<PAGE>

    As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 20, 1996
                                                   Registration No. 333-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                              SYMANTEC CORPORATION
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

          DELAWARE                                          77-0181864
(State or other jurisdiction of                        (I.R.S. employer 
incorporation or organization)                         identification no.)

                               10201 TORRE AVENUE
                          CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA  95014
                    (Address of principal executive offices)

                 SYMANTEC CORPORATION 1996 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
                            (Full title of the plan)

                              DEREK P. WITTE, ESQ.
                              SYMANTEC CORPORATION
                               10201 TORRE AVENUE
                          CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA  95014
                                 (408) 253-9600
            (Name, address and telephone number of agent for service)
                                        
                                   COPIES TO:
                            Jeffery L. Donovan, Esq.
                               Fenwick & West LLP
                              Two Palo Alto Square
                          Palo Alto, California  94306

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                  CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Title of Securities to be     Amount         Proposed Maximum        Proposed Maximum           Amount of 
        Registered            to be         Offering Price Per      Aggregate Offering      Registration Fee
                            Registered            Share                    Price       
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                        <C>              <C>                     <C>                     <C>             
Common Stock, $0.01        1,336,373(1)     $14.125(2)              $18,876,268.63(2)       $5,721
par value 
</TABLE>

(1)  Shares registered pursuant to this Registration Statement previously
     available for issuance under the terminated Symantec Corporation 1988
     Employees Stock Option Plan and that are now available for issuance under
     the Symantec Corporation 1996 Equity Incentive Plan in the event that
     options previously granted under the Symantec Corporation 1988 Employees
     Stock Option Plan expire, are cancelled or become unexercisable for any
     reason without having been exercised in full.  Pursuant to Rule 429
     promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities
     Act"), the prospectuses relating to this Registration Statement also relate
     to the shares registered under Form S-8 Registration Statement No. 333-
     07223.  A total of 2,741,573 shares issuable under the Symantec Corporation
     1996 Equity Incentive Plan have previously been registered under the
     Securities Act.


<PAGE>

(2)  Estimated pursuant to Rule 457(c) of the Securities Act based on the
     average of the high and low prices of the Registrant's  Common Stock as
     reported by the  Nasdaq National Market on December 17,  1996, solely for
     the purpose of calculating the amount of the registration fee.  

 INCORPORATION OF PREVIOUS REGISTRATION STATEMENT.
    
     Pursuant to General Instruction E of Form S-8, this Registration Statement
is filed solely to register an additional 1,336,373 shares under the Symantec
Corporation 1996 Equity Incentive Plan (the "PLAN"), which increase in shares
was approved by the stockholders at Symantec Corporation's Annual Meeting of
Stockholders on September 25, 1996.  Pursuant to Instruction E, the contents of
the Registrant's Form S-8 Registration Statement No. 333-07223 are hereby
incorporated by reference.  



                                      -2-

<PAGE>

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS that each individual and corporation whose
signature appears below constitutes and appoints Robert R. B. Dykes,  his true
and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent with full power of substitution, for him
and his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all
amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement
on Form S-8, and to file the same with all exhibits thereto and all documents in
connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto
said attorney-in-fact and agent, full power and authority to do and perform each
and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the
premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in
person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and
agent, or his substitute, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

                                    SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant
certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the
requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the city of Cupertino, State of California, on the 19th day of
December, 1996.

                                   SYMANTEC CORPORATION

                                   By:  /s/ Robert R. B. Dykes   
                                      ----------------------------------------
                                        Robert R. B. Dykes
                                        Executive Vice President/World-Wide
                                        Operations and Chief Financial Officer
     
     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.


       SIGNATURE                       TITLE                      DATE
--------------------------    -------------------------    -----------------

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER:


/s/ Gordon E. Eubanks, Jr.    President, Chief Executive    December 19, 1996
---------------------------   Officer and Director
Gordon E. Eubanks, Jr.      



