Windows 7: Windows 7 deletes random .exe files

I recently bought a new laptop with widows 7. In transferring my files I noticed that windows seems to be erasing my .exe files. Not all .exe files, but a number of them. I can't seem to find a rhyme or a reason. Does anyone know why this is happening and/or what I can do to stop it? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

That's impossible. If anything makes your executables disappear it would have to be either a virus, or an anti-virus program.

I'm not saying it makes sense. I was thinking maybe anti-virus, but this was a problem before I even had time to install my anti-virus. I thought maybe windows defender or something like that. I turned off real-time protection and it didn't help.

Do I understand this right - your .exes disappear from the Program Files? - or are we talking about shortcuts and from where do those disapear?

Neither. I have files on another hard drive, flash drive, etc. Whenever I put them on my laptop (on one instance I transferred it to the laptop's hard drive, another I viewed the folder contents directly) they get deleted.

Ok. Here's the answer. It was virus scan after all. There was a trial of Norton on the laptop. Apparently, though I hadn't set it up, it was installed enough to mess with me. I got that off the machine and everything worked fine. SIMPLE ANSWERS ARE USUALLY THE RIGHT ANSWERS!

This is still not clear. You said initially that .exe files are being deleted. But .exe files are only in program files. So what are those files that you are moving around - what are the filetypes?

I have installable programs, in .exe file format, on another hard drive. They are not in the program files folder.

Depending on where they are ( on your o/s drive ), you may find doing a system restore will delete them also.

OK, now I understand. And they are Windows 7 exes I suppose. The only thing I can suggest that you have a look into Event Viewer to see whether that reveals some clues.