Entered CNET Catalog: 09/04/2003
SKU: 10109303
Manufacturer: Symantec Corporation
Manufacturer description
Symantec's Norton SystemWorks 2004 is the smartest way to solve computer problems. This easy-to-use suite includes full versions of Symantec products to defend against viruses, optimize hard disks, manage your passwords, recover from system problems, and clean up after Internet sessions. Keep your PC running at its best with Norton SystemWorks.CNET editors' review
- Editors' Choice: No
- Reviewed on: 12/12/2003
 Norton's system of hierarchical menus makes it easy to understand what each tool does. |
The main SystemWorks menu, which lets you choose among disk cleanup and repair utilities, is easy to navigate. A separate Options menu lets you control which utilities run in the background upon start-up and how each of these utilities behaves. Unfortunately, even after turning off all memory-resident utilities (Password Manager, Virus Auto-Protect, Smart Sweep, and so on), we found that SystemWorks continued to load several memory-hogging executables at start-up. To turn these off, we had to access the Startup file under Windows' System Configuration. Even then, one executable, SYMLCSVC, continues to run in the background whenever you boot your system. SYMLCSVC is part of a central licensing service designed to prevent software piracy. It serves no other purpose and can't be turned off unless you use a third-party memory manager.
Finally, SystemWorks 2004 loads perceptibly slower than its predecessors. On several different computers and operating systems we tested informally, our loading times (without any of the package's utilities running in the background) were two to three times longer than SystemWorks 2003's. SystemWorks continues to provide antivirus, disk-defragmentation, Registry-repair, backup, and file-cleanup tools in its latest version. New to SystemWorks is Norton AntiVirus (NAV) 2004's ability to detect potential viral threats in compressed Windows 2000 and XP file archives--a welcome development. In addition, NAV now treats spyware and adware as it does viruses, allowing these programs to be quarantined or deleted. We're glad Norton has chosen to include this feature, but we find its implementation lacking. Some shareware applications come with a small spyware element, and utilities such as Lavasoft's Ad-aware let you quarantine individual elements while running the main program. NAV doesn't, meaning your shareware simply won't run.
 Quick Fill in the Password Manager adds personalized information to online forms at the click of a button. |
This time around, SystemWorks also includes Norton Password Manager (NPM) 2004, which stores address and credit card-related information. The utility automatically detects field types while browsing online and offers the personal information you've filled out in advance. For example, NPM stores and retrieves username and password fields used in applications and on Web sites and supplies them the next time you access the application or Web site. But, unlike other password managers, NPM caches usernames and passwords only as you enter them; these fields cannot be edited. NPM stores its information under a series of user-defined, password-protected profiles. Phone support for SystemWorks remains excessively expensive: $29.95 per call or $2.95 per minute. As there's no weekend phone technical support, you'll have to plan all of your technical problems to occur between 5 a.m. and 6 p.m. PT, Monday through Friday. The online support is a little better: Symantec's support Web site supplies a host of free information about current viruses. Still, we think Symantec could afford to provide better support for its products.
User opinions
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User Rating: 
3/10
Memory hog from h-e-l-l
Pros: Has a little of everything
Cons: You can get freeware for less, ie free
User Rating: 
4/10
Picked Up 2 Viruses While Running And Fully Updated!
Pros: Better Scheduler Than Most I've Tried
Cons: Virus Protection Apparently Don't Scan Everything - One Button Checkup Does Not Really Repair The Registry
User Rating: 
2/10
Terrible Product; Don't Waste Your Money
Pros: Good Diagnostics Tools
Cons: Antivirus' main window won't even open, poor virus protection, hard to configure, some programs won't run at all, MAJOR resources hog
User Rating: 
1/10
Slow even on P4 systems
Pros: No real pros. But what other choice do we really have?
Cons: Crashes upon startup once and a while, SLOW loading, and their "rebate" center will try to Deny your rebate even IF you followed all their instructions. Make sure you Photocopy ALL of what you are submitting, including your previous CD! I am NOT jokin
User Rating: 1/10
Worst support I have ever seen.
Pros: The best I can say is I couldn"t install it on my laptop. It took almost 3 hrs. to put it on my desk top.
Cons: Support is a joke. The company wanted to charge my credit card before they would help me. If I did not want to use a card they gave me a 900 number that wanted to charge me 2.95 per minute. I said no thanks to both and returned it to the store.
User Rating: 3/10
Activation in BUGGY
Pros:
Cons: since Symantec introduce activation in there software all kind of bugs have appeared, dont loose your money on this buy Panda antivirus www.pandasoftware.com
User Rating: 1/10
Installation screwed up both NAV2004 and NAV2003
Pros:
Cons: installation failed. Uninstall really difficult. Online help leads you slowly deeper and deeper into the woods with each screen refering you to yet another. Phone support expensive and hasn't solved the problem so far.
User Rating: 1/10
The latest version is better
Pros: I always trust Norton is good product. And I always buy product from them !!
