I've had trouble ever since renewing (downloaded, no disk) Norton Anti-Virus in Dec, but now computer won't open properly or allow me internet access (Windows Explorer; I have Dell computer, Windows 98 SE). I am using computer at work to do this. Excuse my layman language, I am not super knowledgeable in computers, but can walk thru some things. Computer opens to black screen and says (Copied from another thread): "The Windows Registry or SYSTEM.INI file refers to this device file, but the device file no longer exists.

If you deleted this file on purpose, try uninstalling the associated application using its inunstall or setup program.

If you still want to use the application associated with this device file, try reinstalling that applicatin to replace the missing file." Then it shows C:\Windows.....Nortonxxxx on line. I have not deleted anything so don't know what happened. I have on computer Norton Anti-Virus, Zone Lab fire wall, Spybot; use my DSL connection to internet with Windows Explorer. Also have Mozilla (?) for internet connection/browser??? but do not use it. Is there anything I can do to remedy this? I clean out Temp Int Files weekly, but never delete anything like this. Computer has TONS of free space so not overloaded. I have my original computer disks, but am unsure I would do correctly (nervous I'll really mess it up). Any suggestions??? Thanks! (PS what does the guided and enhanced mean?)

Is "Nortonxxxx" really what the message shows, or does it give an exact filename? Since the filename points to Norton, I'd try uninstalling and reinstalling Norton; it sounds like one of Norton's driver files got corrupted, or the installation didn't complete correctly.

Thank you for the tip. It did give an exact file name.

I was a little unsure about the uninstall process affecting other things (consider myself a novice in this area) so I had a computer savy helper and we ended up saving all my stuff to CDs, and cleaning up the computer completely and reinstalling all programs, etc. I did not reinstall the Norton - I think we used another program. Almost everyone I know that has the Norton Anti-Virus 2005 (or read on the internet) has had problems with this. I do think it's because we all have so many different protection devices and they all fight each other. I just didn't want the battle any more. I feel like I have a whole new computer again (just because it works!!!).

Thanks for your helpful advice though. If I didn't have the friend, I would have taken your advice and done this myself.

Yeah, corruption problems like that seem to be becoming more common in the packages from both Norton and McAfee as those companies keep making bigger, more "feature-filled" versions of their products.

Regardless of how you got it sorted out, I'm glad you did.