New
#1
Programs being deleted from C:\Program Files (x86)
But not by me!
A whole bunch of my programs,....
ie,
3D Mark 11, 06, Vantage
Photoshop Elements 6
Camtasia
Cool Edit Pro 2
Defraggler
dxtory
GIF movie gear
Furmark
MSI Afterburner
Firefox
Origin
Nero Burning ROM
Microsoft Autoroute 2007
AMD Catalyst Control Centre
...have disappeared, leaving my shortcuts looking like I uninstalled them. All deleted programs are still showing in control panel/programs and features, but with default windows icons next to the titles. I re-downloaded malwarebytes yesterday and installed to C:\Program Files (x86) again and did a quick scan and it came up with nothing. Spybot yesterday also only showed 'IWinGames' which I fixed. I re-installed photoshop yesterday as well to C:\Program Files (x86). Spybot today shows nothing.
Today, photoshop has gone again, likewise, malwarebytes again, and also some other programs: kies backup and restore, pinnacle studio, driver sweeper and tridef 3D software.
It occurred to me that every single one of the deleted programs were installed to C:\Program Files (x86), and nothing has been deleted that is installed to C:\Program Files, my E drive or my F drive. None of my other spyware programs and microsoft security essentials are installed to C:\Program Files (x86), so they have not been deleted.
Which begs the question, why are programs disappearing from C:\Program Files (x86) and C:\Program Files (x86) only?
As I type, I'm currently doing a full scan with malwarebytes on just my C drive and so far it's showing 3 objects detected. I'll report back with whatever they are in a while.
Just did a quick scan with microsoft security essentials and it's just quarantined Exploit:Java/Blacole.ES Alert Level: Severe
Encyclopedia entry: Exploit:Java/Blacole.ES - Learn more about malware - Microsoft Malware Protection Center
Could that be the issue?