Panda Internet Security Review

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Panda Internet Security
★★☆☆☆
2.2
20.0% of users recommend this
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lottie964's review of Panda Internet Security

“I have been using Panda Platinum Internet Security...”

★☆☆☆☆

written by lottie964 on 08/08/2005

Good Points
Good product until it goes wrong.

Bad Points
Truly AWFUL tech support!

General Comments
I have been using Panda Platinum Internet Security since February 2005, and before that Panda Platinum 7.0, which was installed as a three month trial when I bought my new computer.

Having found Panda Platinum 7.0 to be excellent at protecting my computer and very user friendly, I decided, at the end of the three months to continue using Panda.

Unfortunately, by this time Panda Platinum 7.0 was 'old hat' and no longer available, and so I purchased the nearest thing to it that I could find, Panda Platinum Internet Security.

For almost five glorious months I had no problems with it at all, despite using the internet via a university LAN in my halls of residence (known to be hotbed of viruses).

I used the internet heavily, but my computer remained uninfected until one terrible day in late June, when I was, ironically NOT using a university LAN, but a relatively safe, domestic broadband one.

Having opened a routine e-mail, I got a pop-up message from Panda, informing me of a spy ware infection (whether this was due to the e-mail I don't know).

Although the spy ware was then 'neutralised' and the computer 'disinfected' automatically by the software, from then on, I have experienced problems.

To begin with, sometimes when I switched my computer on, I would be informed by a pop-up that the protection was 'low' and the automatic file protection was disabled, even though I hadn't altered any settings on the software.

At first this seemed a minor problem, and restarting the computer would often rectify it. However, the problem only got worse and became increasingly frequent, with every single component on the list (automatic file, firewall, anti-spy ware, anti-dialler, and anti-spam protection as well as web content filtering) ALL disabled on almost every start-up, regardless of how many times I had restarted or clicked the 'enable' button!

I became convinced that this must be due to a virus, so, having declared war on the problem, I got to work, and began to scan the 'Whole System'.

Except, therein lay yet another gremlin...the scan froze, and the computer helpfully informed me that it was 'not responding'.

Since then every attempt to scan any part of the computer for viruses has been to no avail. I eventually had to resort to 'Panda Active Scan' on the company's website to put my mind to rest. This proved my computer to be virus free apart from two spy ware items, which I deleted myself (and may have, to be fair, unable to be detected by my older version of Panda, despite the daily updates).

However this did not solve to problem.

In despair I e-mailed panda (two weeks ago now) via their tech-support address.

I have still not had a reply. Incredible, when you consider that technical support is supposedly included in the package.

At my wits end, a week later, I reinstalled the software. On the first attempt this didn't work. Before the second attempt I dredged the computer, removing any trace of any free web software or other antivirus software that could be upsetting it.

Finally, having also done a disk cleanup and defragmented, I felt that the computer was in peak condition, and that now was as good a time as any to try the installation again.

I waited with baited breath as the computer restarted after the installation... it still hadn't worked. Unbowed I tried a third time. This proved to be third time lucky.... well, sort of.

The truth of the matter is that, it isn't really fixed after all, just not quite as bad. Every other time I switch on my computer, it still complains that it 'could not load the automatic file protection' and on checking the status, the automatic file protection (thought thankfully none of the other features - so far) is disabled.

A week after the first e-mail (having still had no response from the first), I e-mailed them again, but this time through the tech support page of the website.

Or at least I attempted to.

I obediently filled in the online form. On reaching 'select you product' (or something to that affect) I clicked the down pointing arrow to access the drop-down menu. But no menu appeared. Refusing to be put off, I entered the exact name of the product in the 'version' box instead. I clicked the send button; only to find that this was not possible I had not filled in all the required boxes. I tried again but with no success.

Not to be beaten, I painstakingly noted down all the fields from the webpage, and filled them in on an ordinary e-mail. I sent it off with a detailed description of the problem, and I STILL haven't received a reply, or even an acknowledgement. Conveniently for Panda, I cannot afford to call the tech support phone line, (a 090 number).

I have however, received an unconnected e-mail from Panda, telling me of a special offer regarding the latest version of the product. Customer support my not be their forte, but marketing clearly is.

