<PAGE>

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 9, 1995
                                                         Registration No.    33-
                                                                  --------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                       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)

                           1994 PATENT INCENTIVE PLAN
                            (Full title of the plan)

                                DEREK WITTE, ESQ.
                              SYMANTEC CORPORATION
                               10201 TORRE AVENUE
                          CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA  95014
                                 (408) 253-9600
            (Name, address and telephone number of agent for service)

                                   COPIES TO:

                              Cheryl D. Davey, Esq.
                                 Fenwick & West
                              Two Palo Alto Square
                          Palo Alto, California  94306

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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           400,000 (1)       $24.625 (2)        $9,850,000 (2)           $3,397
par value

<FN>
(1)  Shares registered pursuant to this Registration Statement available for
     issuance under the 1994 Patent Incentive Plan.

(2)  Estimated pursuant to Rule 457(c) based on the closing sale price of the
     issuer's Common Stock on the Nasdaq National Market on June 5, 1995, solely
     for the purpose of calculating the amount of the registration fee.

</TABLE>

     This Registration Statement, including exhibits, consists of ____
sequentially numbered pages.  The Index to Exhibits appears on sequentially
numbered page ___.


<PAGE>

ITEM 3.  INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.

     The following documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(the "Commission") are incorporated herein by reference:

     (a)  The Registrant's latest annual report filed pursuant to Section 13(a)
          or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
          "Exchange Act"), or the latest prospectus filed pursuant to Rule
          424(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities
          Act"), that contains audited consolidated financial statements for the
          Registrant's latest fiscal year for which such statements have been
          filed.

     (b)  All other reports filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the
          Exchange Act since the end of the fiscal year covered by the annual
          report or the prospectus referred to in (a) above.

     (c)  The description of the Registrant's Common Stock contained in the
          Registrant's registration statement filed with the Commission under
          Section 12 of the Exchange Act, including any amendment or report
          filed for the purpose of updating such description.

          All documents subsequently filed by the Registrant pursuant to
     Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the
     filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities
     registered hereby have been sold or which deregisters all securities then
     remaining unsold, shall be deemed incorporated by reference herein and to
     be a part hereof from the date of the filing of such documents.

ITEM 5.   INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL.

    Gordon K. Davidson, a partner in Fenwick & West, counsel to the registrant,
is Secretary of the Registrant.

    As to named experts, Item 5 is inapplicable.





                           [The rest of this page left
                              intentionally blank]


                                       -2-

<PAGE>

EXPERTS.

    The consolidated financial statements of Symantec Corporation ("Symantec" or
the "Company") included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K as of
March 31, 1995 and 1994 and for each of the three years in the period ended
March 31, 1995, have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent auditors, as
set forth in their report thereon included therein and incorporated herein by
reference which, as to fiscal 1993 is based in part on the report of KPMG Peat
Marwick LLP, independent accountants, as it relates to Fifth Generation Systems,
Inc.'s ("Fifth Generation") consolidated financial statements for the year ended
December 31, 1992, which report is included in the Company's Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the year ended March 31, 1995.  Such consolidated financial
statements of Symantec referred to above are incorporated herein by reference in
reliance upon such reports given upon the authority of such firms as experts in
accounting and auditing.  The report of Ernst & Young LLP insofar as it relates
to amounts included for Fifth Generation is based solely upon the report of KPMG
Peat Marwick LLP.  The report of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP referred to above
contains an explanatory paragraph that states that Fifth Generation's recurring
losses and maturity of long term debt raise substantial doubt about Fifth
Generation's ability to continue as a going concern.  The consolidated financial
statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of
that uncertainty.