                                   -3-

<PAGE>


       SIGNATURE                       TITLE                      DATE
--------------------------    -------------------------    -----------------

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER:


/s/ Robert R. B. Dykes        Executive Vice President/     December 19, 1996
---------------------------   World-Wide Operations and 
Robert R. B. Dykes            Chief Financial Officer


CHIEF ACCOUNTING 
OFFICER:


/s/ Howard A. Bain III        Vice President/Finance and    December 19, 1996
---------------------------   Chief Accounting Officer
Howard A. Bain III            


ADDITIONAL DIRECTORS:


/s/ Carl D. Carman            Chairman of the Board         December 19, 1996
---------------------------   
Carl D. Carman


/s/ Charles M. Boesenberg     Director                      December 19, 1996
---------------------------   
Charles M. Boesenberg


/s/ Walter W. Bregman         Director                      December 19, 1996
---------------------------   
Walter W. Bregman


/s/ Robert S. Miller          Director                      December 19, 1996
---------------------------   
Robert S. Miller




                                   -4-

<PAGE>

                                EXHIBIT INDEX

Document                                                                   
--------                                                                   
  4.01    Symantec Corporation 1996 Equity Incentive Plan.                 

  4.02    The Registrant's Restated Certificate of Incorporation 
          (incorporated by reference to Annex G filed with the 
          Registrant's Joint Management Information Circular and 
          Proxy Statement (No. 000-17781) dated October 17, 1995).

  4.03    The Registrant's Bylaws, as currently in effect 
          (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.02 of the 
          Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 
          33-28655) originally filed on May 19, 1989, and Amendment 
          No. 1 thereto filed June 21, 1989, which Registration 
          Statement became effective June 22, 1989).

  5.01    Opinion of Fenwick & West LLP.                                     

 23.01    Consent of Fenwick & West LLP (included in Exhibit 5.01).

 23.02    Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Auditors.                

 23.03    Consent of Price Waterhouse, Independent Auditors.                 

 24.01    Power of Attorney (see page 3).
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "description": "S-8", "secsgml_size_bytes": 9346}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "SYMANTEC CORP", "cik": "0000849399", "assigned-sic": "7372", "irs-number": "770181864", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "0331"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-18353", "film-number": "96683825"}, "business-address": {"street1": "10201 TORRE AVE", "city": "CUPERTINO", "state": "CA", "zip": "95014", "phone": "4082539600"}, "mail-address": {"street2": "10201 TORRE AVENUE", "city": "CUPERTINO", "state": "CA", "zip": "95014"}}
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 20, 1996
                                                   Registration No. 333-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                              SYMANTEC CORPORATION
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

          DELAWARE                                          77-0181864
(State or other jurisdiction of                        (I.R.S. employer 
incorporation or organization)                         identification no.)

                               10201 TORRE AVENUE
                          CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA  95014
                    (Address of principal executive offices)

                 SYMANTEC CORPORATION 1996 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
                            (Full title of the plan)

                              DEREK P. WITTE, ESQ.
                              SYMANTEC CORPORATION
                               10201 TORRE AVENUE
                          CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA  95014
                                 (408) 253-9600
            (Name, address and telephone number of agent for service)
                                        
                                   COPIES TO:
                            Jeffery L. Donovan, Esq.
                               Fenwick & West LLP
                              Two Palo Alto Square
                          Palo Alto, California  94306
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Title of Securities to be     Amount         Proposed Maximum        Proposed Maximum           Amount of 
        Registered            to be         Offering Price Per      Aggregate Offering      Registration Fee
                            Registered            Share                    Price       
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stock, $0.01        1,336,373(1)     $14.125(2)              $18,876,268.63(2)       $5,721
par value
(1)  Shares registered pursuant to this Registration Statement previously
     available for issuance under the terminated Symantec Corporation 1988
     Employees Stock Option Plan and that are now available for issuance under
     the Symantec Corporation 1996 Equity Incentive Plan in the event that
     options previously granted under the Symantec Corporation 1988 Employees
     Stock Option Plan expire, are cancelled or become unexercisable for any
     reason without having been exercised in full.  Pursuant to Rule 429
     promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities
     Act"), the prospectuses relating to this Registration Statement also relate
     to the shares registered under Form S-8 Registration Statement No. 333-
     07223.  A total of 2,741,573 shares issuable under the Symantec Corporation
     1996 Equity Incentive Plan have previously been registered under the
     Securities Act.
(2)  Estimated pursuant to Rule 457(c) of the Securities Act based on the
     average of the high and low prices of the Registrant's  Common Stock as
     reported by the  Nasdaq National Market on December 17,  1996, solely for
     the purpose of calculating the amount of the registration fee.  

