Yes I buy unused unopened old versions off eBay for peanuts, throw away the CD and just use the license key. Often these are those marked with those stores, like Currys, that you refer to.

Certainly worked, and safer than clicking a link in an unverified email.

However, it was a retrograde step, as the new version has removed the nice gadget from my desktop, and I can't restore it, because apparently it doesn't exist in Norton 2013.

I like that little gadget, because it's a nice visual indicator that all is well (or not, as the case may be). I could see its comforting greenness through the semi-transparent windows.

In reply to a post by TLM:

the new version has removed the nice gadget from my desktop

I recall Microsoft do not now support those desktop gadgets, as they were considered a significant security risk(!) providing an unsecured door into your PC, and recommended they should all be removed. You'll see their statement if you use the link to their website from which additional gadgets could once be obtained. So Norton are just following the policy.

Yes, apparently that's why Norton ceased to support it. Reasonable, I suppose, as security s/w shouldn't have an integrated security risk.

A great pity, though, as I found it so useful. I'd known nothing about Microsoft's statement prior to this, so was disappointed when the upgrade caused a wanted feature to disappear.