ITEM 6.   INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

     As permitted by Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, the
Registrant's Certificate of Incorporation includes a provision that eliminates
the personal liability of its directors for monetary damages for breach or
alleged breach of their duty of care.  The Registrant also maintains a limited
amount of director and officer insurance.  In addition, as permitted by Section
145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, the Bylaws of the Registrant
provide that:  (i) the Registrant is required to indemnify its directors,
officers and employees, and persons serving in such capacities in other business
enterprises (including, for example, subsidiaries of the Registrant) at the
Registrant's request, to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law, including
those circumstances in which indemnification would otherwise be discretionary;
(ii) the Registrant is required to advance expenses, as incurred, to such
directors, officers and employees in connection with defending a proceeding
(except that it is not required to advance expenses to a person against whom the
Registrant brings a claim for breach of the duty of loyalty, failure to act in
good faith, intentional misconduct, knowing violation of law or deriving an
improper personal benefit); (iii) the rights conferred in the Bylaws are not
exclusive and the Registrant is authorized to enter into indemnification
agreements with such directors, officers and employees; (iv) the Registrant is
required to maintain director and officer liability insurance to the extent
reasonably available; and (v) the Registrant may not retroactively amend the
Bylaw provisions in a way that is adverse to such directors, officers and
employees.

     The Registrant's policy is to enter into indemnity agreements with each of
its directors that provide the maximum indemnity allowed to directors by Section
145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law and the Bylaws, as well as certain
additional procedural protections.  In addition, the indemnity agreements
provide that directors will be indemnified to the fullest possible extent not
prohibited by law against all expenses (including attorney's fees) and
settlement amounts paid or incurred by them in any action or proceeding,
including any derivative action by


                                       -3-

<PAGE>

or in the right of the Registrant, on account of their services as directors of
the Registrant or as directors or officers of any other company or enterprise
when they are serving in such capacities at the request of the Registrant.  No
indemnity will be provided, however, to any director on account of conduct that
is adjudicated to be knowingly fraudulent, deliberately dishonest or willful
misconduct.  The indemnity agreements also provide that no indemnification will
be available if a final court adjudication determines that such indemnification
is not lawful, or in respect of any accounting of profits made from the purchase
or sale of securities of the Registrant in violation of Section 16(b) of the
Exchange Act.

     The indemnification provision in the Bylaws, and the indemnity agreements
entered into between the Registrant and its directors, may be sufficiently broad
to permit indemnification of the Registrant's officers and directors for
liabilities arising under the Securities Act.

ITEM 8.  EXHIBITS.

           4.01    The Registrant's 1994 Patent Incentive Plan.

           4.02    The Registrant's Restated Certificate of Incorporation
                   (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.02 of Amendment No. 2
                   to the Registrant's Form S-3 Registration Statement No. 33-
                   82012 filed on December 23, 1994).

           4.03    The Registrant's Bylaws, as currently in effect (incorporated
                   by reference to Exhibit 3.02 of the Registrant's Form S-1
                   Registration Statement No. 33-28655 originally filed on May
                   19, 1989).

           5.01    Opinion of Fenwick & West.

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

           23.02   Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, independent auditors.

           23.03   Consent of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP, independent auditors.

           24.01   Power of Attorney (see page 6).

ITEM 9.  UNDERTAKINGS.

     The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

     (1)   To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a
post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

           (i)     To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the
Securities Act;

           (ii)    To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising
after the effective date of the Registration Statement (or the most recent post-
effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent
a fundamental change in the information set forth in the Registration Statement;


                                       -4-

<PAGE>

           (iii)   To include any material information with respect to the plan
of distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration Statement or any
material change to such information in the Registration Statement.

     PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that paragraphs (1)(i) and (1)(ii) above do not apply if
the Registration Statement is on Form S-3 or Form S-8, and the information
required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is
contained in periodic reports filed by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or
Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement.

     (2)   That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new
registration statement relating to the securities offered therein and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

     (3)   To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment
any of the securities being registered that remain unsold at the termination of
the offering.

     The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the
Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's
annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a
new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

     Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act
may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the
Registrant pursuant to the provisions discussed in Item 6 hereof, or otherwise,
the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such
indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and
is, therefore, unenforceable.  In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses
incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person in the successful
defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer
or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered hereby,
the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been
settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction
the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as
expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication
of such issue.





                           [The rest of this page left
                              intentionally blank]


                                       -5-

<PAGE>

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS that each individual and corporation whose
signature appears below constitutes and appoints Gordon E. Eubanks, Jr. and
Robert R. B. Dykes, and each of them, his or its true and lawful attorneys-in-
fact and agents with full power of substitution, for him or it and in his or its
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 attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, 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 or it
might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said
attorneys-in-fact and agents or any of them, or his or their substitute or
substitutes, 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 8th day of
June, 1995.

