VERY unusual occurrence when temp files full of app updates

I have been using Windows since 3.1 and Win 7 since day one. I have never seen anything like this and would be surprised, though pleased to get a clue what happened.

I look at User/temp daily just to see what might have happened. Every day. Today I looked and there were 12-14 folders with updates for third party apps installed on my computer. Nothing Microsoft. All occurred at the same time yesterday and I recall doing nothing that could have checked these apps for updates. All from different vendors.

I thought weird and maybe a virus so looked into one or two and deleted them. Even emptied recycle. Wish I had not.

I remembered two of them - Ultimate Windows Tweaker and X-Rite passport checker. I went to those apps and dang, they both had updates available. I can only imagine the others did as well, but cannot recall any of the other programs there.

What could possibly go out, check the installed apps on my computer for updates, and download them as temp files?

This has me baffled.

Hello Rebop,

Programs that use their own Installer like InstallShield may set their own temp folders.

If you download from the Web, sometimes bloatware downloads as well.

Check reliability monitor and see what was installed between yesterday and today.

Not it, thanks. Something checked MULTIPLE third party apps already installed on my computer (sometimes for years) for updates and downloaded the updates but did not install. Not isolated to one third party app. And nothing was installed.

What anti-virus are you using? Some Anti Virus programs are known to check third party programs for updates and then install the pending updates in the background.

Eset NOD 32. Would have never done that before. DO you happen to know if it has that function??

No, I cannot see that Eset NOD 32 has a Software Updater.

Had you checked Reliability Monitor for when the updates were downloaded?

Agreed. Could not find it.

Nothing in the Reliability Monitor shows any updates. These went to temp, never installed. Which is why this is so very odd.

I am starting to wish I never deleted them. Can only confirm two that i remember did indeed have updates available.

Chrome updated a few days ago, and I rarely (twice a year?) use Chrome. But coyld that have done this? Nothing else changed recently.

Chrome can update itself silently, but I have never heard it initiating updates for other programs,

Out of curiosity, what is the exact path for the Temp folder you're looking at?