Cons: But them make bad product (I read all reviews).The world cannot waiting for you. Good Byee Norton
User Rating: 
5/10
Buggy and poor support, unethical management.
Pros: Speed, features and interface.
Cons: Problems with Norton SystemWorks 2004 I was most satisfied with Norton SystemWorks 2000 and 2001. Upgrading to Windows XP however forced me to upgrade to Norton SystemWorks 2004. Alas it's given me nothing but grief. 1. Norton System Doctor display doe
User Rating: 4/10
SYMANTEC ACKNOWLEDGES PROBLEM
Pros: Can be a benefical all in one program, if you have the patience to put up with it. But it sure is a systems resource hog.
Cons: In the February 3, 2004 edition of PC Magazine, on page 21, there is a small article that states Symantec acknowledges problem with the activation process of several of its software products. It tells you to obtain a patch called SymKBFix.exe at www. syma
User Rating: 2/10
NSW 2004 Ploinked My Computer!
Pros: A comprehensive set of pretty impressive utilities I've been using for years.
Cons: Tried to install NSW 2004. A small DOS window appeared for a second, then vanished with no results. Now, when I boot my system (in Windows XP Pro), it hangs for two minutes. Followed Symantec's support suggestion, of which they currently blame VeriSign, b
User Rating: 3/10
Slow and ineffective
Pros: Reliable against viruses. Cleansweep feature is pretty good and removing junk.
Cons: Antivirus scanner is extremely slow...we're talking about hours to do a scan. Generally ineffective against spyware and adware. Frequently detects threats but is unable to remove them. If you already have Systemworks, try Ad-Aware from Lavasoft. It's f
User Rating: 2/10
bad idea for such a good product
Pros: scans them bad viruses for ya automatically.
Cons: can't get it to auto protect. it has to be manually turned on. now i have troubles with my registry...tried doing this 68 times and still wondering what did i get?
User Rating: 2/10
disappointing. done with norton
Pros: none, probably will buy panda..
Cons: non intuitive, hard to know if working then fails like 03 becoming inoperable. secret files which cause conflicts withother software leading to a crash. no support and extermely hard to delete spy files....
User Rating: 
8/10
Causes more problems than fixes!
Pros: Sounds Great! Promises everything.
Cons: Less filling! Hard to install. Can corrupt more than it can fix. Every new version worse than the last!
User Rating: 2/10
Lost all the advanced functions of earlier verions
Pros: Norton Anti-Virus checks for spyware
Cons: Cleansweep cuts PC speed in half, GoBack would never load. Don't waste your money.
User Rating: 3/10
Don't put your money on NSW 04
Pros: Ease of use
Cons: Can't get the main window of NSW Pro to open. Support is horrable.
User Rating: 8/10
Great piece of software
Pros: Great piece of software to keep your system fresh & running well. Anti-virus software is best out there by a mile.
Cons: Missing some vital tools that used to be part of the Nortons range like Duplicate File Checker & Disk Editor. Product Activation.
User Rating: 1/10
NSW 2004 a disaster upgrade
Pros: UI and features seem ok (if you can get it loaded and activated)
Cons: On-line activation failed. Support only works US office hours, and has 0 success rate (with me), despite having spent money to trace install problems. After 3 weeks, still cant get it to run properly on XP, despite reloads and fixes and whatnot. Isnt theS
User Rating: 
6/10
recommend with reservations
Pros: anti virus features one step system check up live update
Cons: password manager buggy at best disk optimization fair at best online help site marginal-better help solving problems on the elder geek website
User Rating: 6/10
Minor upgrade from 2003
Pros: Reliable, good product.
Cons: New validation system very buggy. Unable to get latest antivirus definitions. Not much different from NSW 2003. Not worth upgdating!
User Rating: 4/10
Potintially good Product - Fails to install
Pros: Lots of tools. Automatic use is easy.
Cons: I did not uninstall the 2003 version and let it try to do this. A big mess ensued that left me with no tools. I had to go and buy McAffee to have virus protection, as the 2003 version would not install either. It took 2 Hours of regedit work to finally
User Rating: 
7/10
Great update for antivirus-only users.
Pros: Norton Ghost makes backups wonderfully simple and easy,even with new DVD-R drives. That alone justifies the purchase, but the antivirus makes it a must-have.
Cons: Icons and installation into the task bar difficult to remove.
User Rating: 1/10
unstable...poor support
Pros: good features. was using 2002 & it was great so knew 2004 had to be even better. how wrong!! price was best..free with upgrade & store rebates...so I got what I paid for. don't know how good it is, after finally installing it locked up & gave
Cons: support took a week to respond with standard email response..uninstall and reinstall...they just didn't say how many times. I chucked it and reloaded 2002.
User Rating: 2/10
Much worse than 2003
Pros: Not many
Cons: Very long loading time. computer ran noticably slower. Finally switched to another brand without these problems.
User Rating: 5/10
Decent software;lousy admin./support
Pros: Good at tracking problem locations and working some issues.
Cons: Terrible support policies and administration. Often takes 2-3 days to get mail reply and phone suppport costs are outrageous.
