Mystery of the Vanishing Lightoom!!

[jwbryson1]

My LR3 software has uninstalled itself from my computer without me doing anything at all. No joke.

I installed it several weeks ago, but when I tried to open it today it is GONE. :x Not just the desktop shortcut. All of it. I can reinstall but I'd like to know what happened.

Does anybody have a clue WTF is going on or how this could happen???

Thanks.

 

[jwbryson1]

Follow up -- it appears I still have LR3 on my computer but the desktop shortcut and the reference to the software when I hit "Start" and then "All Programs" have vanished. I dragged and dropped a shortcut to the desktop and it seems to be working again.

I still find this to be bizarre behavior.

 

[2WheelPhoto]

Gremlins

 

[Tomasko]

Are you the only computer user on that machine? No roommates, children, wife...?

 

[Neiby]

I would be running an anti-virus scan and an anti-malware scan on that PC as soon as possible. I recommend Microsoft Security Essentials for AV and Malwarebytes for anti-malware. It sounds like you make have something that is messing up your registry settings.

 

[Tomasko]

Neiby, I agree with av scan, but you're wrong about one thing - desktop shortcuts have nothing to do with the registry Those are just simple .lnk files. If something was messing with his registry settings, he wouldn't be able to run Lightroom.

 

[Neiby]

Neiby, I agree with av scan, but you're wrong about one thing - desktop shortcuts have nothing to do with the registry Those are just simple .lnk files. If something was messing with his registry settings, he wouldn't be able to run Lightroom.

I know that, but he also said it was missing from his Start menu. Are those just links, as well?

Ah, I missed the part where he said he created a new shortcut and it is working again. I totally didn't even read that the first time.

 

[Tomasko]

Yes, links from start menu are just files too You can see that for yourself when you right click on "All programs" and click on "Open". You'll see windows explorer with the address something like
C:/Users/{name}/AppData/Roaming/Microsoft/Windows/Start menu
if you're using Vista or Win7. Older Windows-s used different location, but it's still the same principle.

 

[The_Traveler]

After you start it, a shortcut should appear below the line in the program startup popup.
Pin that to the start menu