Last year, around February 2019 after one update (I think) I lost Google Chrome first then a week or two later Windows Media Player. Worldwide this has happened to others - even with Windows 10 as in Google Chrome becoming inaccessible 100%. Software engineers could not resolve it either. I actually had a technician look at mine and we went over it for some hours - no luck. Not a virus it seems and no amount of CMD prompts or setting changes worked no matter what he tried. I can only use MSN IE and no other server like Mozilla or Opus etc. And that is fine because now I only limit my PC (Windows 7) to a few online websites. I was able to put another player on successfully, so that is all good. 1) Has anyone else had this happen at all? 2) Also, has a workaround other than a full reinstalment (no guarantees even with that) perhaps been found yet?
What computer is it? Which version is installed and when? What is its health status? All of the above indicates that this computer is damaged. It is probably wise to reinstall Windows and as well as all drivers.
1) Windows 7 Home Premium 2) No issues with it except no access to any internet server except MSN nor WM player. 3) I did get a tech in 2019 to look at it and he couldn't find Malware or Viruses back then. He did discover one thing - didn't show who I was connected to anymore either. Something in CMD was not right when I was in it and putting in Commands for him. We did it over a few days trying to work it out. I was hoping by now - a fix.
Thanks for the advice... 1) Didn't matter about resetting it to defaults each and every time or downloading a new Internet Server to try and use. Always an ERROR message when that server was, and is, opened up. 2) All security and firewalls were turned off or stopped temporarily, but that didnt matter either. Globally I read of others with Windows 7 and 10 having the same issue and no software engineer being able to unravel it or resolve it. I just thought it was some of the Window Updates (not straight away) as one night it was all normal and the next day - no Google Chrome then a week or so later - no WMP. And that happened not long after some Windows Updates a few days in a row. However, I didn't suspect Microsoft for a wee while as I thought it was actually a "virus" at first. I just didn't make the connection then. On my phone Google Chrome was working, but not on PC. So, I thought virus or malware etc. Weeks or a few months later... A Technician also found issues with CMD because it was like I was connected to the internet, but you couldn't see who the connection was to at all. Some things were fine with CMD and some things just weren't. He eventually thought it was a Windows Update too because everything else seemed okay.
If you know what update caused this back then, then surely you can uninstall it and then your programs should be accessible then. Your problem sounds similar to what I experienced from one of the updates I got in November 2016, where I could not access Firefox or Internet Explorer at all and I managed to undo the damage it caused (and it was one of these .NET Framework updates by the way). I might have gotten the exact same update as you but I never had any of these side effects... I still had Windows Media Player even though I barely used it.
@Bryn89 So, it seems it may have happened with you as well. I didn't even suspect it was an update for some weeks as I was set on sorting out what I thought was a "virus". I'm quite good with protection and getting on top of anything that is not PC friendly. However, by the time I did get a Tech involved - other updates had installed. I really trusted Microsoft and never ever once did it cross my mind it could be something like a "Windows Update." When I started to think about it "post it possibly being Microsoft" - I actually wondered if it was a "subtle nudge" by them to switch to Windows 10. After that - that was when I read about others affected by the same issue globally. Other than that - no other anything really except...anti virus apps. But... Ater what happened with that latest Tuesday update and the Wallpaper and Sound system hijacking - am even more convinced. Thanks for chiming in - I wish I had been more aware back when it happened.
Not what you experienced though... mine was a completely different kind of problem, and it might've been a bug rather than a deliberate action.
1. Yes, everything seems good there at least with the sfc /scannow! Still many steps & information is due on your side. 2. There are basically two types of problems with windows updates. (i) Purely due to updates : When an update is released & tested widely, known issues & their probable solutions are also published. All the issues & problems don't impact each & everyone in the same manner. If there is not an immediate solution available, it is worked upon & tried to be solved by a later update or hotfix. It is same for Win 7, 8 & 10. So, regularly make System Images. (ii) OS specific problems : Those are due to be corrected on the user end. They occur due to various reasons like OS corruption, corrupted install, etc. & there are other things! Thanks. ...
I don't usually muck around with "settings" if it can be helped, but am guilty of "downloading apps" from time to time. E.g. CCleaner/Audacity/DivX. I had Google Chrome and WMP on it before being wiped out after, what I believe, were some "Windows Updates." Took me some time to come to that conclusion though. I did use a software Tech to look over it for about two days with me and he couldn't find any viruses or malware. He did find something off with CMD, but came to the conclusion it was Microsoft as well. It is not that I'm refusing - I just thought there may have been a FIX by now. There are a number out there with the same issue. And a lot of what is asked above - I have never done before.
@LittlePro - Forgot to say one other thing: 1) I discovered I couldn't INSTALL any ANTIVIRUS software either before or just after that incident. 2) MICROSOFT ESSENTIALS is the only one that seems to INSTALL successfully. I actually like Kaspersky - what you put in as a link. Nothing I have tried (AVG, Norton, Kaspersky) since then - installs. Microsoft Essentials is the only one that makes it all the way through. So, am not sure if it is a Microsoft thing or something else like a mutant rogue virus. Having said that - the Tech couldn't find anything concrete that could take out Chrome or WMP.
@LittlePro - In ACTION CENTRE - I have NO SECURITY TAB. I don't really have any security programs anymore except Microsoft Essentials. Not through choice. That is another reason I limit the websites visited plus as an added precaution have a WEBSITE CHECKING PROGRAM in place so I don't go into anything questionable. Also, I now use my phone 99.5% of the time for searches if I need to look anything up. Anything important - phone. UNINSTALL PROGRAMS is what I use to UNINSTALL. Nothing else.
Dear, Did you notice that is not an antivirus program / installer ? That's just a Free, Portable & Standalone Offline Antivirus Scanner Executable. That has to be just executed to run the scan & does not need internet or installation. ( It is updated every two hour on the site itself! ) Thanks. ...
Dont want to be rude or hurt anyone ...... BUT ---- > 1 - The person you call a technician is a fraud ....... You have problems ...... he doesnt know what they are ...... he wastes time with malware scans ...... instead of just killing the system and putting it back in again ...... wich would only take a few hours . 2 - The ' help ' and ' information ' you've had so far here is hairraising . 3 - The ' information ' you are giving doesnt help . The ONLY sensible attempt at a solution is ...... kill the system and reinstall it .
I understand what you are thinking or voicing, but the thing is - I didn't want to do a complete reinstall and especially if it wasn't a virus. It wasn't like I was doing anything different prior to what happened. No new websites or accidentally clicking on to suspicious links by mistake. Nothing via email. Absolutely nothing risky I can think of at all. But I do get your concerns.