Newly installed programs not showing in hard drive

[wontonbomb]

Hello all

I'm having trouble finding installed programs in my hard drive after installation.

For multiple programs, once I've installed them there isn't any folders/files visible anywhere in the directory they were supposedly installed (C:\Program Files (x86)\[File Name]), or anywhere else on the computer. No start menu/shortcuts are created either.

I've tried unhiding all files, reinstalling to different areas (C:\Users) etc. but nothing is appearing. I've run all installations with administrator privilege.

Strangely enough, the hard drive does not show a decrease in file space after the installations, but if I try and reinstall the programs I get an error message telling me they are already installed and asking me if I want to overwrite.

I thought it may just be windows explorer, but trying third party explorer software still couldn't find anything.

Some of the installed programs will still run, if I have the executable name to run it from the cmd window, so they must be there. I'm not sure if this is a problem with windows or my hard drive is just knackered.

Any help is appreciated.

 

[strollin]

Do they show up in "Programs and Features" as installed? If so, what happens if you try to uninstall?

Any chance they are 64-bit programs so they installed in "C:\Program Files"?

 

[wontonbomb]

Hi Strollin,

Nothing appears in "Programs and Features". No uninstall options for any of the newly installed programs.

Nothing in C:\Program Files either.

Not sure if this helps, but I can see all the program directories when I try and re-install the programs and change the install directory. They are visible, but I can't access anything (I guess because I'm looking at the folders through the installer).

Strange that they aren't appearing when I search using explorer.

 

[strollin]

Are you installing as a user with Admin privileges?

 

[wontonbomb]

Yes, installed with admin privileges.

 

[poisongift]

Are you using any antivirus?