Proactive IT Security
 

The download directory C:\Program Files\Norman\Distrib\Download is in use by another NIU

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Date published: 2008-10-24       Date updated: 2011-01-17

Product:
Endpoint Protection

Module(s):
Internet update

Operations System(s):
Windows XP 32 bits
Windows Vista 32 bits
Windows 2000
Windows XP 64 bits
Windows Vista 64 bits
Windows 95/98/Me
Windows NT
Novell Netware
Windows 2003 Server

Problem description

When attempting to update using Norman Internet Update an error like the following appears:

The download directory C:\Program Files\Norman\Distrib\Download is in use by another NIU

Cause

The process NIU.EXE (Norman Internet Update) is already running, often from another account than the one you are using now (mostly the Local System account, from which the automatic updates are executed). That other NIU.EXE instance is awaiting user input on some unanswered popup, and as long as that NIU.EXE is running it keeps a file called NIU.SEM locked in the indicated directory. If that NIU.SEM is locked, other NIU.EXE instances will produce this error message.

If you do not see the popup that the already running NIU.EXE is presenting (for instance, it shows popups when your license is expired or when you are trying to download updates that are not covered by your license), it means that the popups are presented by NIU.EXE on the console, and you are logging in remotely and thus do not see the console messages.

Problem solution

  1. Open Task Manager (Start > Run > taskmgr).
  2. Important: Check the “show processes from all users” checkbox at the bottom.
  3. Abort all processes called NIU.EXE.
  4. Retry the Norman Internet Update, but do that manually (through the start menu, or the N-icon on the system tray if visible).
    Any popups that need answering before the update can run will be shown now, and can be acted upon.

    This should normally solve the problem. If not, please continue as follows:
     
  5. Move the entire contents of the folder (...)\Norman\Distrib\Download to a temporary backup folder.
  6. Do the same with the contents of the folder (...)\Norman\Download.
  7. Again, manually retry the Norman Internet Update. Everything should run as normal now.

Note: Completing the updates after downloading can take a couple of minutes.