Now myself and a friend, who both use NIS 2002 (I actually converted him) have the connection box problem, though he a heck of a lot worse than me). There's some rumors floating about that Norton has been trying to find people with bootlegged discs. I have no idea if it's true, if it's any part of the problem, but.... I'd downloaded ZoneAlarm a couple of years back and saved it somewhere, packrat that I am. Maybe it's time I went searching for that CD.
ZoneAlarm has been updated several times since then. You'd do better to download it again from their website. Current version is 4.5.594, and they have been beta-testing version 5.
well, remember all those spam emails advertising Norton Anti Virus 2002? A ton of people bought them, and they got a years worth of use free. Actually, if you delete it, then reinstall NAV2002 it will give you another year! So, they had a lot of freeloaders d/l-ing off them. I think 2004 changes the program around so you have to have a valid serial number (on the sleeve) or it turns off after a while.
First thing to do when you buy a OEM computer like an HP, DELL, Gateway, etc..
Format C: /Q
Install a CLEAN copy of Windows XP.
Enjoy.
All that crap they put in there makes their systems unstable. Bootlegged software? What's that? ;)