                                   SYMANTEC CORPORATION

                                   By: /s/ Robert R.B. Dykes
                                       ----------------------------------------
                                           Robert R. B. Dykes
                                           Executive Vice President World-Wide
                                           Operations

     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    June 8, 1995
- ------------------------------     Officer and Director
Gordon E. Eubanks, Jr.


                                       -6-

<PAGE>

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


CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER:


/s/ Robert R.B. Dykes              Executive Vice President      June 8, 1995
- ------------------------------     World-Wide Operations and
Robert R. B. Dykes                 Chief Financial Officer


CHIEF ACCOUNTING
OFFICER:


/s/ Howard A. Bain III             Vice President/Finance and    June 8, 1995
- ------------------------------     Chief Accounting Officer
Howard A. Bain III


DIRECTORS:


/s/ Carl D. Carman                 Chairman of the Board         June 8, 1995
- ------------------------------
Carl D. Carman


/s/ Charles M. Boesenberg          Director                      June 8, 1995
- ------------------------------
Charles M. Boesenberg


/s/ Walter W. Bregman              Director                      June 8, 1995
- ------------------------------
Walter W. Bregman


/s/ Robert S. Miller               Director                      June 8, 1995
- ------------------------------
Robert S. Miller


/s/ Leslie L. Vadasz               Director                      June 8, 1995
- ------------------------------
Leslie L. Vadasz


                                       -7-

<PAGE>

                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

Document                                                                    Page
- --------                                                                    ----

 4.01     The Registrant's 1994 Patent Incentive Plan.

 4.02     The Registrant's Restated Certificate of Incorporation
          (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.02 of Amendment
          No. 2 to the Registrant's Form S-3 Registration Statement
          No. 33-82012 filed on December 23, 1994).

 4.03     The Registrant's Bylaws, as currently in effect (incorporated
          by reference to Exhibit 3.02 of the Registrant's Form S-1
          Registration Statement No. 33-28655 originally filed on
          May 19, 1989).

 5.01     Opinion of Fenwick & West.

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

 23.02    Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, independent auditors.

 23.03    Consent of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP, independent auditors.

 24.01    Power of Attorney (see page 6).
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "description": "S-8", "secsgml_size_bytes": 19631}]
{"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": "033-60141", "film-number": "95546337"}, "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 June 9, 1995
                                                         Registration No.    33-
                                                                  --------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                       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)

                           1994 PATENT INCENTIVE PLAN
                            (Full title of the plan)

                                DEREK WITTE, ESQ.
                              SYMANTEC CORPORATION
                               10201 TORRE AVENUE
                          CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA  95014
                                 (408) 253-9600
            (Name, address and telephone number of agent for service)

                                   COPIES TO:

                              Cheryl D. Davey, Esq.
                                 Fenwick & West
                              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           400,000 (1)       $24.625 (2)        $9,850,000 (2)           $3,397
par value
(1)  Shares registered pursuant to this Registration Statement available for
     issuance under the 1994 Patent Incentive Plan.

(2)  Estimated pursuant to Rule 457(c) based on the closing sale price of the
     issuer's Common Stock on the Nasdaq National Market on June 5, 1995, solely
     for the purpose of calculating the amount of the registration fee.
This Registration Statement, including exhibits, consists of ____
sequentially numbered pages.  The Index to Exhibits appears on sequentially
numbered page ___.
ITEM 3.  INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.

     The following documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(the "Commission") are incorporated herein by reference:

     (a)  The Registrant's latest annual report filed pursuant to Section 13(a)
          or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
          "Exchange Act"), or the latest prospectus filed pursuant to Rule
          424(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities
          Act"), that contains audited consolidated financial statements for the
          Registrant's latest fiscal year for which such statements have been
          filed.

     (b)  All other reports filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the
          Exchange Act since the end of the fiscal year covered by the annual
          report or the prospectus referred to in (a) above.

     (c)  The description of the Registrant's Common Stock contained in the
          Registrant's registration statement filed with the Commission under
          Section 12 of the Exchange Act, including any amendment or report
          filed for the purpose of updating such description.

          All documents subsequently filed by the Registrant pursuant to
     Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the
     filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities
     registered hereby have been sold or which deregisters all securities then
     remaining unsold, shall be deemed incorporated by reference herein and to
     be a part hereof from the date of the filing of such documents.

