Lost Programs

OhMyGosh wrote on 9/27/2013, 9:42 AM
I hate computers..........Turned it on about a week ago (Win7), and Microsoft and AVG both did updates. The weird part is that I have 'automatic updates' turned off for both as I always have. After the restart, most of my task bar icons had that weird Windows you're screwed look. When I click on them, I get the broken link message. Went to the Windows explorer and tried to find their.exe files to no avail. Seems like vapor ware, they're just gone. Lost all my Adobe programs, Vegas, and several others. I don't have any restore points, so I'm just up a river I guess....I just can't possibly imagine in my wildest dreams what could have done that. I don't have the time or desire to try and reinstall right now, as I know it will be a total pain in the a$$. Especially Adobe, since I wasn't able to deactivate it first. Probably have to call the Pentagon or something. I hate my computer, but I'm afraid I will hate Win8 even more, so I'm scared to buy a new one. Isn't VMS13 over due? I've been waiting for months and haven't heard a word. Sony keeps sending emails blowing out the old version, so I was hoping the new was on it's way. Sorry for the rant. Cin

Comments

Steve Grisetti wrote on 9/27/2013, 11:23 AM
You don't really think these programs are designed to do this, do you?

It sounds to me like you've caught a pretty nasty trojan. I recommend you start by running Malware Bytes.

There's no real value in having your updates turned off. All you do is leave yourself vulnerable to malware while possibly distablizing your machine. Yes, there is an occasional clunky Windows update -- but the updates really do more good than harm.

So you can't blame Microsoft, Adobe and Sony for these issues. Otherwise thousands more people would be experiencing exactly the same issues.

In fact, if Malware Bytes doesn't clean up the bug that's got you, you may want to back up your data (which you should do regularly anyway), wipe your drive and reinstall everything. At least then you're aren't putting dirty socks on after you take a shower, if you know what I mean.

You can also try, in the short term, Windows Restore and restore your OS back to a date when it did work. But that's just putting a Bandaid on the problem.
musicvid10 wrote on 9/27/2013, 11:46 AM
I think you're more likely losing a hard drive than having a virus.
Back up everything still on the drive before attempting any intervention or repairs.
MSmart wrote on 9/27/2013, 1:48 PM
Cin, I agree with Steve, auto updates should be on. I use MS Security Essentials for my virus protection and am happy with it. I recommend you buy Acronis True Image to periodic backups of your system drive. Another recommendation on the security front is to use a HOSTS File.
richard-amirault wrote on 9/27/2013, 3:09 PM
RE: Auto Updates

I don't think it is all that dangerous to have Auto Updates turned off. That is the way I run all the time.

I set it to notify me when updates are ready, so I can choose what and when to update. That is quite different from not updating at all.
MSmart wrote on 9/27/2013, 5:06 PM
To clarify, I, too have it set to download then notify so I choose when to install them. Maybe we read too much into Cin's setting. I took it to mean she didn't update at all.
OhMyGosh wrote on 9/27/2013, 10:22 PM
Thanks for the reply Steve. Yes, I'm blonde, just not that blonde!! ;) I know the software wasn't made to work that way, it's just sooo weird how it was all gone in a minute without a trace. I used to use Malware Bytes, but don't have it on this computer as I was trying not to bog it down with too many programs in the background. I guess I will install it after I take Musicvids advice. Thank you Music, it very well could be that. I remember years ago you could defrag your hard drive and it would show you a graph or picture and show you if you have bad spots on the hard drive, but I haven't done that or seen that in years. I will have to see if that is still doable on Win7. Brighterside, that's the way I like to do it (or at least did), I do the updates, I just want to do the ones I want, when I want. I usually accept the updates, but it makes me feel like I have some control, which I guess I don't......Thanks MSmart for the info and link. I've never seen that before, but it looks like something I should never be without. Really appreciate the help, just didn't need this problem right now. I will let you know what I'm going to do, after I quit staring at my screen hoping it will magically go back to it's old self. Thanks again. Cin
Chienworks wrote on 9/27/2013, 10:28 PM
I have had a few times with early Windows XP releases in which i set it to notify me rather than auto update, i'd start a 30 hour render running, then get home from work the next day to discover an empty windows desktop with a balloon saying "Windows has installed important new updates and rebooted."

This made me very leery about letting Windows handle any aspect of updating at all, so i had it set for completely manual for a long time. However, starting with XP SP2, this the 'notify only' function seems to be behaving itself a lot better.
MSmart wrote on 9/28/2013, 1:25 AM
Cin, let me get this straight, the files in C:\Program Files are gone for those apps? Or is is just the shortcuts and Start menu entries?

Also, you may want to try doing a chkdsk at startup to make sure the file structure of your c drive is intact.
gpsmikey wrote on 9/28/2013, 11:14 AM
If there are lots of files actually missing, I would suspect either a drive failing or some malware of some sort has bitten you. If it was an update that did it, there would have been LOTS more people jumping up and down. I used to have my updates set to "download then notify me" but since I have switched to Win7, I have just left them at automatic and other than the occasional reboot in the middle of the night when I didn't expect it (and had 4 tabs up on a browser window or something), have had no real issues.

Some malware is very good at hiding itself when the system is running and one trick I have used in the past is to take the system disk in question out of that machine and put it in a second machine as simply a "data disk" (not the boot disk). That lets me do a detailed scan of the disk without whatever is on it getting a chance to run and hide itself.

mikey