Customer couldn’t use IE. It would lock up, and a window (title was: ccapp.exe – application error) would say:

The instruction at “0x6afaf101” referenced memory at “0x00000008”. The memory could not be “read”

A ping test works fine. This is looking like a Norton Internet Security 2006 problem. 

I disable virtually all startup programs, plus a select group of useless services (but not norton IS), and I’m able to get to the web. A search for “6afaf101” finds very little (except solutions involving reinstalling windows).

I try to selectively enable some applications, but I quickly realise its going to take a long time (and many many reboots) to track down the problem (maybe!).

I then decide I’ll reinstall NIS. The uninstall works well (but takes a long time). The installation seems to work well… but after a reboot, Norton starts taking me through the activation… and as soon as it tries to connect to the internet, the window shows an hourglass, and no longer responds (and cannot be killed by task manager).

I try disabling ALL startup programs (except norton), but no go.

At this stage, its getting close to 2 hours onsite, so the customer agrees to toss norton IS and go with my security toolset.

I could have uninstalled norton, run the norton cleanup tool, then reinstall… but if that didn’t work, I’d probably be looking at another hour down the drain (that wouldn’t be fair on the customer).

I uninstall norton (another long process), install and update antivir, spyware blaster, winpatrol, bhodemon, windows defender.

In short order, the PC is secure, and able to access the web as well!.