GUANGZHOU, May 29 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese lawyer began proceedings on Tuesday to sue Symantec Corporation, the world's largest security software provider, for the collapse of his computer caused by a faulty anti-virus update from the company.

    Liu Shihui, a lawyer with the Hongmian Law Firm in southern Guangdong Province, is seeking 1,644 yuan (213 U.S. dollars) to compensate for losses caused when his computer was paralyzed on the evening of May 18 due to an automatic update of Norton anti-virus software, according to the Guangzhou Intermediate People's Court.

    The updating of the Chinese version of the Norton software, which started on May 18, wrongly identified two critical files of the Microsoft XP operating system as malicious codes and deleted them, causing millions of Chinese computers to collapse.

    Liu claimed he was forced to hire technicians to restore his computer system and save data on May 20 after Norton services agencies refused to help him.

    Liu claims his Norton anti-virus software was legal and its service term was valid until May 1, 2008.

    A spokesman with Symantec Corporation Greater China Region made a formal apology last Wednesday at a news conference, but did not mention compensation.

    A Beijing client had also filed a lawsuit seeking compensation of 50,000 yuan for data lost from his laptop in the updating of the Norton anti-virus software.