Windows 7: Disappearing files\programs

DISAPPEARING FILES\PROGRAMS
Has anyone experienced the syndrome of files and or complete installed programs simply disappearing after a reboot. I have had many instances of that occuring and when I reinstall the missing program, it picks up all the data that was created ( database files, confg, serial,etc) . I see lots of items in GOOGLE,<DISAPEARING FILES IN WINDOWS 7> but surprisingly , none here on Windows 7 Forum
using Windows 7, 7100, 64 bit

before I read your post, I had never heard of that issue. I'll have to look into it

Wow never heard or experienced that.

You don't have a deep freeze program on there do you?

Anyways, this is a strange one indeed.....
Have you tried to use the program that was installed?

~Lordbob

i'm not sure... but maybe i share experience.

it's not that programs "disappear" --- they just don't show up in "start menu". also, sometimes serials etc are lost.

right now i'm wondering how comes apps, folders, shortcuts install into 2 different paths:

a) path 1

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

b) path 2

C:\Users\[...]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs


& i also wonder LENW... if you've _upgraded_ (as i did) or running a "clean install" ?

Its not two different paths. There are different things in each section, though I don't know why it does that.

~Lordbob

Well, My initial installation of build 7100 was CLEAN following a massive failure to my Vista.

I claim stoopidity in not being able to locate the START MENU so that I could look at the contents....everytime I did a search on Windows 7 all I gotr was confioguration of the START MENU, but not the contenst.,..probably staring me right in the face...For sure it is not where ot was in XP, ME, W300 etc etc.


scuce the typos I had my eyes dilated this agternoon and they are nto back to normal yet

yes. & no.

1) yes... it's _not_ 2 different paths to _same_ location, source or functionality.

2) no... it _does_ provide similar functionality. i'm not sure... but "for me" it looks like path1

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

stems from the past. that is... it's still there for "old" apps that aren't able to install according to "authorized" routine to

path2

C:\Users\[...]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

*

i'm not sure.

after i experienced the disappearance-"feature"... i discovered _SOME_ folder, sub-folders & app-shortcuts from _PREVIOUS_ (xp to vista sp1) set-ups in path1. i could not make out any pattern --- as _some_ of these showed up in start-menu, _b4_ the disappearance-"feature" while others didn't.

sure i tried to copy some of these to path2-location... & again i could not make out any pattern. as again some of them showed up & others didn't.

i did restarts, registry checks, all that stuff my limited knowledge & experience is capable off... it didn't help.

that is: i don't understand this "feature" & i can't find a solution or work-around.

*

finally i did a complete bottom-up clean-install. i didn't do it for some months... & i had some time. good chance for general clean up, isn't it?

i installed apps step by step. wit frequent restore points. etc.

finally it happened again. apps in start-menu disappeared. it happened after i installed a 9 year old app that worked fine w xp, xp sp1 & even survived upgrade to 7b. i did a compatibility install, trying both vista & xp mode. in both cases apps in start-menu disappeared. in both cases installer wrote entries into path1

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

& _not_ into path2

C:\Users\[...]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

*

i do not know if this is an experience that will be shared by others. i installed other old apps & all worked fine. if somebody else stumbles across this phenomenon... maybe she'll feel ok it happened to others too.

wish you well

hello,

1) there are some quite good tutorials available here, @ win7forum. btw - a place i start to appreciate. thanks to everybody :-)

b) "start menu" is located @

C:\Users\[...]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

with [...] being your user-name.

it is "said" that you'de be able to manually add shortcuts fo folders & apps. that's nothing new we could do that b4 too. so _IF_ you wanna do that... see location above.

i hope it helps :-)

I have had a similar problem, sometimes whole folders go missing, especially if i have set a new download folder for newsbins etc.
if I boot up to OSX the folders are there and intact but just can't see them in windows.
I have had the odd problem with programs that were installed then suddnly not. hell thought I was going mad. lol

As yet not caused me a major headache but still it is a little anoying. Almost like system restore is running without permision but the data dissapears also. And yes if a program dissapears if you re-install it is fine and your data re-apears.