As for the new version, I am now in two minds as to whether or not to upgrade. With six months subscription left on my current software, I cannot afford, as a student to waste half a year's subscription, which was included in the package, by changing to another company's product. However to keep the remaining six months I would have to switch to another Panda product, and I'm not sure if I want to take that risk.

For the time being at least I am left with three equally unsatisfactory options:

1) Carry on until my Panda software expires and becomes 'extinct',
2) 'Feed' the Panda company just a bit more 'eucalyptus' to get the new version, and keep my computer happy,
3) Send the Panda 'back to the jungle', and get an antivirus program from another company, losing six months subscription.

You have been warned.... this Panda can be an exceedingly temperamental animal

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Morphonics's Response to lottie964's Review

Written on: 05/09/2005

I have had a problem with Panda Platinum causing my Epson USB scanner to hang up - Their Technical Support page 'product selection' box still isn't working about a month later.

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219432_Zzzoomer's Response to lottie964's Review

Written on: 03/12/2005

After reading the reviews, I have two pieces of information to offer. But, first let me say that I am NOT a Panda user and am only gathering info to determine if I want to be one. If I were experiencing these problems with Panda (or any other Internet Security Software company), I would: 1) now connect to trendmicro.com (or another of the Internet Security Websites) to run a free Virus/AntiSpyware scan. I have had problems in the past with Norton after the subscription had lapsed and was able to clear it in this way. 2) I ALWAYS purchase online with a Visa or Mastercard credit card - this gives me protection from under-handed merchants not fulfilling their commitments. In this case considering that I have purchased the product with a charge card, I would a) send an email to any and all email addresses provided on their website for support/customer service/tech support informing them that the product is not working as described in their sales literature. b) in the email I would be sure to include my customer identification number (or whatever Panda has assigned to me to show I have paid their fees and am a registered subscriber to their services). c) in the email I would also include the dates I have unsuccessfully tried to contact them. d) in the email I would include the statement: "if I do not receive a response from Panda Technical Support concerning this issue by" a date that is one week in the future "I will be contacting my charge card company to reverse any and all fees I have paid your company." This action will either get their attention or give me the basis for recovering the fees I have paid for a non-performing product. If Panda does not contact me by the date specified in the email, I would contact my charge card provider to begin dispute proceedings - I will need to be able to identify the date and amount of the charge for the software license from Panda from my charge card statement and provide a copy of the email I sent to Panda threatening a chargeback. Copies of my other emails to Panda with dates and times would need to be available in case my charge card provider felt they would be beneficial to my case. Remember: Since the software was probably purchased online, there is no receipt with my signature saying I agree to any particular conditions and therefore cannot be held accountable for any special conditions of the sale. I purchased the software expecting it to work as described and it does not. End of story!
<br>
<br>If my charge card provider blew me off and would not start chargeback proceedings, I would contact Visa or Mastercard (whatever the case may be) and register a complaint concerning my charge card provider. The information I have offered in this response lines up with Visa and Mastercard standard rules - every merchant that is able to accept Visa and Mastercard must sign a contract saying they agree to these rules. This I know -I work in the credit card industry for a merchant services provider and have personally performed this action 3 times in the past year. Each time I have been successful in recovering my money. I hope this helps those who read it.

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Varleyfarm's Response to lottie964's Review

Written on: 11/10/2005

Pandas eat bamboo, not eucalyptus. Perhaps you were thinking of koalas. I would not try putting bamboo in my computer either, though.

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Peter Williams's Response to lottie964's Review

Written on: 11/10/2005

This is the identical response, or lack of one that I am experiencing. My Platinum Security has ceased to update and I am being told that. My services expired 71 days ago despite having renewed them in December 2004 for one year. I too received the offer to upgrade to Titanium=Antispyware 12 months and (perhaps you may think,unwisely) took them up on the offer, paid for it and attempted to download. The download detected the Platinum and stalled,asking me to uninstall it before continuing with the new download. AT this point, for it is as far as I have been able to get,up pops a box telling me that it is unable to detect the support file. I do not know what this means as I am a 'silver surfer' so I attempted to contact Panda Tech Support in the way described 3 times, even threatening legal action as they have my money and I have no protection, and received no reply as yet. Can anyone tell me if this company is still trading or is it simply a money box? I can't even get rid of the damned thing as It won't uninstall. I have since gone back to AVG free edition which seems to do the job properly. It may be that my problem is computer derived and not Panda but a simple reply to that effect would have helped.

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