Windows 10: 3rd Party Software - Self Installation

Hi,

yesterday the 8th I noticed a very peculiar issue that has only just started.

It seems that at startup Windows is reinstalling 3rd party software that is already currently installed and has been for some time.

I only noticed this because for some reason while attempting to create a video in PS CS6, (which I have done many times before), the IMPORT > IMAGE SEQUENCE function was, (and still is), not working so I was considering a complete uninstall of PS, hence opening the PROGRAMS & FEATURES app.

Immediately I could see that 28 of my installed programs were showing that they had only been installed on that day, see below:




This is completely wrong, I have had those programs installed for months, the last actual program that I installed was the Amazon Cloud Drive which I installed on the 7th, it's shown in the above image.

I have no idea what is going on here and a Google search has so far proved fruitless.

Today the 9th after startup I went straight to the PROGRAMS & FEATURES app only to find that yet again a program had miraculously installed itself with no input or warning to inform me, see below:






At the top of the list it shows 'Flickr Uploader for Windows' as newly installed but as you can see from the first image, that same program is already installed.

This is extremely strange behaviour & I have run Window Defender & MalwareBytes scans but nothing harmful has been found.

Is this a new function of Windows 10 1511?

:)

 

Installing 3rd party software

I'm afraid I'm having the same problem (maybe). I copied BrainSchool (for touch screens) to my Dell AXIM (has WIndows Mobile 2003 SE). When I doubletap on the file (brainschool_touch.cab) I get "Setup Failed - Not a valid Windows CE file"



Am I too down-level to run Brain School? Or is part of "brain school" having the smarts to install it, LOL!



Thanks in advance!

 

Installing 3rd party software

aircooled007, how did you make out after Johan's explanation? Did you get it to work?

 

That is certainly creepy!!! Where are the program installers? If they are inaccessible, then the programs aren't being reinstalled. Something else woild be at work here.

They certainly aren't program updates. Two I recognize are still older versions.

 

Hi,

yes it is a little creepy.

There are no program installers accessible as once I have installed a program the setups are removed from my PC and stored on a DVD for archiving.

This morning when I started up it was the Flickr Uploader that once again showed that it had been installed on today's date:





I have just uninstalled this program as I don't use it anyway.

Just a thought but is there a log file somewhere within Windows that records all the installation data i.e. dates etc when programs get installed?

Could this be corrupted in some way?

Regards..,

 

Not much help but you aren't alone - it seems most likely the install date is reset to current date rather than it actually re-installed.

Installed Program Dates Have Changed? - Windows 10 Forums
Programs installed on date keep changing - Windows 10 Forums

If you search View reliability history you should be able to see what dates things were installed and then tell if it is just a bug with the date reported in installed updates.

 

Thanks for all the info, Reliability Monitor doesn't show anything untoward so I can only assume that its some kind of glitch in the latest Windows.

The Flickr Uploader for Windows program that I have now uninstalled did have a file called Update.exe in it's directory which also contained log file called SquirrelUpdate. As this program loads with Windows at startup I can only assume that it then pings a server checking for an update but for some reason Windows interprets this as a new install.

This might also account for the Adobe programs as the updater also starts with Windows.

Perhaps the issue is because of scheduled update tasks & some recent Windows update is somehow screwing with the info, who knows.

At least I can see that I am not alone with this and that it has started only recently.

 

Just wondering, did you do an in place upgrade install then? It looks as if a bunch of my programs have an installed date corresponding to when I did that - maybe 50%. Quite a few still show early dates though.

 

I updated W10 to v1511 on 31st Dec as an inplace update.

The issue may have started then but I cannot say as I had no reason to look at the installed prog list until the 8th of Jan.

As of 11th of Jan I am not getting this issue any longer but I will keep a check on it daily for a while.