ITEM 5.   INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL.

    Gordon K. Davidson, a partner in Fenwick & West, counsel to the registrant,
is Secretary of the Registrant.

    As to named experts, Item 5 is inapplicable.

                           [The rest of this page left
                              intentionally blank]

                                       -2-
EXPERTS.

    The consolidated financial statements of Symantec Corporation ("Symantec" or
the "Company") included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K as of
March 31, 1995 and 1994 and for each of the three years in the period ended
March 31, 1995, have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent auditors, as
set forth in their report thereon included therein and incorporated herein by
reference which, as to fiscal 1993 is based in part on the report of KPMG Peat
Marwick LLP, independent accountants, as it relates to Fifth Generation Systems,
Inc.'s ("Fifth Generation") consolidated financial statements for the year ended
December 31, 1992, which report is included in the Company's Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the year ended March 31, 1995.  Such consolidated financial
statements of Symantec referred to above are incorporated herein by reference in
reliance upon such reports given upon the authority of such firms as experts in
accounting and auditing.  The report of Ernst & Young LLP insofar as it relates
to amounts included for Fifth Generation is based solely upon the report of KPMG
Peat Marwick LLP.  The report of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP referred to above
contains an explanatory paragraph that states that Fifth Generation's recurring
losses and maturity of long term debt raise substantial doubt about Fifth
Generation's ability to continue as a going concern.  The consolidated financial
statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of
that uncertainty.

ITEM 6.   INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

     As permitted by Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, the
Registrant's Certificate of Incorporation includes a provision that eliminates
the personal liability of its directors for monetary damages for breach or
alleged breach of their duty of care.  The Registrant also maintains a limited
amount of director and officer insurance.  In addition, as permitted by Section
145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, the Bylaws of the Registrant
provide that:  (i) the Registrant is required to indemnify its directors,
officers and employees, and persons serving in such capacities in other business
enterprises (including, for example, subsidiaries of the Registrant) at the
Registrant's request, to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law, including
those circumstances in which indemnification would otherwise be discretionary;
(ii) the Registrant is required to advance expenses, as incurred, to such
directors, officers and employees in connection with defending a proceeding
(except that it is not required to advance expenses to a person against whom the
Registrant brings a claim for breach of the duty of loyalty, failure to act in
good faith, intentional misconduct, knowing violation of law or deriving an
improper personal benefit); (iii) the rights conferred in the Bylaws are not
exclusive and the Registrant is authorized to enter into indemnification
agreements with such directors, officers and employees; (iv) the Registrant is
required to maintain director and officer liability insurance to the extent
reasonably available; and (v) the Registrant may not retroactively amend the
Bylaw provisions in a way that is adverse to such directors, officers and
employees.

     The Registrant's policy is to enter into indemnity agreements with each of
its directors that provide the maximum indemnity allowed to directors by Section
145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law and the Bylaws, as well as certain
additional procedural protections.  In addition, the indemnity agreements
provide that directors will be indemnified to the fullest possible extent not
prohibited by law against all expenses (including attorney's fees) and
settlement amounts paid or incurred by them in any action or proceeding,
including any derivative action by

                                       -3-
or in the right of the Registrant, on account of their services as directors of
the Registrant or as directors or officers of any other company or enterprise
when they are serving in such capacities at the request of the Registrant.  No
indemnity will be provided, however, to any director on account of conduct that
is adjudicated to be knowingly fraudulent, deliberately dishonest or willful
misconduct.  The indemnity agreements also provide that no indemnification will
be available if a final court adjudication determines that such indemnification
is not lawful, or in respect of any accounting of profits made from the purchase
or sale of securities of the Registrant in violation of Section 16(b) of the
Exchange Act.

     The indemnification provision in the Bylaws, and the indemnity agreements
entered into between the Registrant and its directors, may be sufficiently broad
to permit indemnification of the Registrant's officers and directors for
liabilities arising under the Securities Act.

ITEM 8.  EXHIBITS.

           4.01    The Registrant's 1994 Patent Incentive Plan.

           4.02    The Registrant's Restated Certificate of Incorporation
                   (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.02 of Amendment No. 2
                   to the Registrant's Form S-3 Registration Statement No. 33-
                   82012 filed on December 23, 1994).

