computer. (The other two segments, regarding the firewall and the Automatic updates settings are correct.) I have Norton, which I gather some of you don't care for, but I can hardly believe that it's some obscure program that Windows can't recognize (it always did before, apparently!) and it's updated until June.

Norton says it's on, everything except Parental controls says "On." The odd thing is, I have it set for "Live Update" automatically, but when I clicked on the Norton icon in the tray, then clicked on Live Update when Norton opened, it updated several things, which made me think it had not "Live" updated for a while automatically perhaps, though "Virus Definitions" seem to have been updated on 2/15/06.

So can my Norton somehow be on and not on at the same time, right there and undetectable by Windows at the same time? Or is this some weird glitch in the Windows updates that is trying to scare people by not recognizing Norton any more?

Haven't done any checking but could something have fudged Norton and one of the Security Alerts that Microsoft released detected it?

When I turn on the computer, and the icons start populating in that right hand tray on the taskbar (by the clock), the security one comes on first and then Norton comes on a few seconds later, I'm wondering if that has anything to do with it? Once in a while it used to come on for a second and then go off once Norton came on, but since I ran this last set of updates, it doesn't do that.

From anything I can tell, Norton seems to be working. I did a complete scan last night after doing the Live Update. It popped up its usual messages like "Trusted list has been updated", etc.

This could be related to the new update to Anti-Spyware from MS.

PackerHawk posted this, CLICK HERE

You may have an older version of Norton, (I'm guessing 7 or 8) which doesn't "play nice" with the new update(s). What you are describing happens with Norton version 7 or 8 once installed on WinXP SP2. Norton (actually it's called Symantec) version 9 works better.

I found THIS ARTICLE on Slashdot related to Norton. This may be your issue.

Hope that helps.

Was SP2 part of your recent updates? SP2 adds the security center and as FRZ mentioned, it doesn't understand older versions of NAV. You can click on the link for recommendations and then check the box that says "I have my own AV software that I will monitor myself" and then it won't bother you anymore.