 INCORPORATION OF PREVIOUS REGISTRATION STATEMENT.
    
     Pursuant to General Instruction E of Form S-8, this Registration Statement
is filed solely to register an additional 1,336,373 shares under the Symantec
Corporation 1996 Equity Incentive Plan (the "PLAN"), which increase in shares
was approved by the stockholders at Symantec Corporation's Annual Meeting of
Stockholders on September 25, 1996.  Pursuant to Instruction E, the contents of
the Registrant's Form S-8 Registration Statement No. 333-07223 are hereby
incorporated by reference.  

                                      -2-
POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS that each individual and corporation whose
signature appears below constitutes and appoints Robert R. B. Dykes,  his true
and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent with full power of substitution, for him
and his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all
amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement
on Form S-8, and to file the same with all exhibits thereto and all documents in
connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto
said attorney-in-fact and agent, full power and authority to do and perform each
and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the
premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in
person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and
agent, or his substitute, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

                                    SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant
certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the
requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the city of Cupertino, State of California, on the 19th day of
December, 1996.

                                   SYMANTEC CORPORATION

                                   By:  /s/ Robert R. B. Dykes   
                                      ----------------------------------------
                                        Robert R. B. Dykes
                                        Executive Vice President/World-Wide
                                        Operations and Chief Financial Officer
     
     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.

       SIGNATURE                       TITLE                      DATE
--------------------------    -------------------------    -----------------

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER:

/s/ Gordon E. Eubanks, Jr.    President, Chief Executive    December 19, 1996
---------------------------   Officer and Director
Gordon E. Eubanks, Jr.      

                                   -3-
SIGNATURE                       TITLE                      DATE
--------------------------    -------------------------    -----------------

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER:

/s/ Robert R. B. Dykes        Executive Vice President/     December 19, 1996
---------------------------   World-Wide Operations and 
Robert R. B. Dykes            Chief Financial Officer

CHIEF ACCOUNTING 
OFFICER:

/s/ Howard A. Bain III        Vice President/Finance and    December 19, 1996
---------------------------   Chief Accounting Officer
Howard A. Bain III            

ADDITIONAL DIRECTORS:

/s/ Carl D. Carman            Chairman of the Board         December 19, 1996
---------------------------   
Carl D. Carman

/s/ Charles M. Boesenberg     Director                      December 19, 1996
---------------------------   
Charles M. Boesenberg

/s/ Walter W. Bregman         Director                      December 19, 1996
---------------------------   
Walter W. Bregman

/s/ Robert S. Miller          Director                      December 19, 1996
---------------------------   
Robert S. Miller

                                   -4-
EXHIBIT INDEX

Document                                                                   
--------                                                                   
  4.01    Symantec Corporation 1996 Equity Incentive Plan.                 

  4.02    The Registrant's Restated Certificate of Incorporation 
          (incorporated by reference to Annex G filed with the 
          Registrant's Joint Management Information Circular and 
          Proxy Statement (No. 000-17781) dated October 17, 1995).

  4.03    The Registrant's Bylaws, as currently in effect 
          (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.02 of the 
          Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 
          33-28655) originally filed on May 19, 1989, and Amendment 
          No. 1 thereto filed June 21, 1989, which Registration 
          Statement became effective June 22, 1989).

  5.01    Opinion of Fenwick & West LLP.                                     

 23.01    Consent of Fenwick & West LLP (included in Exhibit 5.01).

 23.02    Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Auditors.                

 23.03    Consent of Price Waterhouse, Independent Auditors.                 

 24.01    Power of Attorney (see page 3).