Endpoint Protection

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  • 1.  SEP 11 and Vista - trouble running programs!

    Posted Sep 10, 2009 11:03 AM
    I have Vista Business SP2 (32-bit) on my client PC, and I am running SEP 11.0.4202.75 (MR4). The client installs fine with no errors. Sometime after install – could be immediately, hours later, or even days later – I am unable to run some of my programs. One example is Windows Sidebar, which comes with Vista. The sidebar application partially loads, and sidebar.exe is listed as running in Task Manager “Processes”, but the sidebar gadgets aren’t loaded, and when you try to use sidebar, it’s basically hung.  If I try to open MS Outlook or Word, they will intermittently hang. Some programs do open fine however.
     
    Disabling SEP does nothing to remedy this.  Even stopping the SEP services doesn't help.  However, if I uninstall SEP and reboot, then the system is fine. 
     
    I originally encountered this problem with SEP 11.0.4014, so I upgraded to .4202, but there’s no change in behavior. I don’t have any other Vista clients to test this with; all my XP systems seem to be running fine.  When I installed the client, I used only antivirus & antispyware. I am not using Network Threat Protection or TruScan.
     
    There are no errors in any of the Windows logs, and no errors that pop up on screen. I have no workarounds other then uninstalling the SEP client, which obviously isn’t a solution! Does anyone have any ideas?


  • 2.  RE: SEP 11 and Vista - trouble running programs!

    Posted Sep 10, 2009 01:35 PM
    Is anything logged to the SEP client logs: tamper protection alerts, etc?  Is this computer managed or unmanaged?

    You might be able to use procmon to see what's happening at a process level when this happens, but if it's intermittent, then leaving that running a long time will create a huge log.

    sandra


  • 3.  RE: SEP 11 and Vista - trouble running programs!

    Posted Sep 10, 2009 01:57 PM
    Just a thought, did you have another brand of AV running on this system prior to SEP 11.0.4014? If so, there may be remnants of the old AV still on your system that are conflicting with SEP and your OS.

    Thomas





  • 4.  RE: SEP 11 and Vista - trouble running programs!

    Posted Sep 11, 2009 11:08 AM
    What Gadgets are getting hung would be another question?  What build of Outlook and patch level. I was running Vista Enterprise 32 bit up until last week and never had a problem.   What all else is loading at start up also could be a factor.


  • 5.  RE: SEP 11 and Vista - trouble running programs!

    Posted Sep 11, 2009 01:04 PM
     Try disabling Tamper Protection and if UAC is turned then turn that off.


  • 6.  RE: SEP 11 and Vista - trouble running programs!

    Posted Sep 23, 2009 05:12 PM
    Hi David,

    Can you give us an update on your issue?

    Thanks,
    Thomas


  • 7.  RE: SEP 11 and Vista - trouble running programs!

    Posted Oct 06, 2009 12:42 PM
    I am still having the issue.  The cycle goes like this:
    -PC is running fine.  I reboot at some point, maybe after a Windows Update, or just because it's been a week or so since I rebooted.
    -The PC boots up and the issue may or may not be present.  Today for example, the issue surfaced after a reboot.  I can't get Microsoft Word to open, yet Outlook opens OK.  Several other apps also won't open - it's always the same apps when this issue surfaces.
    -Rebooting doesn't seem to help.  The only thing that resolves the issue is an uninstall of the SEP client.  (I'm running 11.0.4202.75.  I had the issue with 4014 also).

    I'm running Vista 32-bit with SP2, and all the latest Microsoft patches & updates. 
    I've never had a previous antivirus on this machine other than SEP.
    There's NOTHING in any of the SEP logs except the System log, which simply shows the start/stop of the SEP service, and when definition updates come in.
    There's nothing of note in the Windows System or App logs.
    I don't have Tamper protection enabled.

    I manage about 80 SEP clients, only 3 run Vista, and to my knowledge, I'm the only one with the issue.

    Not really sure what other info I can provide.  I know it's hard to fix something when there's no error messages or anything else of note.



  • 8.  RE: SEP 11 and Vista - trouble running programs!
    Best Answer

    Posted Oct 29, 2009 01:20 PM

    Hello All,

    I'm happy to say this issue is resolved and it was NOT related to SEP !!  My apologies to Symantec for blaming you for this one, it was a very tough one to fix.  The "Print Spooler" service seems to be the offending process.  Cycling it resolves the problem and the programs start running.

    Thanks all for your help!