           4.03    The Registrant's Bylaws, as currently in effect (incorporated
                   by reference to Exhibit 3.02 of the Registrant's Form S-1
                   Registration Statement No. 33-28655 originally filed on May
                   19, 1989).

           5.01    Opinion of Fenwick & West.

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

           23.02   Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, independent auditors.

           23.03   Consent of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP, independent auditors.

           24.01   Power of Attorney (see page 6).

ITEM 9.  UNDERTAKINGS.

     The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

     (1)   To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a
post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

           (i)     To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the
Securities Act;

           (ii)    To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising
after the effective date of the Registration Statement (or the most recent post-
effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent
a fundamental change in the information set forth in the Registration Statement;

                                       -4-
(iii)   To include any material information with respect to the plan
of distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration Statement or any
material change to such information in the Registration Statement.

     PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that paragraphs (1)(i) and (1)(ii) above do not apply if
the Registration Statement is on Form S-3 or Form S-8, and the information
required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is
contained in periodic reports filed by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or
Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement.

     (2)   That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new
registration statement relating to the securities offered therein and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

     (3)   To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment
any of the securities being registered that remain unsold at the termination of
the offering.

     The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the
Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's
annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a
new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

     Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act
may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the
Registrant pursuant to the provisions discussed in Item 6 hereof, or otherwise,
the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such
indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and
is, therefore, unenforceable.  In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses
incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person in the successful
defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer
or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered hereby,
the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been
settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction
the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as
expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication
of such issue.

                           [The rest of this page left
                              intentionally blank]

                                       -5-
POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS that each individual and corporation whose
signature appears below constitutes and appoints Gordon E. Eubanks, Jr. and
Robert R. B. Dykes, and each of them, his or its true and lawful attorneys-in-
fact and agents with full power of substitution, for him or it and in his or its
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 attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, 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 or it
might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said
attorneys-in-fact and agents or any of them, or his or their substitute or
substitutes, 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 8th day of
June, 1995.

                                   SYMANTEC CORPORATION

                                   By: /s/ Robert R.B. Dykes
                                       ----------------------------------------
                                           Robert R. B. Dykes
                                           Executive Vice President World-Wide
                                           Operations

     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    June 8, 1995
- ------------------------------     Officer and Director
Gordon E. Eubanks, Jr.

                                       -6-
SIGNATURE                             TITLE                   DATE
- ------------------------           --------------------------    ------------

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER:

/s/ Robert R.B. Dykes              Executive Vice President      June 8, 1995
- ------------------------------     World-Wide Operations and
Robert R. B. Dykes                 Chief Financial Officer

CHIEF ACCOUNTING
OFFICER:

/s/ Howard A. Bain III             Vice President/Finance and    June 8, 1995
- ------------------------------     Chief Accounting Officer
Howard A. Bain III

DIRECTORS:

/s/ Carl D. Carman                 Chairman of the Board         June 8, 1995
- ------------------------------
Carl D. Carman

/s/ Charles M. Boesenberg          Director                      June 8, 1995
- ------------------------------
Charles M. Boesenberg

/s/ Walter W. Bregman              Director                      June 8, 1995
- ------------------------------
Walter W. Bregman

/s/ Robert S. Miller               Director                      June 8, 1995
- ------------------------------
Robert S. Miller

/s/ Leslie L. Vadasz               Director                      June 8, 1995
- ------------------------------
Leslie L. Vadasz

                                       -7-
EXHIBIT INDEX

Document                                                                    Page
- --------                                                                    ----

 4.01     The Registrant's 1994 Patent Incentive Plan.

 4.02     The Registrant's Restated Certificate of Incorporation
          (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.02 of Amendment
          No. 2 to the Registrant's Form S-3 Registration Statement
          No. 33-82012 filed on December 23, 1994).

 4.03     The Registrant's Bylaws, as currently in effect (incorporated
          by reference to Exhibit 3.02 of the Registrant's Form S-1
          Registration Statement No. 33-28655 originally filed on
          May 19, 1989).

 5.01     Opinion of Fenwick & West.

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

 23.02    Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, independent auditors.

 23.03    Consent of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP, independent auditors.

 24.01    Power of Attorney (see page 6).