Windows 7: Newly installed programs show empty start menu folders

Every time i install a new program or whatnot the start menu folder is always empty.
When i right click and select open it says "You don't currently have permission to access this folder" although when i click continue i can access it so it seems it might be security related...
I am the only user on this PC so i shouldn't be getting these messages, right?
And im almost 100% sure its not a virus (tested with malwarebytes) unless its some kind of super hidden virus.
Any ideas?

What anti virus softawre are you running and is it up to date? What do you mean by the Start Menu? W hat program is this on?

Right now im using Microsoft Security Essentials and is up to date.
Start Menu: Click Start (window button on the bottom left) and All Programs.
Im not sure what you mean on your last question. If you meant what operating system its 7 Home x64 SP1.

See my red entries above

Like i said its the folders of the programs i just installed... A game called War Thunder in this case and a few others like it.

Now i am confused. You said originally
But if they are empty how come you can access them? You can't access an empty Folder. It would just come up with the messsage "This folder is empty"

As an example i installed CPU-Z and this is what the start menu folder looked like.
I can still access the program from the installed directory on the hard drive and i can access the start menu folder's items by right clicking and opening it but every time i install a new program it shows an empty start menu folder like this.
Seems to be security related...

Something to check out.
Navigate to C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu
Check the Security settings under the Application directory. Mine is shown below. The only one in mine that has full control is Administrators of HomeI (my computer name) computer. but you can add or grant permissions as you wish. For instance "Everyone" could have full control or your user name also.

Attachment 227157

I have added a couple of links one to a tutorial on customizing the start menu from this forum and a link
to the how to geek. If you read through these and check out your start menu as you read you may find your problem. Since my start menu is ok, I can't point you to the exact cause.

Start Menu - Customize

Tweak the Start Menu in Windows 7 and Vista - How-To Geek

Post back, If you can't find the menus I am refering to we will give some more info.

Same here, full control allowed

Try granting full control to everyone. Install something as a test and then you can change it back.

The directory above also enters into it.