I’m not real good with technical matters, but I think my question is simple.
I’ve just bought this computer, and it is my first home computer. It came with Norton Antivirus but now it tells me my subscription runs out in seven days.
Renewing seems like it would cost a good deal, and my money is really tight.
What would happen if I just let it expire? Should I renew regardless of the cost?
Thank you for any help in this.
You should uninstall it now, then install a free antivirus program like AVG Free 8.5 It is better protection, and it won’t slow down your computer as much as Norton does.
Don’t just let it expire, without replacing it with something else. An anti-virus package that isn’t kept up to date is pretty much useless, because there are new threats out there all the time.
But you don’t need to pay for a good anti-virus package. And Norton tends to be heavy-handed, producing a serious overhead load on your PC.
My advice would be to do a complete uninstall of Norton, first. This is important, because having traces of it still lurking on your PC can cause problems with other anti-virus software. The usual Control Panel, Add and Remove Programs route is often not enough to get Norton completely off a machine. Best to use the Norton Removal Tool, from the folks who produce Norton: http://service1.symantec.com/Support/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2005033108162039
Then install one of the well-regarded freebies packages. I’m happy with AVG, which is both an anti-virus and an anti-scumware package. Get it here: http://free.avg.com/. Don’t be lured into the AVG Internet Security package, which isn’t free. You don’t need the extra stuff that it includes.
I’m sure someone will chime in to disagree with me (perhaps vehemently), but I also firmly believe that the built-in Windows firewall is all the protection you need on that front (you still need an anti-virus package, of course). Installing an additional firewall is just an unnecessary load on your machine. The WinXP firewall on my aging PC has survived every threat test I’ve ever subjected it to, and I’m sure the Vista firewall is equally robust.
Great minds think alike, it would appear! 
Thank you all, I think this solves my problem.
Good suggestion, but a better method would be.
This will keep the amount of time you’re unprotected to a minimum.
Overkill. You’re safe as long as you don’t open any files or visit any webpages while you’re in the process of removing one antivirus package and installing the other. Staying connected to the 'net is only a hazard if you’re turning off your firewall (something you should never, ever do!).
You can’t be too safe, actually. If the OP had a direct connection to the internet, and an unpatched Windows XP with the firewall off, then his computer could be exploited after some time.
Of course, the odds of that are still quite slim…
I also agree with the above, get rid of Norton! It’s a waste of system resources you can squander somewhere else
Give AVG a try. If you’re in school, some colleges offer antivirus programs to their students for free.
Actually, if you turn off your firewall, your PC can be infected within a few minutes, whether you’ve got an antivirus package or not. Remember, a firewall and an antivirus package are protecting against two very different kinds of threats. Neither can substitute for the other.
Keeping your firewall turned on won’t protect you if you open an infected file, and you don’t have any active antivirus protection running. And having an antivirus package running won’t protect you from a host of trojan-type exploits if you drop your firewall. Apples and oranges.
If you never opened a file or visited a web site, you wouldn’t need an antivirus package at all. You could stay connected to the Internet all day without getting infected, as long as your firewall is turned on (or if you’re behind a router).